Abstract:
A bumper for a motor vehicle having a tonneau cover moveable from an opened position to a closed position includes an annular body having an inner surface and an outer surface where the inner surface defines a bore. The bumper also includes a rib extending from a first position on the inner surface to a second position on the inner surface within the bore. The bumper is adapted to be mounted to the vehicle and positioned between the tonneau cover and the vehicle when the tonneau cover is in the closed position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a device for coupling a cover to a box of a vehicle having an open cargo area. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tonneau cover bumper mounted on a cargo carrying vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicles such as pick-up trucks having an open cargo area are useful for transporting a wide variety of cargo. However, cargo transported in this type of vehicle is susceptible to environment exposure. Therefore, various tops, caps and tonneau covers have been designed to cover the cargo area and limit the ingress of rain, sleet, snow and the like. In addition, the aforementioned covers prevent egress of cargo as the vehicle is being operated. 
     An example of one such tonneau cover includes a pair of hard panels pivotally interconnected by a transversely extending hinge. In their closed positions, the panels lie flat on top of a pair of vertical sidewalls defining the cargo area. In other examples, the tonneau cover consists of a plurality of panels folding in a manner similar to an accordion, stackable one against the other. However, existing tonneau covers are not without their disadvantages. One disadvantage relates to the difficulty of providing a latching mechanism to releasably couple the tonneau cover to the vehicle in a manner that will not damage the tonneau cover or the vehicle while restricting movement of the cover relative to the vehicle. Specifically, the structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,491 to Steffens et al. aligns and latches the cover with the vehicle but does not provide any biasing force or energy damping function. Accordingly, the cover is allowed to repeatedly impact upon the vehicle sidewalls as the vehicle is operated. Other structures rigidly interconnect the cover and the vehicle sidewall such that loads generated from a rough road transmit through the cover into the vehicle thereby reducing the structural durability of one or both of the components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tonneau cover bumper adaptable for use with new or existing vehicles and securable to the vehicle body to align the tonneau cover relative to the vehicle sidewalls. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a tonneau cover bumper to dissipate energy transmitted from the road through the vehicle thereby increasing structural durability of the tonneau cover and the vehicle. 
     The present invention includes a bumper for a motor vehicle having a tonneau cover moveable from an opened position to a closed position. The bumper includes an annular body having an inner surface and an outer surface where the inner surface defines a bore. The bumper also includes a rib extending from a first position on the inner surface to a second position on the inner surface within the bore. The bumper is adapted to be mounted to the vehicle and positioned between the tonneau cover and the vehicle when the tonneau cover is in the closed position. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description and appended claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle equipped with a tonneau cover bumper constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a striker assembly having the preferred tonneau cover bumper attached thereto; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the tonneau cover bumper; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred tonneau cover bumper; 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the striker assembly with preferred tonneau cover bumper; and 
     FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a vehicle equipped with a tonneau cover and preferred tonneau bumper taken transverse to the vehicle direction of travel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings, a tonneau cover bumper constructed in accordance with the teachings of an embodiment of the present invention is generally identified at reference numeral  10 . Tonneau cover bumper  10  is shown operatively associated with a striker assembly  12  coupled to an exemplary motor vehicle  14 . Striker assembly  12  cooperates with a latch assembly  16  mounted to a tonneau cover assembly  18 . In the preferred embodiment, vehicle  14  is a pick-up truck having a cargo area  20  generally defined by a bed  22 , a first sidewall  24 , a second sidewall  26  and a tailgate  28 . 
     As best shown in FIG. 1, tonneau cover assembly  18  is illustrated to generally include a first cover  30  and a second cover  32  rotatably interconnected by a hinge  34 . Hinge  34  is detachably coupled to a pair of clamp assemblies  36  coupled to first and second sidewalls  24  and  26 , respectively. A pair of striker assemblies  12  are rigidly fastened to first and second sidewalls to selectively couple first cover  30  to vehicle  14 . Each of the striker assemblies are substantial mirror images of each other. Accordingly, only one striker assembly  12  will be described in detail. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, striker assembly  12  includes a frame  38  constructed from a generally “U” shaped channel  40 . Channel  40  includes a first section  42 , a second section  44  and an end section  46  interconnecting first section  42  and second section  44 . First section  42  includes three apertures  48  each receiving a fastener  50  to interconnect frame  38  with first sidewall  24 . First section  42  and second section  44  each include an aperture for receipt of a striker bar  52  spanning first section  42  and second section  44  substantially parallel to end section  46 . Striker bar  52  is offset from end section  46  to allow a clasp  54  of latch assembly  16  to rotate about striker bar  52  and couple first cover  30  to striker assembly  12 . End section  46  includes a cross-shaped aperture  56  extending therethrough. Cross-shaped aperture  56  includes a first elongated portion  57  and a second elongated portion  58  orthogonally overlying first portion  57 . First portion  57  includes a first end  59  and a second end  60 . Cross-shaped aperture  56  functions to allow easy assembly and subsequent retention of bumper  10  as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Bumper  10  includes an annular body  61 , a pair of ribs  62  and key a  63 . Annular body  61  includes an outer surface  64  and an inner surface  66  defining a bore  68 . Ribs  62  extend from a first portion of inner surface  66  to a second portion of inner surface  66  spanning bore  68 . In the preferred embodiment, two ribs  62  traverse bore  68 . However, it should be appreciated that alternate embodiments may include a different number or configuration of ribs without departing from the scope of the present invention. Specifically, a second embodiment is depicted at FIG. 3 as having an open bore  70  with no ribs present. Both embodiments of the bumper of the present invention are preferably constructed from an extruded elastomer cut to length. One example of a feasible elastomeric material is Santoprene 101-64 available from Advanced Elastomer Systems. Preferably, the elastomeric material exhibits a durometer in the range of 55 to 65. 
     As best seen in FIG. 4, key  63  is a generally “T” shaped protrusion extending from outer surface  64  along the entire extruded length of bumper  10 . Key  63  includes a top portion  72  integrally formed with a rail portion  74  extending from outer surface  64  of annular body  61 . At assembly, top portion  72  and rail portion  74  are disposed within cross-shaped aperture  56  (FIG. 2) and displaced toward first end  59  of first elongated portion  57  to capture end section  46  between outer surface  64  and top portion  72 . Once top portion  72  protrudes from end section  46 , bumper  10  is axially disposed toward second end  60  to fully engage key  63  with end section  46 . 
     It should be appreciated that as key  63  is being disposed within cross-shaped aperture  56 , body  61  deforms to fit within the confines of channel  40  as shown in FIG.  5 . Specifically, outer surface  64  of annular body  61  includes a first contact portion  76  and a second contact portion  78 . When bumper  10  is in its free, undeformed state, the first and second contact portions form a first angle  80 , as depicted in phantom line representation, greater than the angle between first section  42  and end section  46 . Thus, once key  63  is disposed within cross-shaped aperture  56 , first contact portion  76  is biasedly engaged with first section  42 . At this time, striker assembly  12  may be assembled to vehicle  14 . 
     With reference to FIG. 6, striker assembly  12  is coupled to first sidewall  24  with fasteners  50 . First cover  30  is shown in the closed position with latch assembly  16  engaging striker assembly  12 . Latch assembly  16  includes a housing  82  mounted to first cover  30  and configured to position clasp  54  in engagement with striker bar  52  when first cover  30  is in the closed position. As first cover  30  is being articulated about hinge  34  from an open position to a nearly closed position, clasp  54  contacts striker bar  52  and rotates such that a hook portion  84  of clasp  54  is positioned between striker bar  52  and end section  46  effectively coupling the cover to the vehicle. 
     Bumper  10  includes a third contact portion  86  positioned along outer surface  64 . Third contact portion  86  is contacted by housing  82  as first cover  30  is closed deforming bumper  10  as shown in FIG.  6 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that because bumper  10  has a cooperating mirror image component similarly engaged with another latch housing adjacent to second sidewall  26 , bumper  10  functions to position first cover  30  squarely in relation to bed  22  and the overall vehicle. It should also be appreciated that the orientation of third contact surface  86  with relation to housing  82  provides a biasing force engaging clasp  54  with striker bar  52 . Accordingly, impact loading and noise due to rattling and intermittent contact of first cover  30  with first sidewall  24  is reduced. Because clasp  54  is in biased engagement with striker bar  52 , the effort to unlatch latch assembly  16  from striker assembly  12  is effected. Thus, the preferred embodiment includes an elastomeric material having a durometer ranging from 55 to 65 and two generally parallel ribs  62  extending across bore  68 . By constructing bumper  10  in this manner, the bumper provides a damping function by dissipating the force transmitted through housing  82  toward first sidewall  24  and an ease of use function by deforming sufficiently to maintain a low latch release force. 
     Therefore, it should be appreciated that the configuration and operation of the tonneau cover bumper provides a variety of advantages over the prior art. Specifically, the bumper of the present invention provides a simple, cost effective method of centering tonneau cover panels relative to the bed. Additionally, the tonneau cover bumper provides a damper mechanism for absorbing road load inputs thereby preventing damage to the tonneau cover and the vehicle. 
     The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.