Tonneau cover assembly with a fluid management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11772469-B2
Application number	US-202218075536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2022
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

A bed cap configured for attachment to a top surface of a bed wall defining a cargo area of a vehicle, the bed cap assembly includes: a first channel extending at least partially along a length of the bed cap and configured to collect fluid and/or debris; a first opening for evacuating the fluid and/or debris from the first channel; a tonneau cover supporting surface extending at least partially along the length of the bed cap, wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface comprises a planar surface that is arranged inboard of the channel in vehicle position; and a seal provided between the tonneau cover supporting surface and a bottom surface of a tonneau cover that is supported by the tonneau cover supporting surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bed cap configured for placement on a top surface of a bed wall defining a cargo area of a vehicle, the bed cap comprising:
a channel extending at least partially along a length of the bed cap and configured to collect fluid and/or debris;
an opening for evacuating the fluid and/or debris from the channel;
a tonneau cover supporting surface extending at least partially along the length of the bed cap, wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface is arranged inboard of the channel in vehicle position;
a fastener for engaging the top surface of the bed wall for securing the bed cap to the bed wall;
a seal provided between the tonneau cover supporting surface and a bottom surface of a tonneau cover that is supported by the tonneau cover supporting surface; and
a second channel that is configured to collect fluid and/or debris.

2. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface is at least partially arranged over the top surface of the bed wall.

3. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is a bulb seal.

4. The bed cap according to claim 3 , wherein the second channel has an opening for evacuating the fluid and/or debris from the second channel.

5. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is attached or connected to the bottom surface of the tonneau cover.

6. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is attached or connected to the tonneau cover supporting surface.

7. The bed cap according to claim 6 , wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface comprises a notch or a groove that extends at least partially along a length of the tonneau cover supporting surface, and the seal is at least partially situated in the notch or the groove.

8. The bed cap according to claim 7 , wherein the bed cap has a top surface, and the tonneau cover has a top surface, wherein the bed cap has at least one configuration selected from a group consisting of:
a) at least a portion of the top surface of the bed cap is generally flush with theft top surface of the tonneau cover;
b) at least a portion of the top surface of the bed cap is generally below the top surface of the tonneau cover;
c) at least a portion of the top surface of the bed cap is generally above the top surface of the tonneau cover.

9. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises an adhesive, double sided tape, clip, boss, weld, clamp, and/or a pin.

10. The bed cap according to claim 9 , wherein the seal is a bulb seal.

11. The bed cap according to claim 1 , wherein the channel has a width and the tonneau cover supporting surface has a width that is substantially the same as the width of the channel.

12. A bed cap configured for placement on a top surface of a bed wall defining a cargo area of a vehicle, the bed cap comprising:
a first channel extending at least partially along a length of the bed cap and configured to collect fluid and/or debris;
a first opening for evacuating the fluid and/or debris from the first channel;
a second channel extending at least partially along the length of the bed cap and configured to collect fluid and/or debris;
a tonneau cover supporting surface extending at least partially along the length of the bed cap, wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface is arranged inboard of the first channel and/or the second channel in vehicle position; and
a seal provided between the tonneau cover supporting surface and a bottom surface of a tonneau cover that is supported by the tonneau cover supporting surface.

13. The bed cap according to claim 12 , wherein the seal is a bulb seal, and the bed cap comprises a fastener for engaging the top surface of the bed wall for securing the bed cap to the bed wall, the fastener includes an adhesive, double sided tape, clip, boss, weld, clamp, and/or a pin.

14. The bed cap according to claim 12 , wherein the first channel has at least one configuration selected from a group consisting of:
a) comprises a floor and the first opening is defined in the floor;
b) comprises a floor and a wall, and the first opening is defined in the wall;
c) comprises a floor and a wall, and the first opening is defined in the floor and in the wall such that the first opening is defined in two planes;
d) extends between opposing ends, and one of the opposing ends comprises the first opening.

15. The bed cap according to claim 14 , wherein the first channel comprises a pair of opposing walls that are both located over a footprint of the top surface of the bed wall, and wherein the first channel is located inboard of the second channel.

16. The bed cap according to claim 12 , wherein the first channel has a width and the tonneau cover supporting surface has a width that is substantially the same as the width of the channel.

17. The bed cap according to claim 12 , wherein the first channel is at least partially covered by the tonneau cover when the tonneau cover is in a closed position, and the second channel is located on a top surface of the bed cap.

18. The bed cap according to claim 12 , wherein the first channel is at least partially covered by the tonneau cover when the tonneau cover is in a closed position, and the second channel is located on a top surface of the bed cap and is free from being covered by the tonneau cover when the tonneau cover is in the closed position.

19. A bed cap configured for attachment to a top surface of a bed wall defining a cargo area of a vehicle, the bed cap comprising:
a first channel extending at least partially along a length of the bed cap and configured to collect fluid and/or debris;
a first opening for evacuating the fluid and/or debris from the first channel;
a tonneau cover supporting surface extending at least partially along the length of the bed cap, wherein the tonneau cover supporting surface comprises a planar surface that is arranged inboard of the first channel in vehicle position; and
a seal provided between the tonneau cover supporting surface and a bottom surface of a tonneau cover that is supported by the tonneau cover supporting surface;
wherein the planar surface comprises a notch or groove in which the seal is at least partially situated in.

20. The bed cap according to claim 19 , wherein the seal is a bulb seal that includes a whisker.

Assignees

• Tectum Holdings Inc
• Extang Corp

Inventors

• Facchinello Jerome
• Delaney Daniel J
• Mosingo Robert L
• Gaarder Robert
• Carter Chad
• Germano David

Classifications

• B60J7/141 Primary

  for covering load areas, e.g. for pick-up trucks · CPC title

• B60J7/0084 Primary

  Water draining for non-fixed roofs or roof panels (for fixed roofs not integral with roof structure B60R13/06, for fixed roofs integral with roof structure B62D25/07) · CPC title

• B60J10/90

  specially adapted for non-fixed roofs, e.g. foldable roofs or removable hard-tops · CPC title

• B60P7/04

  by tarpaulins or like flexible members · CPC title