Tonneau cover system and side lock clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533555-B2
Application number	US-201514874795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	Oct 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A clamp to secure a tonneau cover to a frame of a cargo box includes a first clamp member coupled to the tonneau cover and has a first clamping surface. A second clamp member is coupled to the tonneau cover and has a second clamping surface. A ramp mechanism can include at least one ramp surface between the first and second clamp members shaped to cause lateral translation of the second clamping surface toward the first clamping surface in response to axial movement of the second clamp member toward the first clamp member as the clamp moves from an unclamped position to a clamped position. When in the clamped position, the first clamping surface of the first clamp member can be in opposed relationship to the second clamping surface to apply a clamping force therebetween, which can reinforce and prevent permanent deformation of the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tonneau cover system for a cargo box of a pickup truck, the cargo box comprising a frame, the tonneau cover system comprising:
a tonneau cover for covering the cargo box, and
a clamp to secure the tonneau cover to the frame, the clamp comprising:
a first clamp member coupled to the tonneau cover and having a first clamping surface;
a second clamp member coupled to the tonneau cover and having a second clamping surface, the second clamp member being moveable relative to the first clamp member between an unclamped position and a clamped position; and
a ramp mechanism including at least one ramp surface between the first and second clamp members shaped to cause lateral translation of the second clamping surface toward the first clamping surface in response to movement of the second clamp member toward the tonneau cover as the clamp moves from the unclamped position to the clamped position;
wherein, when in the clamped position, the first clamping surface of the first clamp member is in opposed relationship to the second clamping surface to apply a clamping force therebetween.

2. The tonneau cover system according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp further comprises a rod upon which the first clamp member and second clamp member are mounted, and by which the first and second clamp members are pivotably coupled to the tonneau cover.

3. The tonneau cover system according to claim 2 , wherein the first clamp member is threadably mounted on the rod and the second clamp member is slidably mounted on the rod.

4. The tonneau cover system according to claim 2 , wherein the first clamp member is threadably mounted on the rod allowing a distance from the tonneau cover to the first clamp member to be adjusted by rotation of the first clamp member relative to the rod.

5. The tonneau cover system according to claim 1 , further comprising a manually rotatable connector threadably mounted on a rod, wherein the second clamp member is slidably mounted on the rod, and wherein the manually rotatable connector is positioned to engage the second clamp member and cause the second clamp member slide to along the rod to move from the unclamped position to the clamped position.

6. The tonneau cover system according to claim 5 , wherein the first clamp member is threadably mounted on the rod.

7. The tonneau cover system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second clamp members are mounted on a rod defining an axis, and wherein a first of the at least one ramp surface extends at an acute angle relative to the axis and is integral with the first clamp member.

8. The tonneau cover system according to claim 7 , wherein a second of the at least one ramp surface extends at a complementary angle to the acute angle and is integral with the second clamp member.

9. The tonneau cover system according to claim 1 , wherein, when in the clamped position, the first and second clamping surfaces are positioned to apply a clamping force to the frame throughout an area defined by overlapping opposing contacting portions of the first and second clamping surfaces, with the area having dimensions that are large enough to reinforce the frame sufficiently to avoid permanent deformation of the frame under loads transmitted by the clamp to the frame during normal vehicle operation.

10. A tonneau cover system for a cargo box of a pickup truck, the cargo box comprising a frame including an outer wall, a ledge extending inboard from the outer wall and a flange extending downwardly from the ledge and spaced inboard from the outer wall, the flange including an outboard side facing the outer wall and an inboard side opposite the outboard side, the tonneau cover system comprising:
a tonneau cover for covering the cargo box; and
a clamp for securing the tonneau cover to the cargo box, the clamp comprising:
a rod pivotably coupled to the tonneau cover and having an axis;
a first clamp member threadably mounted on the rod and having a first clamping surface disposed to engage the flange, the first clamp member having a first ramp surface extending at an angle relative to the axis of the rod;
a second clamp member slidably mounted on the rod and having a second clamping surface disposed to engage the flange, the second clamp member being axially moveable along the rod and, in response to the axial movement, the second clamp member being movable along the first ramp surface to cause translation of the second clamp member perpendicular to the axis toward the first clamp member from an unclamped position to a clamped position;
a connector threadably mounted on the rod to engage and slide the second clamp member between the unclamped position and the clamped position;
wherein, when in the clamped position, the first clamping surface of the first member is positioned to engage the inboard side of the flange and the second clamping surface of the second clamp member is positioned to engage an opposing portion of the outboard side of the flange to apply a clamping force to the flange.

11. The tonneau cover system according to claim 10 , wherein the first ramp surface extends at an acute angle relative to the axis of the rod.

12. The tonneau cover system according to claim 11 , wherein the second clamp member includes a second ramp surface extending at a complementary angle to the acute angle, and wherein the second ramp surface is disposed to engage against the first ramp surface.

13. The tonneau cover system according to claim 10 , wherein the rod is pivotably coupled to the tonneau cover via a barrel member configured to slide along a channel in a rail member of the tonneau cover.

14. The tonneau cover system according to claim 10 , wherein connector is manually rotatable.

15. The tonneau cover system according to claim 10 , wherein, when in the clamped position, the clamping surfaces are positioned to apply a clamping force to the flange throughout an area defined by overlapping opposing contacting portions of the clamping surfaces, with the area having dimensions that are large enough to reinforce the flange sufficiently to avoid permanent deformation of the flange under loads transmitted by the clamp to the flange during normal vehicle operation.

16. A tonneau cover clamp for clamping a tonneau cover to a downwardly extending flange spaced inboard from an outer wall of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the tonneau cover clamp comprising:
a rod having an axis extending from a pivotable coupling structured to couple the rod to the tonneau cover;
a first clamp member coupled to the rod and having a first clamping surface;
a second clamp member coupled to the rod and having a second clamping surface;
a ramp mechanism including at least one ramp surface between the first and second clamp members shaped to cause translation of the second clamp member toward the first clamp member at an angle relative to the axis of the rod in response to movement of the second ramp member axially along the rod toward the first clamp member as the second clamp member moves from an unclamped position to a clamped position; and
a manually rotatable connector threadably mounted on the rod to engage and slide the second clamp member between the unclamped position and the clamped position;
wherein, the first clamping surface is positioned in opposing relationship to the second clamping surface to enable the first and second clamping surfaces to apply a clamping force to opposing sides of the downwardly extending flange when the second clamp member is in the clamped position.

17. The tonneau cover system according to claim 16 , wherein a

Assignees

• Extang Corp

Inventors

• Facchinello Jerome J
• Fabros Charles A
• Kozlowski Brian P

Classifications

• B60J7/141

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

• B60J7/102

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

• F16B2/185

  using levers · CPC title

• B60J7/198 Primary

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

• B60J7/106

  readily detachable hard-tops (storage compartment for collapsible flexible tops B60J7/20) · CPC title