Tonneau cover latch apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200375-A1
Application number	US-201514592605-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle cargo box tonneau cover apparatus includes two or more hard panels. Adjacent panels are joined along their common edges by a hinge enabling transitioning the panels between a planer deployed position and a folded retracted position. An opposed pair of headed cantilevered striker pins, are carried with an inner surface of the opposed pair of box panels and extend inwardly within said cargo box for selective engagement with an associated rotary latch when an associated panel portion is in the deployed orientation. A release mechanism carried with the lower surface of each panel portion interconnect a single release member with both associated rotary latch mechanisms carried with said common panel portion, wherein release of a panel can only be effected by manual operation of the release member subsequent to release of an adjacent tonneau cover panel or cargo box panel.

First claim

1 . A foldable tonneau cover apparatus for an open-topped vehicle cargo box including opposed left and right longitudinally extending side panels and opposed front and rear laterally extending end panels collectively defining a planar horizontal support surface, said tonneau cover apparatus comprising:
a plurality of hard panel portions configured to collectively surmount said support surface and enclose said cargo box, each panel portion defining spaced apart upper and lower surfaces joined by edge surfaces, each said panel portion pivotally interconnected to at least one adjacent panel portion by an elongated hinge extending between adjacent edge surfaces of said interconnected panel portions, said panel portions being selectively positionable between a deployed position enclosing said cargo box and a retracted or stacked position providing access to said cargo box; an opposed cooperating pair of rotary latch mechanisms carried with the lower surface of each panel portion inwardly adjacent an opposed pair of box panels; an opposed pair of headed cantilevered striker pins, each striker pin attached to an inner surface of said opposed pair of box panels via a fastener, each striker pin being located higher than said fastener in an elevational direction, and each striker pin extending inwardly within said cargo box for selective engagement with an associated rotary latch when said associated panel portion is in said deployed position; and a release mechanism carried with the lower surface of each panel portion operatively interconnecting a single release member with both associated rotary latch mechanisms carried with said panel portion, wherein release of a panel can only be effected by manual operation of said release member subsequent to release of an adjacent tonneau cover panel or cargo box panel.

2 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bed rail cap affixed to said horizontal support surface of said cargo box to define said support surface.

3 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said headed cantilevered striker pins are carried with said bed rail cap.

4 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said tonneau cover further comprises perimeter weather-strip segments carried on the lower surfaces of each panel portion outwardly of said rotary latch mechanisms and in lateral and longitudinal alignment with said support surface.

5 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 4 , wherein upon transitioning a panel portion from a retracted to a deployed position, the associated weather-strip segment of said transitioning panel portion effects initial non-compressive contact with the adjacent support surface simultaneously with half latch engagement of the adjacent rotary latch mechanism with said associated striker pin.

6 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 5 , wherein upon fully transitioning a panel portion from an incipient deployed position into a fully deployed position, the associated weather-strip segment of said transitioning panel portion effects increasingly compressive contact with the adjacent support surface simultaneously with the adjacent rotary latch mechanism transitioning from half latch engagement to full latch engagement with said associated striker pin.

7 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an elongated anti-theft barrier wall carried on the lower surfaces of each panel portion outwardly of said rotary latch mechanisms and inwardly of said support surface.

8 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the said top surfaces of said panel portions fall on a common plane when said tonneau cover is in said deployed position.

9 . The foldable tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said hinge comprises a first flange member carried with a first panel portion edge surface, a second flange member carried with a second panel portion edge surface, and an elongated free-moving link mounted to said first flange for relative rotation with respect thereto about a first axis and mounted to said second flange for relative rotation with respect thereto about a second axis, said first axis fixedly spaced from and parallel to said second axis, wherein said hinge is disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of said panel portions when said panels are in a deployed position with said upper surfaces thereof in a coplanar orientation.

10 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the said top surfaces of said panel portions fall on a common plane when said tonneau cover is in said deployed position.

11 . A foldable tonneau cover apparatus for an open-topped vehicle cargo box including opposed left and right longitudinally extending side panels and opposed front and rear laterally extending end panels collectively defining a planar horizontal support surface, said tonneau cover apparatus comprising:
a plurality of hard panel portions configured to collectively surmount said support surface and enclose said cargo box, each panel portion defining spaced apart upper and lower surfaces joined by edge surfaces, each said panel portion pivotally interconnected to at least one adjacent panel portion by an elongated hinge extending between adjacent edge surfaces of said interconnected panel portions, said panel portions being selectively positionable between a deployed position enclosing said cargo box and a retracted or stacked position providing access to said cargo box; an opposed cooperating pair of rotary latch mechanisms carried with the lower surface of each panel portion inwardly adjacent an opposed pair of box panels; an opposed pair of headed cantilevered striker pins, each striker pin carried with an inner surface of said opposed pair of box panels and extending inwardly within said cargo box for selective engagement with an associated rotary latch when said associated panel portion is in said deployed position; a release mechanism carried with the lower surface of each panel portion operatively interconnecting a single release member with both associated rotary latch mechanisms carried with said panel portion, wherein release of a panel can only be effected by manual operation of said release member subsequent to release of an adjacent tonneau cover panel or cargo box panel; and a resilient hinge cover carried with said hinge and defining a planer upper surface which is substantially flush with the upper surfaces of said panel portions when said tonneau cover is in said deployed position.

12 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said hinge cover and flange members comprise cooperating retention features.

13 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said hinge cover and link comprise cooperating retention features.

14 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first flange member is interconnected to said link by a first elongated hinge pin defining said first axis, and said second flange member is interconnected to said link by a second elongated hinge pin defining said second axis.

15 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first and second flange members are disposed vertically intermediate said upper and lower surfaces of said panels.

16 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said hinge comprises means operative to limit the relative rotation of said free-moving link with respect to one or both of said first and second flange members.

17 . The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 16 , wherein means operative to limit the relative rotation of said free-

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Kerr Iii Norman C

Classifications

• B60R25/01

  operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens · CPC title

• B60J10/12

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60P7/02

  Covering of load · CPC title

• B62D33/046 Primary

  built up with flat self-supporting panels; Fixed connections between panels (B62D29/045, B62D33/048 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60J7/141 Primary

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