Tonneau cover and method of attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11072227-B2
Application number	US-201916536163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2019
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A tonneau cover and a method of attachment are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a self-energizing clamp can be used to retain a tonneau cover onto a side wall of a truck bed, or other vehicle bed. In some embodiments, the clamp can be rotated between a usage position and a storage position in order to prevent the clamp from incidental movement or harm while accessing the truck bed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tonneau cover assembly comprising:
a pair of rails configured to extend along sidewalls of a cargo bed of a vehicle;
a cover configured to extend across the cargo bed of the vehicle;
at least one bow associated with the cover;
at least one bow hanger configured to at least partially secure the at least one bow to one of the pair of rails and one of the sidewalls of the cargo bed, the at least one bow hanger comprising:
a hanger portion comprising a first attachment section configured to secure to an end of the at least one bow, a second attachment section configured to secure to the one of the pair of rails, and an intermediate section positioned between the first and second attachment sections; and
a clamp portion configured to secure the at least one bow hanger to the one of the sidewalls of the cargo bed, the clamp portion comprising:
a body configured to retain the intermediate section of the hanger portion;
a clamp configured to exert a force on a portion of the one of the sidewalls of the cargo bed when in a clamping position, the clamp comprising:
an arm having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end connected to the body; and
a rail retainer comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the rail retainer is operably supported by the second end of the arm and is configured to translate between a first position and a second position, wherein the first end of the rail retainer is positioned closer to the second end of the arm when the rail retainer is in the first position than when in the second position; and

a handle configured to move said clamp between said clamping position and a release position.

2. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein, when the clamp is in the clamping position, the rail retainer is positioned closer to the first attachment section than when the clamp is in the release position.

3. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rail retainer comprises a pad at the first end of the rail retainer, the pad configured to contact the portion of the one of the sidewalls of the cargo bed of the vehicle when the clamp is in the clamping position.

4. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pad comprises at least one of a deformable material and a slip resistant material.

5. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the arm comprises an aperture, and wherein the rail retainer is sized to be received within the aperture and is configured to translate along an axis extending through the aperture between the first and second positions.

6. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 5 , wherein the rail retainer comprises a first mating portion and wherein the aperture of the second end is defined by a second mating portion configured to engage the first mating portion of the rail retainer to limit an ability of the rail retainer to translate along the axis extending through the aperture.

7. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 6 , wherein the rail retainer further comprises a screw, wherein, rotation of the screw in a first rotational direction limits the ability of the rail retainer to translate along the axis extending through the aperture, and wherein rotation of the screw in a second rotational direction allows the rail retainer to translate along the axis extending through the aperture.

8. The tonneau cover assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first and second mating portions comprise a generally cylindrical stair shaped structure.

9. A bow hanger configured to at least partially secure a tonneau cover to a cargo bed of a vehicle, the bow hanger comprising:
a hanger portion comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an intermediate section positioned between the first and second ends; and
a clamp portion comprising:
a body configured to receive the intermediate section of the hanger portion;
a clamp comprising:
an arm having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end is connected to the body; and
a rail retainer comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the rail retainer is operably supported by the second end of the arm and is configured to translate between a first position and a second position, wherein the first end of the rail retainer is positioned closer to the second end of the arm when the rail retainer is in the first position than when in the second position; and

a handle configured to move said clamp relative to said body.

10. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the second end of the arm comprises an aperture, and wherein the rail retainer is sized to be received within the aperture and is configured to translate along an axis extending through the aperture between the first and second positions.

11. The bow hanger of claim 10 , wherein the rail retainer is configured to translate along the axis extending through the aperture via rotational engagement with a portion of the second end of the arm that defines the aperture.

12. The bow hanger of claim 10 , wherein the rail retainer comprises a first mating portion and wherein the aperture of the second end of the arm is defined by a second mating portion, the second mating portion configured to engage the first mating portion of the rail retainer to limit an ability of the rail retainer to move along the axis extending through the aperture.

13. The bow hanger of claim 12 , wherein the rail retainer further comprises a screw, wherein, rotation of the screw in a first rotational direction limits the ability of the rail retainer to move along the axis extending through the aperture, and wherein rotation of the screw in a second rotational direction allows the rail retainer to move along the axis extending through the aperture.

14. The bow hanger of claim 12 , wherein the first and second mating portions comprise a generally cylindrical stair shaped structure.

15. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the arm of the clamp comprises at least one bend between the first and second ends of the arm.

16. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the arm of the clamp comprises an L-shape, wherein a corner of the L-shape is formed by two bends and a connecting segment therebetween.

17. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the clamp, the body, and the handle are operably attached to one another via a plurality of hinges configured to allow the clamp, the body, and the handle to pivot with respect to one another.

18. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the rail retainer comprises a pad at the first end of the rail retainer, and wherein the pad comprises at least one of a deformable material and a slip resistant material.

19. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the body of the clamp portion is configured to slide along the intermediate section of the hanger portion.

20. The bow hanger of claim 9 , wherein the body of the clamp portion is configured to rotate about the intermediate section of the hanger portion.

Assignees

• Lund Motion Products Inc

Inventors

• Smith Anthony
• Mettler Dean

Classifications

• B60J7/102 Primary

  Readily detachable tarpaulins, e.g. for utility vehicles; Frames therefor · CPC title

• B60P7/04

  by tarpaulins or like flexible members · CPC title

• B60J7/1607

  for covering load areas, e.g. rigid panels for pick-up truck beds · CPC title

• B60P7/02

  Covering of load · CPC title

• F16B7/044

  for rods or tubes being in angled relationship · CPC title