Rigid tonneau cover with integral storage box

Details Rigid tonneau cover with integral storage box Rigid tonneau cover with integral storage box

2000-06-05

2001-05-22

Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Tops

Load cover

C296S203030, C296S037600

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234559

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to protective covers for the open, cargo section of pickup trucks and more particularly to a low profile, rigid Tonneau cover assembly which includes two separate integral, self-contained storage boxes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The open, cargo section of a truck, such as the bed of a pickup, is typically used to haul cargo or store objects that do not fit in the limited cab space. One particular drawback, however, is that objects placed in the open, cargo section is exposed to the weather, to vandalism and to theft, all of which can damage or destroy the cargo if proper protection is not taken. Furthermore, cargo placed in the truck bed must be secured during transportation otherwise sudden movements of the truck can cause objects such as bags of groceries, tools and the like to spill across the truck bed floor. Additionally, the large, open area typically afforded to truck beds does not readily lend itself to storing smaller objects, such as tools, that are better kept in compartments.
To address these particular problems, various covers and containers have been developed for improving the storage condition in the bed of the pickup truck. One particular example comprises a Tonneau cover made of either a soft fabric or rigid fiberglass, designed to cover the interior of the truck bed and thus afford the contents of the truck bed with some protection from the weather, theft, and vandalism. The prior art also teaches various sectionalized rigid covers comprising individually connected panels designed for easier access to different sections of the truck bed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,162; U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,717; U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,735.
Although the covers taught by prior art all more or less provide some protection for the cargo from weather elements, vandalism, and theft, they are nonetheless aerodynamically unappealing. In particular, they are typically designed so that the cover does not hug the rim of the truck bed, leaving a highly visible gap between the edge of the cover and the rim. Moreover, the top surface of the cover typically extends substantially higher than the rim of the truck bed, so as to further detract from its overall aerodynamic appeal.
Furthermore, the traditional means for securing smaller objects such as tools in the open cargo space includes the mounting of permanent storage boxes positioned directly behind the back cab window. Although these boxes fulfill the purpose of storing objects such as tools, they are high profile and obtrusive, making the truck less sleek and aerodynamically appealing. These high profile storage boxes are conspicuous and in some cases even unsightly as they typically consist of large box-shaped structures made of colors that do not match that of the truck. Additionally, the visibility of the high profile storage box can attract unwanted attention, making it a target for thieves and vandals. Moreover, the high profile boxes are generally inconvenient to use as they are not accessible from the side of the truck. Individuals often have to climb onto the truck bed to open the box cover and reach for the items stored therein. As such, the high profile storage boxes become inaccessible when the truck bed is filled with cargo or when the truck is parked in a location that is not conducive to climbing onto the truck bed.
Furthermore, storage boxes that are separately mounted to the truck bed typically require installing permanent mounting devices via brackets, rivets, or other fasteners along the walls of the truck bed. Installation of permanent mounting devices requires tools and skills not readily available to those who are not adept at such manual tasks. Drilling holes into the walls of the truck bed, for instance, requires familiarity with the usage of power tools in addition to manual dexterity and mechanical know-how. In fact, someone who is not experienced in working with mechanical tools may damage the surface of truck bed when trying to place mounting devices into the metal walls. Furthermore, pickup truck owners who are particular about the appearance of their trucks are unlikely to want to incur any kind of damage or surface alteration, no matter how minor, to the truck bed.
Thus, the storage boxes taught by the prior art are undesirable in that they are not readily accessible and require separate installation procedures that are time consuming and could potentially damage the surface of the truck bed. In fact, a careful search shows only one prior reference that even remotely mentions placing drop-in supply boxes in the truck bed that do not need to be permanently mounted. Yet, the supply boxes described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,735 is not an integral part of the cover, but rather an independent entity that is not securely anchored to the truck bed. When the storage box is not securely anchored to the truck bed, it can slide and move around during transportation and possibly cause its contents to spill.
Hence from the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a low profile truck bed cover assembly wherein the cover conforms to the contours of the truck and includes multiple self-contained, integral storage boxes that can be conveniently accessed. It is further desirable that the installation process of the cover assembly is relatively simple and does not require drilling or any other permanent alterations to the surface of the truck bed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the rigid Tonneau cover assembly of the present invention. In one aspect, the cover assembly has a low profile and conforms to the general contour of a pickup truck so as to be a non-obtrusive and integral part of the truck. Preferably, the cover comprises a back panel and two integral storage compartments wherein each compartment has a top opening, wherein an access door is positioned over each opening. Furthermore, the back panel and the compartment doors are designed to be positioned level and flush with each other when they are fully closed so as to form a single planar surface that serves as the outer surface of the cover.
Furthermore, the cover is dimensioned to fit over the truck bed in a manner such that a first and second side edge of the back panel line up respectively with a side edge of each compartment door. In particular, the side edges of the panel and doors extend parallel to the side walls of the truck bed and overlay an upper surface of the side walls, while the rear edge of the panel extends parallel to and overlays an upper surface of the back wall of the truck bed. Moreover, each side edge is downwardly curved so as to conform to the general contour of the side walls of the truck bed. In one embodiment, the edge of the cover is configured to have its side edges hug the rims of the side walls in a manner such that the distance between a top surface of the cover and a side wall rim does not exceed three inches. More particularly, the side edges extend outward over the rim of the bed of the pickup truck and curve downward such that the outer edge of the cover is substantially coplanar with the outer walls of the bed of the pickup truck.
In one embodiment, the cover comprises a light but sturdy material such as fiberglass and extends across the interior region of the truck bed so as to cover and protect the contents therein. Furthermore, the cover includes a back panel wherein the back panel can be lifted open so as to provide access to the truck bed. To secure the back panel in a closed position, a rotary latch is used, in one embodiment, to ensure the panel remain closed during transportation. Moreover, a plurality of elongated seals are positioned in a manner so as to form a water tight seal between the truck bed and the back panel. Preferably, when the cover is properly mounted, the back panel is placed over a substantial portion of the truck bed and the two integral compartments are positioned in an interior region of the truck bed directly behind a cab area, wherein each compartment has a top

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