Clamp for a tonneau cover

• US 7,258,387 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advantage Truck Accessories Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ross Weldy
• Inventors: Weldy, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape; Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US11/524,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 296/100.04, 296/100.07, 296/100.16, 296/100.1, 296/100.02, 296/100.03, 296/100.08, 296/100.05, 296/100.06, 296/100.09
• US Class Current: 296/100.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/08 of non-sliding type, i.e. movable or removable roofs or panels, e.g. let-down tops or roofs capable of being easily detached or of assuming a collapsed or inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/198 for locking tonneau covers such as covers for roof storage compartments or for pick-up truck beds

Abstract

A clamp for securing a tonneau cover to the bed of pick-up truck in which the clamp includes a base secured to the cover and a handle rotatably connected to the base. A cam part is located between the handle and the base, which upon rotation of the handle in a general horizontal plane causes the cam part to shift upwardly toward the base into engagement with the truck bed, securing the cover to the truck bed.

Claims

1. A clamp for securing a tonneau cover to the rail of a truck bed sidewall, said clamp comprising a base adapted for securement to said cover adjacent said truck bed sidewall, a handle connected at one end by an elongated fastener to said base, a cam part located between said base and said handle, said handle including a beveled cam surface, said cam part including a follower in contact with said cam surface, wherein said cam part shifts toward and away from said base as said follower is moved along said cam surface when said handle is rotated about the longitudinal axis of said fastener between open and closed positions, said cam part including an engagement part for making clamping contact with said truck bed sidewall when said handle is in its closed position.

2. The clamp of claim 1 and a lock carried by said handle for engagement with said cam part to secure the handle in its closed position.

3. The clamp of claim 1 wherein said cam surface is located at one end of said handle, said cam part being shiftable along said fastener axis as said handle is moved between its open and closed positions.

4. The clamp of claim 3 wherein said handle includes a post, said cam part including a boss into which said post is rotatably fitted, said fastener including a shank extending freely through the cam part and having a threaded end turned into said post.

5. The clamp of claim 3 wherein said cam part includes a protrusion, said fastener extending freely through the cam part between said engagement part and said protrusion, said protrusion interlocking with said base when said handle is in its closed position.

6. The clamp of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a tubular transverse support, said base adapted to fit into one end of said support.