Patent Description:
Truck bed covers are commonly used with pick-up trucks and like vehicles with cargo areas that are substantially exposed. There are known different types of covers (roll-up covers, folding covers, retractable covers, one-piece solid covers, etc.) for providing a more secure, weather-protected storage. An example of such a cover is shown in <CIT>.

Typical motorised roll-up covers employ obstacle detection functions by measuring electrical characteristics of the motor, i.e., changes in the electrical current required to extend the rollable curtain of the cover. Such roll-up covers may compare an electrical characteristic, such as current, or voltage, with predefined thresholds and stop the operation of the motor when such threshold is exceeded, assuming presence of an obstacle. However, weather conditions, i.e., rain, snow or temperature changes, may affect the nominal characteristics of the motor without necessarily indicating an obstacle. Such false-positive situations may render typical roll-up covers inoperable under certain weather conditions.

Typical motorised roll-up covers employ physical buttons mounted at the side rail parts of the cover assembly or inside the truck bed of the vehicle, and the user can operate the cover assembly functionality without the need of a remote key fob. Due to the exposed aspect of the roll-up covers, such buttons are substantially exposed to weather conditions, dust, etc.. Thus, there remains a need for an alternative way for the user to operate the cover assembly functionality without the need of a remote key fob.

Covers, and particularly roll-up covers, are moveable and rollable and sometimes it is desirable to provide power to electric elements arranged on the cover, more specifically on the end slat of the rollable curtain, such as light signals, sensors etc., to be used for multiple purposes, such as indicating that the curtain is moving (opening closing), providing extra lightning or for security purposes, i.e., detection of an obstacle within the truck bed, among others.

External batteries placed on the truck bed and trucks having wired side railings for connecting to a power source are known. However, due to the moveable/rollable aspect of the roll-up covers as well as due to the exposed nature of the cover, these solutions are not able to provide a continuous electrical connection and operation of electric elements (lights, sensors or signal transceivers) arranged on the cover, and more specifically on the end slat of the rollable curtain, while the latter is operable, i.e., in movement.

Finally, in known systems, due to the lack of electrical power at intermediate positions of the rollable curtain, it is not possible to provide the end slat with electrical elements, i.e., sensor-means or illumination, or actuators to operate the rollable curtain directly from the end slat.

In accordance with the invention a cover assembly for a pickup truck bed is provided. The cover assembly comprises a motorised rollable curtain for selectively extending to at least partially cover the pickup truck bed and at least partially retracting to form a roll. The rollable curtain is formed of a plurality of adjacent transverse panels or slats that are hingedly connected to one another and an end slat.

According to one aspect of the invention, the cover assembly comprises one or more electric elements (illumination, signal transceivers, sensor-means, etc.). arranged on the end slat of the rollable curtain, powered and controlled by means of a controller board which is either comprised within the rollable curtain or connected to the electric elements by means of a wired connection provided in the cover assembly in such a manner that the electric elements can be continuously powered during operation, i.e., movement, of the cover assembly.

In some embodiments, the end slat may slide with respect to the rest of the rollable curtain under pressure between a first position and a second position. The end slat may comprise one or more sensor-means that may be actuated when the end slat is pushed, and send a signal to the controller board accordingly. Such signals may be processed in multiple ways by the controller board. As a first function, when the rollable curtain is stopped in a back-end position (totally closed truck bed) a signal from the sensor(s) is processed as a command from the user to open the curtain. As a second function, when the rollable curtain is stopped in a front-end position (totally opened truck bed) a signal from the sensor(s) is processed as a command from the user to close the curtain. As a third function, a signal from the sensor(s) while the roll-up cover is moving for closing the truck bed assumes presence of an obstacle and the roll-up curtain stops immediately and reverses to release such an obstacle (i.e., human hand, luggage). As a fourth function, while the roll-up cover is moving for opening the truck bed a signal from the sensor(s) is processed as a command from the user to stop the curtain.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cover assembly may further comprise solar panels arranged on at least part of the plurality of adjacent transverse panels to provide said power source to said electric elements.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the cover assembly may additionally comprise a plurality of cable guiding elements to provide a wired connection to said electric elements.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the cover assembly may further comprise a rechargeable battery or batteries arranged in the rollable curtain.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.

Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure will be described in the following, with reference to the appended drawings, in which.

With reference to <FIG>, a cover assembly for the truck bed of a pick-up type vehicle according to the invention comprises a motorised rollable curtain <NUM>, actuated by an electric motor, formed of a plurality of adjacent transverse panels <NUM>, which are continuously connected along their transverse length by hinge joints <NUM>, and an end slat <NUM>, said rollable curtain <NUM> coupled at one end to a transverse rotatable shaft, not shown, comprised within a housing box <NUM>, to allow winding and unwinding thereon.

The term longitudinal is to be understood as a direction parallel to a travel direction of the pickup truck.

The term transverse is to be understood as a direction transverse to a travel direction of the pickup truck.

According to the invention, the end slat <NUM> of the cover assembly comprises one or more electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> moveable with the rollable curtain (<NUM>) and connected to a power source <NUM> (not shown).

In an embodiment of the present invention, said electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is a sensor or sensors <NUM> and/or a light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in <FIG>, the sensor or sensors is a push switch or switches <NUM> for detecting a push action on the end slat <NUM>, which can be interpreted as an obstacle or a user command.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the light signal or signals is an illuminative sign or logo <NUM>, a full-length white light <NUM> movable with the motorized rollable curtain <NUM> to illuminate the interior of the truck bed according to the user preference and/or a red light <NUM> that can work as an extra brake lamp, an emergency light or an extra driving beam light like the rest tailgate lights of the vehicle.

The light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM> may be in the form of a light strip.

In other embodiments, the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be illuminated when the vehicle and/or the roll-up cover is in operation.

In addition, further circuitry may be incorporated with any of the embodiments of the present invention to cause the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to flash or vary in color and intensity according to the user's preferences.

Additional circuitry may also be incorporated with any of the embodiments of the present invention to cause the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to flash or vary in intensity, for example, as the rollable curtain <NUM> is in movement (opening or closing), when the vehicle brakes or accelerates, etc..

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power source <NUM> is the vehicle's battery.

The cover assembly, then, further comprises a plurality of cable guiding elements <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, mounted to at least part of the plurality of adjacent transverse panels <NUM> and configured to receive cable wires therethrough for providing a wired connection to the cover assembly, such that the end slat <NUM> can be connected by means of said cable wires with a stationary electric elements, i.e., a smart-Al (Artificial Intelligence) control circuit board <NUM> mounted on the housing box and powered, i.e., by the vehicle's battery.

In this manner, the electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in the end slat <NUM> may receive power from the smart-Al control circuit board <NUM> by means of said cable wires, supported and guided in a defined manner along at least one longitudinal length of the motorized rollable curtain <NUM> and connecting said electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> with said smart-Al control circuit board <NUM>.

A number of suitable configurations for the guiding elements <NUM> are contemplated.

Contemplated configurations are particularly suitable for receiving cable wires therethrough and allowing the cable wires to be winded, along with the motorized rollable curtain <NUM>, in a circular manner without bending.

In any of the contemplated configurations, the cable guiding elements <NUM> comprise an inner wall 5a, an outer wall 5b, a top wall 5c, a bottom wall 5d, a distal end 5e and a proximal end 5f defining a through channel <NUM> over the entire length of the cable guiding elements <NUM> for cable wires to be supported and guided as they pass longitudinally through the cable guiding elements <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cover assembly further comprises a plurality of solar panels <NUM> (not shown) for electrical energy generation, arranged on the top surface of at least part of the plurality of adjacent transverse panels <NUM>, or integrated therein, that constitute the power source <NUM>.

According to another embodiment, the power source <NUM> is a rechargeable battery or batteries arranged on the rollable curtain <NUM>.

The solar panels <NUM> may be connected to said rechargeable battery or batteries to collect and store the energy provided by the solar panels <NUM> or may be directly connected to said electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

In an embodiment of the present invention, at least part of the plurality of adjacent transverse panels <NUM> have a cable guiding element <NUM> mounted to one or to both of its longitudinal ends. In this manner cable wires can either be arranged along only one longitudinal side of the rollable curtain <NUM> or along both opposed longitudinal sides of the rollable curtain <NUM>, allowing for different cable routing arrangements.

With specific reference to <FIG>, the inner wall 5a of the cable guiding elements <NUM> may comprise a passageway <NUM> through which cable wires can be passed out of the through channel <NUM> laterally with respect to the cable guiding element <NUM>.

The cable guiding elements <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be attached to the adjacent transverse panels <NUM> by means of a threaded bolt or fastener,.

The cable guiding elements <NUM> may also comprise a plurality of transversely projecting parts <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, which extend inside the transverse panels <NUM> for providing additional attaching means. That is, the cable guiding elements <NUM> may have a design profile corresponding to the design profile of the transverse panels <NUM> for better fit.

Transversely projecting parts <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may vary in configuration, number, arrangement, etc..

In another embodiment, the housing box <NUM> may comprise helical trackways arranged on an inner surface of the side walls thereof, to help guide the rollable curtain <NUM> free of excessive frictional resistance upon extending or retracting the same. In such an embodiment, the cable guiding elements <NUM> may comprise a ball bearing <NUM> to minimize the rolling friction between the transverse panels <NUM> and the helical trackways.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the solar panels <NUM> have an electrical connector in which positive and negative terminals of the panel are connected to a cable wire, passing through passageway <NUM> of a cable guiding element <NUM> mounted to only one longitudinal end of a panel <NUM> comprising a solar panel <NUM>, in such a manner that cable wires run along only one longitudinal length of the rollable curtain <NUM> to connect the solar panels <NUM> to the rechargeable battery or batteries arranged in the rollable curtain <NUM> or directly to the electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the solar panels <NUM> may have a positive terminal at one end and a negative terminal at the other end, such that cable wires, passing through passageway <NUM> of corresponding cable guiding elements <NUM> mounted to both longitudinal ends of a panel <NUM> comprising a solar panel <NUM>, in such a manner that cable wires run along opposed longitudinal lengths of the rollable curtain <NUM> to connect the solar panels to the rechargeable battery or batteries arranged in the rollable curtain <NUM> or directly to the electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The end slat <NUM> may further comprise an open-close mechanism, in cooperation with the sensor or sensors <NUM>, such that, for example, when pressure is exerted to the end slat <NUM>, the sensor or sensors <NUM> may be activated sending a signal to the said smart-Al control circuit board <NUM>. Such activation signal is interpreted as an open-close signal and the electric motor of the cover assembly is activated to either open, close or stop the movement of the motorised rollable curtain <NUM> depending on its previous state. That is, if the curtain is closed, then a push of the end slat <NUM> may activate the sensor or sensors <NUM> and the curtain <NUM> may open. Accordingly, when the curtain <NUM> is open, a push of the end slat <NUM> may activate the sensor or sensors <NUM> and the curtain <NUM> may close. Such operations are only possible if the electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the end slat <NUM> are provided with electric power at any intermediate position, that is if a wired connection is present between-stationary and moving or rolling elements, with respect to the housing box of the cover or with respect to the vehicle, to activate the sensor or sensors <NUM> and to allow communication of the sensors with the said smart-Al control circuit board <NUM>.

The end slat <NUM> may differ from the other slats (i.e., adjacent transverse panels <NUM>) of the rollable curtain <NUM> in at least two ways. First, the end slat <NUM> may comprise two parts, a first part hingedly attached to the next slat and a second part slidable and/or pivotable with respect to the first part. Between the two parts there may be space to host at least the sensor or sensors <NUM>. By pushing the second part, the second part may slide or pivot with respect to the first part of the end slat <NUM> and cause the sensor or sensor <NUM> to be actuated. The second part may also host the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The motorised cover system is further configured to be remotely controlled by means of a remote-control element or a mobile application installed in a smartphone, as shown in <FIG>, such that the electric elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be activated or disactivated, the brightness of the same, for example when the electric element is a light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be adjusted and the curtain <NUM> can be automatically opened or closed by remotely activating the electric motor of the cover system.

The electric motor is driven by the smart-Al (Artificial Intelligence) control circuit board <NUM>, that may be mounted on a side wall of the housing box <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, of the rollable curtain <NUM>. Said smart-Al controller circuit board is preferably connected to the vehicle battery.

A control panel means, not shown, may be mounted on or adjacent the housing box and/or in the truck cab and/or in the side rails and/or in the end slat <NUM>.

The electric motor may be remotely controlled by a remote controller, or an app installed in a smartphone. The rollable curtain <NUM> can thus be stopped and operated remotely at any spot.

It is also contemplated that the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be automatically actuated upon deployment of the rollable curtain <NUM> or may also operate in conjunction with the headlights, parking lights or tail lights of the vehicle.

Alternatively, the light signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can further include a light sensor-means, not shown, wherein the light sensor-means activates the lighting signal or signals <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> upon the happening of a selected event, such as at darkness, dusk, or times of severe weather conditions, for example.

Claim 1:
A cover assembly for the truck bed of a pick-up type vehicle, said assembly comprising a motorised rollable curtain (<NUM>) formed by a plurality of adjacent transverse panels (<NUM>), which are continuously connected along their transverse length by hinge joints (<NUM>), and an end slat (<NUM>),
characterized in that said curtain (<NUM>) is coupled at one end to a transverse rotatable shaft to allow winding and unwinding thereon,
and in that the end slat (<NUM>) comprises one or more electric elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) movable with the rollable curtain (<NUM>) and connected to a smart-Al control circuit board (<NUM>) which is a stationary electric element mounted on a housing box (<NUM>), in such a manner that the electric elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) are continuously powered during operation of the cover assembly.