Patent Publication Number: US-2017361692-A1

Title: Latch system for pickup bed tonneau cover

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/351,089 filed Jun. 16, 2016, entitled LATCH SYSTEM FOR PICKUP BED TONNEAU COVER, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosed inventive concept relates to bed tonneau covers for pickup trucks. More particularly, the disclosed inventive concept relates to latches for securing the pickup bed tonneau cover to the top rail of the pickup bed. Still more particularly, the disclosed inventive concept relates to a latch for securing the pickup bed tonneau cover to the top rail of the pickup bed by way of relatively easy movements of the latch between its latched, unlatched and stowed positions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of covers on pickup truck beds typically incorporates one of three types of covers. The simplest of these designs is the entirely flexible, non-reinforced roll-up cover formed from a cloth or a polymerized material. While being easy to install and remove and being of low cost, the roll-up covers cannot support weights of, for example, snow. Other covers include solid, one-piece covers and multi-segmented covers having individual frame segments that are covered by cloth or a polymerized material. 
     Regardless of design, tonneau covers are designed so as to be removable as may be necessary to accommodate loads that exceed the height of the bed with the tonneau cover in place. In the case of solid or segmented tonneau covers, ease of removability of the tonneau cover varies widely, though, as a general rule, the amount of latching hardware involved in securing tonneau covers to truck beds is often excessive and typically requires both a great amount of time and effort to attach, release and stow. The difficulty generally lies in the fact that designers focus on the importance of keeping the cover securely latched to the pickup bed for safety rather than on ease of movement. 
     The solid, one-piece cover is typically hinged at its vehicle-forward end to the top rail of the truck bed and is selectively latched to the truck bed at its opposite end. Conversely, the flexible, non-reinforced cover is often snapped to the top rail of the truck bed to maintain its covered position. The multi-segmented tonneau cover typically includes at least four latches, two along each side rail, that provide positive attachment of the cover to the pickup bed. Some latching solutions rely on C-clamps that attach the tonneau cover to the upper rails of the bed. While providing a good degree of security, C-clamps are often difficult to correctly position and properly install, particularly because of the great variety of designs of rails between vehicle brands and types. The use of C-clamps may also result in unsatisfactory installation because of the difficulty of correct installation. 
     In response to the challenge of using C-clamps to attach the tonneau cover to the pickup bed rail, designers developed a variety of latches that are usually, but not always, attached to a rigid part of the tonneau cover itself. These latches are of a variety of types and include, for example, hinged latches that require the operator to use both hands when locking the latch into place. The “two-handed” operation involves the use of one hand to hold the latching part in position against the rail of the pickup bed and the other to move the handle of the latch to its locked position. 
     In addition, the typical tonneau cover latch, which is usually attached to the underside of the tonneau cover, is incapable of being stowed when not in use, thus resulting in a latch that dangles inconveniently from the underside of the tonneau cover when not in its latching position. While often providing satisfactory results in maintaining a secure relationship between the tonneau cover and the pickup bed, known latching systems are cumbersome and are difficult to operate. 
     In an effort to provide a stowable latch, present efforts include a latch that can be moved from its latching position to a pre-stowed position, then twisted (or rotated) to a stowed position. This approach provides a stowed latch that is moved out of the way, but necessitates extra movements on the part of the operator which prove inconvenient. 
     As in so many areas of vehicle technology there is always room for improvements related to the latching of tonneau covers to pickup beds. Particularly, it would be advantageous to provide an effective tonneau cover latch that can be easily set to its latching position and stowed under the tonneau cover and thus out of the way when not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosed inventive concept overcomes the problems of known latches for tonneau covers by providing a latch assembly that is relatively easy to move between its stowed position and its clamping position. The latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept uses the fewest number of parts. Importantly, the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept allows for an operator to move the latch between its stowed and clamping positions with the least amount of effort using only one hand. 
     Particularly, the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept is used for engaging and disengaging a pickup truck bed cover, such as a tonneau cover having a side rail, relative to a pickup truck bed having an upper rail. The latch assembly includes a base mount fixed to the side rail of the cover, a cam assembly having a first cam surface and a second cam surface, and a handle assembly that is rotatably attached to the base mount. The handle assembly is movable between a stowed position and a clamping position. Unlike the prior art, the latch can be moved from its latched position to its stowed position along the same axis without the need to twist the latch to its stowed position. 
     The handle assembly includes a lever rotatably mounted to the base mount, a slidable grip slidably mounted on the lever, and a pivotable locking arm operatively and selectively associated with the first and second cam surfaces. The pivotable locking arm includes a grip for clamping against the upper rail of the bed when the handle assembly is in its clamping position. 
     The first cam surface and said second cam surface are joined and are continuous with one another. The first cam surface has a concave stowing cam profile for moving the pivotable locking arm to its stowed position and the second cam surface has a concave locking cam profile for moving the pivotable locking arm to its clamping position. The pivotable locking arm includes a follower end having a follower for selective engagement with the first and second cam surfaces. 
     A biasing element such as a spring is provided between the slidable grip and the base mount for urging the slidable grip toward the base mount. The base mount includes a slidable grip-engaging feature and the slidable grip includes a base mount-engaging feature. 
     The above advantages and other advantages and features will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly according to the disclosed inventive concept shown in its stowed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1  in its stowed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly shown after having been released from being stowed; 
         FIG. 4  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly initially moved toward its clamping position; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the attachment assembly in generally the position shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly moved further toward its clamping position in which the cam follower is following the locking cam profile; 
         FIG. 7  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly illustrated in its clamping position; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the attachment assembly in its clamping position; 
         FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 7  but illustrating the slidable grip having been moved to its release position in anticipation of releasing the attachment assembly from its clamping position; 
         FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9  but illustrating the lever having been released from its locked position relative to the base mount; 
         FIG. 11  is a partially sectional side view of the attachment assembly being moved to its fully stowed position in which the cam follower is following the stowing cam profile of the cam assembly; and 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view illustrating ridges formed to each side of the truck bed-engaging grip of the pivotable locking arm. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following figures, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components. In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for different constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting. 
     The preferred embodiment of a latch assembly for use in locking a pickup truck tonneau to a pickup truck bed cover is shown in  FIGS. 1-11 . It is to be understood that when reference is made to “pickup truck bed” that this reference is to a structure for a pickup truck that includes a generally horizontal base wall, vertical side, front and back walls and a pivoting gate that is selectively lowered and raised to as desired to open or close the area of the bed. It is also to be understood that the tonneau cover to which the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept is attached may be of any of a variety of types of covers as the disclosed latch assembly is suitable for use on virtually any tonneau cover or similar cover. 
     The latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept finds particular application on a multi-segmented tonneau cover of the type that includes individual segments that are rotatably attached. Each segment includes a front cross rail and a rear cross rail, both the front and rear cross rails extending in a cross-car direction. The front cross rail and the rear cross rail are each connected by a pair of opposed side rails. As is understood, the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept attaches to a side rail as will be described below. 
     The figures illustrate the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept in several stages of operation between being stowed during non-use to its clamping position in which the tonneau cover is held to the upper rail of the pickup truck bed. It is to be understood that the configuration of the latch assembly of the disclosed inventive concept is preferred but not necessarily exclusive, as other configurations could be adopted without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention as described and claimed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a latch assembly, generally illustrated as  10 , is shown in its generally horizontal stowed position in which the latch assembly  10  is out of the way of the operators when the tonneau cover segments are being folded and unfolded. The latch assembly  10  includes a base mount  12  having a rail attachment end  14 . The rail attachment end  14  includes two opposed channels  18  and  18 ′ into which are slotted two flanges  20  and  20 ′ respectively that are formed on a side rail  21 . As is understood by one skilled in the art, on assembly of the relevant segment of the tonneau cover, the two opposed channels  18  and  18 ′ are fitted between the two flanges  20  and  20 ′, thereby allowing the base mount  12  to be slid onto the open end of the side rail  21  before attachment thereto of an end rail. The base mount  12  may be fixedly attached to the side rail  21  by, for example, mechanical fastening using a nut and bolt assembly  22  in which the head of the bolt is captured in a T-shaped channel  23  formed in the side rail  21 . Other methods of mechanical fastening may be used. The nut and bolt assembly  22  secures the side rail  21  to the base mount  12 . 
     The base mount  12  includes a pair of spaced apart and opposed walls  24  and  24 ′. Each of the walls  24  and  24 ′ includes a grip clamping flange of which one, a grip locking flange  26 , is shown in  FIG. 1  formed on the wall  24 . It is to be understood that the opposed wall  24 ′ includes a grip clamping flange. 
     Rotatably attached to the base mount  12  is a handle or lever assembly  28 . The handle assembly  28  includes a handle or lever  30 , a slidable grip  32  slidably mounted on the handle  30 , and a pivotable locking arm  34 . 
     The lever  30  includes a first end  36  and a second end  38 . The first end  36  of the lever  30  includes an attachment pin aperture  40  into which a pivot pin  42  is inserted. 
     The slidable grip  32  includes a return spring  44  that urges the slidable grip  32  toward the first end of the  36  of the handle  30 . The slidable grip  32  further includes two side walls  46  and  46 ′. Each of the grip side walls  46  and  46 ′ includes a base mount engagement flange of which one, a base mount engagement flange  48 , is shown in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , when the handle assembly  28  is in its stowed position, the slidable grip  32  is urged to its base mount locking position by the return spring  44  such that the base mount engagement flanges of the slidable grip  32  enter into locked engagement with the grip engagement flanges of the base mount  12 . 
     Rotatably attached to the handle assembly  28  is a pivotable locking arm  34 . The pivotable locking arm  34  includes a locking arm pin aperture  50  into which is fitted a locking arm attachment pin  52 . The locking arm attachment pin  52  rotatably attaches the pivotable locking arm  34  to the handle  30 . The pivotable locking arm  34  includes a follower end  54  to which is rotatingly attached a follower or roller  56 . The pivotable locking arm  34  also includes a grip end  56  that having a truck bed-engaging grip  58 . The grip  58  may be formed from a rubber material or another polymerized material so that the selected material provides a relatively high coefficient of friction, thereby reducing or eliminating the possibility of the grip  58  becoming loose from the engaged surface on the truck bed wall. The polymerized surface also reduces the likelihood that the surface of the truck bed will become marred upon clamping of the latching assembly  10 . 
     The cam follower  56  selectively engages a cam assembly  60  that is attached to or is part of the base mount  12 . The cam assembly  60  has two profiles formed thereon. The first of these profiles is a stowing cam profile  62 . The second of these profiles is a locking cam profile  64 . During the stowing operation of the handle assembly  28 , the cam follower  56  follows the stowing cam profile  62  as will be discussed below. As will also be discussed below, during the clamping operation of the handle assembly  28 , the cam follower  56  follows the locking cam profile  64 . 
     As noted,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate the latch assembly  10  in its generally horizontal stowed position. In this position, the latch assembly  10  is positioned out of the way, thereby allowing the tonneau cover segments to be folded and unfolded. Once the associated segment of the tonneau cover is fitted in place on the top of the pickup truck bed, the latch can be moved to its tonneau cover locking position relative to the pickup truck bed attachment point and, more particularly, relative to a top rail  66  of a pickup truck bed. As the first step toward moving the latch assembly  10  to its locking position, the operator grasps the slidable grip  32  and moves it against the biasing force of the return spring  44  and toward the second end  38  of the lever  30 , thereby disengaging the base mount engagement flanges  48  and  48 ′ from the grip locking flanges  26  and  26 ′ respectively. Thus disengaged, the handle assembly  28  is allowed to pivot downward to a substantially vertical position as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The handle assembly  28  is now approximately half of the way between its stowed position and its engaged position. 
     The next step toward clamping is illustrated in  FIG. 4  in which the handle assembly  28  is shown initially moved toward its clamping position. A perspective view of the handle assembly  28  in this position is generally illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the handle assembly  28  is shown after being moved by the operator back partially toward its stowed position. However, the pivotable locking arm  34 , allowed to pivot freely relative to the lever  30  by the locking arm attachment pin  50 , moves essentially independent of the lever  30 . Responding to gravity, the heavier grip end  56  of the pivotable locking arm  34  tends to stay in its down position as illustrated in  FIG. 4  while the lever  30  is moved back to its stowed position as indicated by the arrow. As shown in  FIG. 4 , movement of the lever  30  in this direction causes engagement of the cam follower  56  at the follower end  54  of the pivotable locking arm  34  to engage the locking cam profile  64  of the cam assembly  60 . 
     As illustrated by arrows, continuing movement of the lever  30  toward its stowed position in  FIG. 5  results in the cam follower  56  continuing to follow the locking cam profile  64  of the cam assembly  60 . This movement causes the grip end  56  of the pivotable locking arm  34  to be moved in the direction opposite that of the lever  30 , or toward clamping with the top rail  66  of a pickup truck bed. 
     The operator continues moving the lever  30  toward the stowed position until the slidable grip  32  reengages the base mount  12  by reengagement of the grip locking flanges  26  and  26 ′ with the base mount engagement flanges  48  and  48 ′ from the respectively as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The biasing force of the return spring  44  retains the slidable grip  32  in its locked position against the base mount  12  until such time as the operator chooses to again release the lever  30  by movement of the slidable grip  32  toward the second end  38  of the lever  30 . 
     Simultaneous with the movement of the lever  30  toward its stowed position, the pivotable locking arm  34  moves toward its clamping position with respect to the top rail  66  of the pickup bed. Particularly, as the lever  30  is moved toward its stowed position, the cam follower  56  continues to follow the locking cam profile  64  of the cam assembly  60  until the pivotable locking arm  34  is moved to its fully engaged position in which the grip end  56  is pressed against the top rail  66  of a pickup truck bed. The tonneau cover is now fully clamped and is securely locked against the pickup truck bed as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . To prevent movement of the truck bed-engaging grip  58  of the pivotable locking arm  34  along the top rail  66 , a pair of spaced apart travel-restricting ramps  67  and  67 ′ are formed on the underside of the top rail  66 . This arrangement is also shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Should the operator decide to remove all or some of the tonneau cover from the pickup truck bed, the handle assembly  28  must first be released from its locking position. Release of the handle assembly  28  from its locked position is undertaken in reverse of the installation steps to be followed by stowage. Particularly, and referring to  FIG. 9 , the operator grasps the slidable grip  32  and moves it against the biasing force of the return spring  44  and toward the second end  38  of the lever  30 , thereby disengaging the base mount engagement flanges  48  and  48 ′ from the grip locking flanges  26  and  26 ′ respectively. 
     Thereafter, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the operator moves the lever  30  again toward its unlatched position shown in  FIG. 3 . While moving the lever  30 , the grip  58  of the pivotable locking arm  34  falls away from the top rail  66  because of gravity, thus causing the locking arm  34  to initially pivot back to its stowed position due to rotation of the pivotable locking arm  34  relative to the lever  30 . 
     To return the handle assembly  28  to its fully stowed position, the operator continues to move the lever  30  upward toward its stowed position as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The operator assists in the movement of the pivotable locking arm  34  by pressing on the grip  58  until the cam follower  56  engages the stowing cam profile  62 . Simultaneous with movement of the lever  30  in this direction, the cam follower  56  engages the stowing cam profile  62  of the cam assembly  60  and continues to follow the stowing cam profile  62  while the lever  30  is moved into its locked position relative to the base mount  12 . Thus the handle assembly  28  is returned to its fully stowed position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and as discussed in relation thereto. 
     With respect to  FIG. 12 , a sectional view of the top rail  66  taken along its long axis in which the travel-restricting ramps  67  and  67 ′ are illustrated. Configured in this manner, the travel-restricting ramps  67  and  67 ′ provide a barrier against which the truck bed-engaging grip  58  of the pivotable locking arm  34  cannot pass, thus restricting movement of the grip  58  along the length of the top rail  66 . It is to be understood that while two travel-restricting ramps  67  and  67 ′ are illustrated, it may be that only one of these features is necessary. 
     It is to be understood that while a single attachment assembly  10  is illustrated, the attachment assemblies are ordinarily provided in mirror pairs such that another latch assembly would be provided on the opposite side of the tonneau cover segment. 
     The latching arrangement of the disclosed inventive concept allows the operator to quickly and easily move the latch from its fully stowed position to its clamping position and back again seamlessly and using only a single hand. The latching arrangement of the disclosed inventive concept requires the least number of moving parts, is highly adaptable to a variety of tonneau covers, and provides a secure and effective attachment of the tonneau cover relative to the pickup truck bed. 
     One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the above discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.