Skeleton for truck bed and convertible top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10252679-B2
Application number	US-201815916976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2016
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

A truck bed accessory frame is disclosed therein which allows for reconfiguration between an opened position and a closed position. In the open position, objects taller than the frame can loaded onto the truck bed. In the closed position, objects placed in the truck bed can be protected from the environmental elements (e.g. rain and UV rays from the sun).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A truck bed cover for a truck bed, the truck bed cover comprising:
a pair of side posts disposable adjacent respective forward corners of the truck bed so as to extend vertically upward from the truck bed and terminate at a respective top end at least about a height of the cab;
a first pair of longitudinal extension members extending from respective ones of the pair of side posts;
a second pair of longitudinal extension members extending from respective ones of the pair of side posts in spaced relation to the first pair of longitudinal extension members;
a first pair of primary connectors connected to respective ones of the first pair of longitudinal extension members and disposed adjacent to an upper half of the pair of side posts;
a second pair of primary connectors connected to respective ones of the second pair of longitudinal extension members and disposed adjacent to a lower half of the pair of side posts; and
a top having:
a top panel defining a flat plane; and
a pair of secondary connectors coupled to the top panel;

the top being transitional between a first deployed position, and a second deployed position, in the first deployed position, the pair of secondary connectors are coupled to respective ones of the first pair of primary connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the upper half of the pair of side posts, and in the second deployed position, the pair of secondary connectors are coupled to respective ones of the second pair of primary connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the lower half of the pair of side posts.

2. The truck bed cover of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of primary connectors are identical to the second pair of primary connectors.

3. The truck bed cover of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of longitudinal extension members extend from respective ones of the pair of side posts adjacent the top ends thereof.

4. The truck bed cover of claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of side posts includes a bottom end opposite the top end, and the second pair of longitudinal extension member extend from respective ones of the pair of side posts adjacent the bottom end thereof.

5. The truck bed cover of claim 4 , wherein the first pair of longitudinal extension members are parallel to the second pair of longitudinal extension members.

6. The truck bed cover of claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of secondary connectors include a portion pivotable relative to the top panel.

7. The truck bed cover of claim 1 , wherein the pair of secondary connectors are selectively engageable with the first pair of primary connectors and the second pair of primary connectors via snap-fit engagement.

8. The truck bed cover of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first set of primary connectors is resilient.

9. A truck bed cover for a truck bed, the truck bed cover comprising:
a pair of side posts disposable adjacent respective forward corners of the truck bed so as to extend vertically upward from the truck bed and terminate at a respective top end at least about a height of the cab;
a pair of longitudinal extension members extending from respective ones of the pair of side posts;
a first pair of primary connectors connected to respective ones of the pair of longitudinal extension members and disposed adjacent to an upper half of the pair of side posts;
a second pair of primary connectors positionable at respective portions of the truck bed and disposed adjacent to a lower half of the pair of side posts; and
a top having:
a top panel defining a flat plane; and
a pair of secondary connectors coupled to the top panel;

the top being transitional between a first deployed position, and a second deployed position, in the first deployed position, the pair of secondary connectors are coupled to respective ones of the first pair of primary connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the upper half of the pair of side posts, and in the second deployed position, the pair of secondary connectors are coupled to respective ones of the second pair of primary connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the lower half of the pair of side posts.

10. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein the first pair of primary connectors are identical to the second pair of primary connectors.

11. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein the first pair of longitudinal extension members extend from respective ones of the pair of side posts adjacent the top ends thereof.

12. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein the second pair of primary connectors are adherable to the truck bed.

13. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein each of the pair of secondary connectors include a portion pivotable relative to the top panel.

14. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein the pair of secondary connectors are selectively engageable with the first pair of primary connectors and the second pair of primary connectors via snap-fit engagement.

15. The truck bed cover of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the first set of primary connectors is resilient.

16. A cover for a truck bed comprising a pair of truck bed walls, the cover comprising:
a pair of support frames engageable with the truck bed in opposed relation to each other, each support frame having an upper longitudinal member and a lower longitudinal member spaced from the upper longitudinal member;
a pair of upper connectors coupled to respective ones of the pair of support frames at the upper longitudinal member thereof and disposed adjacent to an upper half of the pair of side posts;
a pair of lower connectors coupled to respective ones of the pair of support frames at the lower longitudinal member thereof and disposed adjacent to a lower half of the pair of side posts;
a top having defining a flat plane:
a top panel defining a flat plane; and
a pair of panel connectors coupled to the top panel;

the top being transitional between a first deployed position, and a second deployed position, in the first deployed position, the pair of panel connectors are coupled to respective ones of the pair of upper connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the upper half of the pair of side posts, and in the second deployed position, the pair of panel connectors are coupled to respective ones of the pair of lower connectors and the flat plane defined by the top panel is horizontally disposed at the lower half of the pair of side posts.

17. The cover of claim 16 , wherein the pair of upper connectors are identical to the pair of lower connectors.

18. The cover of claim 16 , wherein on each support frame, the upper longitudinal member is parallel to the lower longitudinal member.

19. The cover of claim 16 , wherein each of the pair of panel connectors include a portion pivotable relative to the top panel.

20. The cover of claim 16 , wherein the pair of panel connectors are selectively engageable with the pair of upper connectors and the pair of lower connectors via snap-fit engagement.

Assignees

• Singer Nicholas J

Inventors

• Singer Nicholas J

Classifications

• B60R9/055

  Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. containers, boxes (B60R9/048 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J7/194

  for locking detachable hard-tops or removable roof panels to the vehicle body · CPC title

• B60J7/10

  readily detachable, e.g. tarpaulins with frames, or fastenings for tarpaulins (covering of loads on vehicles by tarpaulins B60P7/04) · CPC title

• B60J7/04

  with rigid plate-like element or elements {, e.g. open roofs with harmonica-type folding rigid panels (B60J7/061 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R9/045 Primary

  Carriers being adjustable or transformable, e.g. expansible, collapsible {(transformable into tents B60P3/36; into beds B60P3/38)} · CPC title