PICK-UP TRUCK BOX COVER

• US 20090278377A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laurmark Enterprises Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Israel Maimin, Julian Maimin
• Inventors: Maimin, Julian, Maimin, Israel
• Granted Patent: US 8,061,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/100.90
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/141 for covering load areas, e.g. for pick-up trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/02 Covering of load

Abstract

A cover assembly for a pick-up truck cargo box includes first and second rails attachable at the sides of the box. A cover has a first resilient hinge strip connecting a first panel to a second panel and allowing the first panel to pivot relative to the second panel. A third panel is attached to the second panel by a second resilient hinge strip, which allows the second panel to pivot relative to the third panel. The panels are supported on the rails. Latches on the panels hold the panels onto the rails. The cover may be opened by sequentially releasing the latches and folding the panels over onto each other.

Claims

1. A folding cover assembly for a pick-up truck cargo box, comprising:

first panel;

a second panel;

a first resilient hinge strip connecting the first panel to the second panel and allowing the first panel to pivot relative to the second panel;

a third panel; and

a second resilient hinge strip connecting the second panel to the third panel and allowing the second panel to pivot relative to the third panel;

wherein the first, second, and third panels each have a front, back, left and right edge, and with the first hinge strip attached to the front edge of the first panel and to the back edge of the second panel, and with the second hinge strip attached to the front edge of the second panel and to the back edge of the third panel,

with substantially each panel comprising a core, a top sheet and a bottom sheet attached respectively to top and bottom surfaces of the core; and

with the second panel first panel foldable substantially flat onto the second panel, and with the first and second panels then foldable together flat onto the third panel, and into a position where the first panel is parallel to the second panel and the second panel is parallel to the third panel.

2. The folding cover assembly of claim 1 with the first and second panels further comprising left and right side frames attached respectively to left and right sides of the core;

front and rear frames attached respectively to the front and rear sides of the core;

with the first resilient hinge strip attached to a front frame of the first panel and to a rear frame of the second panel, and with the second resilient hinge strip attached to the front frame of the second panel and to the rear frame of the third panel; and

a left cover strip attached to the left side frame, and a right cover strip attached to the right side frame, of substantially each of the first, second and third panels.

3. The cover assembly of claim 1 further comprising a support bar associated with the first hinge strip.

4. The cover assembly of claim 1 further comprising fasteners attaching the third panel to the cargo box

5. The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the first resilient hinge strip is seamless and provides a liquid tight seal between the first and second panels.

6. The cover assembly of claim 2 wherein the side frames comprise extrusions, and wherein the frames are attached to the core by adhesion, without use of through fasteners.

7. A cover for a pick-up truck cargo box, comprising:

first, second and third panels;

a first spacer bar between the second and third panels;

a first panel connector pivotally connecting the first panel to the second panel, with the first panel connector including a first resilient seamless hinge strip forming a water resistant barrier between the first panel and the second panel;

a second panel connector pivotally connecting the second panel to the first spacer bar, with the second panel connector including a second resilient seamless hinge strip forming a water resistant barrier between the second panel and the first spacer bar;

a third panel connector pivotally connecting the first spacer bar to the third panel, with the third panel connector including a third resilient seamless hinge strip forming a water resistant barrier between the first spacer bar and the third panel;

with the first spacer bar having a width less than the width of the first panel, the second panel, or the third panel, and the width of the first spacer bar selected to allow the second panel to fold over substantially flat onto the third panel; and

and with each panel comprising a core, a top sheet and a bottom sheet attached respectively to top and bottom surfaces of the core

8. The cover of claim 7 with each of the panels comprising a composite structure having a honeycomb core between top and bottom skin layers.

9. The cover of claim 7 with each of the panels comprising a rectangular prism, and with all of the panels having substantially equal thickness.

10. The cover of claim 7 with the first spacer bar having a width substantially equal to the thickness of the second panel, to allow the second panel to flat on top of the third panel.

11. The cover of claim 7 wherein the hinge strips are seamless.