Tonneau cover apparatus

• US 6,948,761 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Colonel's International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Colonel's International, Inc.
• Inventors: Haack, Brian, Mobley, Gary, Simko, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US10/699,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 296/100.18, 296/100.02, 296/100.12, 296/100.17, 296/37.6, 296/100.07, 296/100.16
• US Class Current: 296/100.18
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/102 Readily detachable tarpaulins, e.g. for utility vehicles; Frames therefor

Abstract

The present invention provides a frame and cover assembly for use with a truck having a truck bed. The frame includes frame bars that are disposable on the top ends of the walls of the truck bed and corner brackets for connecting adjacent bars to form the support frame for the cover material. The cover material attaches to the support frame with fastening means disposed on the perimetric edge of the cover material. The support frame may be used to mount hard, soft or semi-rigid cover materials thereto without any additional components required.

Claims

1. A tonneau cover assembly for a truck bed having a front wall, left and right sidewalls, and a rear tailgate, said cover assembly comprising:

a frame including a front frame bar, an opposed rear frame bar, a left side frame bar and an opposed right side frame bar, wherein each of said frame bars includes a base, a vertically oriented inner side extending from said base and an inclined outer side extending between said base and said inner side and said vertical inner side forms an elongated upper channel, an elongated middle channel, and an elongated lower channel;

a corner bracket for interconnecting adjacent frame bars, wherein said corner bracket includes an arm adapted to be received in said upper channel of said adjacent frame bars; and

a cover secured to said frame, wherein said cover includes a J-clip extending longitudinally along an outer edge of said cover, and said J-clip is fittingly engaged in a longitudinally extending slot formed in an outer side of said frame bar, to secure said cover to said frame.

2. The cover assembly of claim 1 further comprising an L-bar, selectably fastened into the lower channel of said adjacent frame bar, such that the support frame is rigidly bound to said corner bracket.

3. The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein a size of said support frame is adjustable by positioning of the corner brackets and L-bars relative to said frame bars.

4. The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the cover material is formed of a non-rigid material having a perimetric edge selected from a group consisting of vinyl, canvas, plastic or a synthetic material.

5. The cover assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one cover support, said cover support having opposing ends operative to be received into a portion of said elongated upper channel formed in said vertical inner side of said left frame bar and said vertical inner side of said right frame bar.

6. The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein said J-clip includes a barb portion operative to be received into the elongated slot formed in said outer side of said frame bar.

7. The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a zipper extending along at least one side edge of said cover material, wherein said zipper is centered in an elongated concave recess formed in said outer side of said frame bar.

8. The cover assembly of claim 7 wherein the cover includes a perimetric edge that includes a longitudinally extending reclosable fastener operative to engage a complementary fastener disposed on the J-clip.

9. A tonneau cover assembly for a truck bed having a front wall, left and right sidewalls, and a rear tailgate, said cover assembly comprising:

a frame including a front frame bar, an opposed rear frame bar, a left side frame bar and an opposed right side frame bar, wherein each of said frame bars includes a base, a vertically oriented inner side extending from said base and an inclined outer side extending between said base and said inner side and said vertical inner side forms an elongated upper channel, an elongated middle channel, and an elongated lower channel;

a corner bracket for interconnecting adjacent frame bars, wherein said corner bracket includes an arm adapted to be received in said upper channel of said adjacent frame bars;

an L-bar selectably fastened into the lower channel of said adjacent frame bars, such that the support frame is rigidly bound to said corner bracket, and a size of said support frame is adjustable by positioning of the corner brackets and L-bars relative to said frame bars; and

a cover secured to said frame, wherein said cover includes a J-clip extending along an outer edge of said cover, and said J-clip is fittingly engaged in an elongated slot formed in an outer side of said frame bar, to secure said cover to said frame.

10. The cover assembly of claim 9 wherein the cover material is formed of a non-rigid material having a perimetric edge selected from a group consisting of vinyl, canvas, plastic or a synthetic material.

11. The cover assembly of claim 9 further comprising at least one cover support, said cover support having opposing ends operative to be received into a portion of said elongated upper channel formed in said vertical inner side of said left frame bar and said vertical inner side of said right frame bar.

12. The cover assembly of claim 9 wherein said J-clip includes a barb portion operative to be received into the elongated slot formed in said outer side of said frame bar.

13. The cover assembly of claim 9 wherein said cover includes a zipper extending longitudinally along at least one side edge of said cover material, wherein said zipper is centered in a longitudinally extending concave recess formed in said outer side of said bar.

14. The cover assembly of claim 9 wherein the cover includes a perimetric edge that includes a longitudinally extending reclosable fastener operative to engage a complementary longitudinally extending reclosable fastener disposed on the J-clip.

17. The cover assembly of claim 9 further comprising at least one cover support, said cover support having opposing ends operative to be received into a portion of said elongated upper channel formed in said vertical inner side of said left frame bar and said vertical inner side of said right frame bar.

15. A tonneau cover assembly for a truck bed having a front wall, left and right sidewalls, and a rear tailgate, said cover assembly comprising:

a frame including a front frame bar, an opposed rear frame bar, a left side frame bar and an opposed right side frame bar, wherein each of said frame bars includes a base, a vertically oriented inner side extending from said base and an inclined outer side extending between said base and said inner side and said vertical inner side forms an elongated upper channel, an elongated middle channel, and an elongated lower channel;

a corner bracket for interconnecting adjacent frame bars, wherein said corner bracket includes an arm adapted to be received in said upper channel of said adjacent frame bars;

an L-bar selectably fastened into the lower channel of said adjacent frame bars, such that the support frame is rigidly bound to said corner bracket, and a size of said support frame is adjustable by positioning of the corner brackets and L-bars relative to said frame bars;

a cover secured to said frame, wherein said cover includes a J-clip extending longitudinally along an outer edge of said cover, and said J-clip is fittingly engaged in a longitudinally extending elongated slot formed in an outer side of said frame bar, to secure said cover to said frame, said cover includes a zipper extending longitudinally along at least one side edge of said cover material and said zipper is centered in a longitudinally extending concave recess formed in said outer side of said frame; and

a perimetric flap extending longitudinally along an edge of said cover and having a longitudinally extending reclosable fastener that is operative to engage a complementary longitudinally extending reclosable fastener disposed on the J-clip.

16. The cover assembly of claim 15 wherein the cover material is formed of a non-rigid material having a perimetric edge selected from a group consisting of vinyl, canvas, plastic or a synthetic material.

18. The cover assembly of claim 15 wherein said J-clip strip includes a barb portion operative to be received into the elongated slot formed in said outer side of said frame bar.