Tonneau cover release system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296664-B2
Application number	US-202217977767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2022
Priority date	Jan 20, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A release system of a tonneau cover, the release system comprising: (a) a spring latch, wherein the spring latch is located adjacent to or at least partially within an opening of a side rail of the tonneau cover to engage a drive system of the tonneau cover located within the side rail; and (b) a release latch connected to the spring latch by a release cable so that articulation of the release latch moves the spring latch between an engaged position, where the spring latch engages the drive system, and a disengaged position, where the spring latch is free of engagement with the drive system and the tonneau cover is free to move along the side rail independently of the drive system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A release system of a tonneau cover, the release system comprising:
(a) a spring latch, wherein the spring latch is located adjacent to or at least partially within an opening of a side rail of the tonneau cover to engage a drive system of the tonneau cover located within the side rail; and
(b) a release latch connected to the spring latch by a release cable so that articulation of the release latch moves the spring latch between an engaged position, where the spring latch engages the drive system, and a disengaged position, where the spring latch is free of engagement with the drive system and the tonneau cover is free to move along the side rail independently of the drive system, wherein the spring latch and the release latch are both secured to a slat of the tonneau cover, and the release latch is positioned centrally along a length of the slat, and the spring latch is located near an end of the slat.

2. The release system of claim 1 , wherein the slat is a tail slat.

3. A release system of a tonneau cover, the release system comprising:
(a) a spring latch, wherein the spring latch is located adjacent to or at least partially within an opening of a side rail of the tonneau cover to engage a drive system of the tonneau cover located within the side rail; and
(b) a release latch connected to the spring latch bv a release cable so that articulation of the release latch moves the spring latch between an engaged position, where the spring latch engages the drive system, and a disengaged position, where the spring latch is free of engagement with the drive system and the tonneau cover is free to move along the side rail independently of the drive system, wherein the spring latch includes a movable pin that engages a carrier of the drive system, whereby the carrier is secured to a drive cable routed through the side rail.

4. The release system of claim 3 , wherein the pin of the spring latch is positioned within a hole of the carrier in the engaged position and the pin of the spring latch is retracted from the hole of the carrier in the disengaged position.

5. The release system of claim 3 , wherein the spring latch comprises:
(a) a housing that secures the spring latch to a slat of the tonneau cover;
(b) a block movably positioned within a cavity of the housing, wherein the pin is secured to the block so that movement of the block also moves the pin; and
(c) an arm connected to the release latch by the release cable, wherein movement of the arm is driven by articulation of the release latch and movement of the arm moves the block.

6. The release system of claim 5 , wherein the arm includes a finger or a spring pin that engages the block so that movement of the arm also moves the block.

7. The release system of claim 6 , wherein the spring latch includes a biasing member positioned within the cavity of the housing that is compressed by the block in the disengaged position.

8. The release system of claim 7 , wherein the biasing member biases the block and the pin towards the drive system of the tonneau cover.

9. The release system of claim 5 , wherein the release latch comprises:
(a) a base plate;
(b) a movable handle extending through the base plate, wherein the handle is connected to the release cable so that articulation of the handle moves the spring latch between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

10. The release system of claim 9 , wherein the articulation of the handle moves a cam secured to a base of the handle, and the cable is routed through the cam and connect to the base of the handle.

11. The release system of claim 10 , wherein the base of the handle includes an engaging portion that engages the cam so that movement of the handle moves the cam.

12. The release system of claim 11 , wherein the engaging portion of the base includes an anti-rotation feature.

13. The release system of claim 9 , wherein the handle is secured to the base plate by a retaining clip.

14. The release system of claim 9 , wherein the spring latch and the release latch are both secured to a tail slat of the tonneau cover.

15. The release system of claim 14 , wherein the drive cable of the drive system is routed through the side rail that supports the tonneau cover.

16. The release system of claim 15 , wherein the carrier of the drive cable located within the side rail includes one or more tapered surfaces to guide the pin to the engaged position where the pin is located in a hole of the carrier.

17. A spring latch adapted to engage a drive system of a tonneau cover, the spring latch comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) a block movably positioned within a cavity or channel of the housing;
(c) a pin secured to the block so that movement of the block also moves the pin, wherein the pin engages a carrier of the drive system, whereby the carrier is secured to a drive cable of the drive system; and
(d) an arm, wherein movement of the arm moves the block.

Assignees

• Extang Corp

Inventors

• Becker Anthony

Classifications

• B60J7/141

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

• B60J7/198 Primary

  for locking tonneau covers such as covers for roof storage compartments or for pick-up truck beds · CPC title