Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Load cover
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-01
2002-12-31
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Load cover
C296S100180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499791
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to flexible tonneau covers for vehicles and in particular to an improved release for removing a tonneau cover that uses an extruded j-strip or hook fastener along the edge of the flexible tonneau cover to attach the cover fabric to the vehicle.
Tonneau covers are generally defined as any device which can be used to cover a portion of a vehicle. While tonneau covers are generally used to cover convertible cars, boats and trailers, tonneau covers are most commonly associated with pick-up trucks. Both rigid and flexible tonneau covers are available for covering the cargo box of pick-up trucks. The present invention relates to flexible tonneau covers.
Flexible tonneau covers for pick-up trucks typically include a rectangular frame made of extruded aluminum rails which are attached to the pick-up truck at the top of the cargo box. A flexible fabric cover is then attached to the rails to cover the cargo box. The fabric is generally a woven material with a vinyl coating. The term “fabric” is used throughout this specification in the broad sense to mean a flexible sheet material and is not limited to a woven material.
One mechanism used to attach the flexible fabric to the frame is a j-strip or elongated hook shaped fastener attached along the edge of the flexible fabric. The j-strip or fastener is wrapped around a flange formed in the frame for the purpose of mounting the fabric. The cover is removed from the frame by lifting the fabric off of the frame, beginning at one corner and peeling the fastener from the flange formed in the frame along each edge of the fabric. In some situations, particularly in cold weather, it can be difficult to begin the initial removal of the fastener from the frame at the corner of the cover. This difficulty in removing the fastener in cold temperatures is caused by fabric shrinkage and increasing stiffness in the j-strip or hook shaped fastener. Once an initial portion of the j-strip or hook shaped fastener is removed from the frame, the fastener will easily peel along the entire length of the cover.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for easing the removal of the fastener and fabric from the frame, while at the same time maintaining a tight fit of the fabric on the frame.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for easing the mounting of the fastener and fabric to the frame.
The present invention eases the mounting and removal of the j-strip or fastener from the frame by providing a j-strip or hook shaped fastener with a hinge, notch, score, groove or crease formed therein. The hinge, notch, score, groove or crease formed in the j-strip or fastener allows the base of the fastener to be bent, pivoting the hook of the fastener away from the base of the fastener and thus away from the flange of the rail to aid in the release of the fastener. This bending of the hook relative to the base operates to widen or open the throat of the hook. In addition to widening or opening the throat of the hook, the enhanced bending action of the hook reduces the distance from the bottom or curve of the hook to the tip of the hook. This reduces the distance by which the fastener must be moved, relative to the flange formed in the frame, to achieve the initial fastener removal. Once an initial edge of the fastener is moved past the terminal edge of the flange formed in the frame, the remainder of the fastener will easily peel from the frame by lifting the fabric from the rail. By providing a hinge, notch, score, groove or crease in the fastener, less force is required to achieve removal of the fastener.
The hinge is positioned in the base of the fastener on the opposing side from which the hook extends. Preferably, the hinge is located either substantially opposite a merger point of the hook and the base or above the merger point in the direction of the hook's distal end. The latter positioning being the more preferred positioning.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia L.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
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