Patent ID: 7607714

Claim:
A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, the tonneau system comprising: a system frame coupled to the cargo box; a cover spanning at least a portion of the cargo box; a bow member supported by the system frame and coupled to the cover, the bow member applying biased tension to the cover in a cross vehicle direction; a retaining member coupled to the system frame and configured to secure the bow member, the retaining member limiting movement of the bow member relative to the system frame; and a bracket member operably coupled to the cover and pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position, the cover being in a tensioned position when the bracket member is in the lowered position and the cover being in an untensioned position when the bracket is in the raised position, the bow member being moved between a first position and a second position in response to the movement of the cover between the tensioned position and the untensioned position, the retaining member securing the bow member when the bow member is in the first position and releasing the bow member when the bow member is in the second position.