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A vehicle topper provides an enclosed compartment when coupled with a cargo bed of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. Convenient open access is provided to the bed of the vehicle by employing a rolling door that is supported by a frame within two parallel guide tracks. When the rolling door is in a c

A vehicle topper provides an enclosed compartment when coupled with a cargo bed of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. Convenient open access is provided to the bed of the vehicle by employing a rolling door that is supported by a frame within two parallel guide tracks. When the rolling door is in a completely closed position, the vehicle topper creates an enclosed and lockable compartment in conjunction with the cargo bed and the vehicle's cargo box. When the rolling door is moved through the guide tracks to a completely open position, the door is substantially disposed within a sub-floor space between a floor supported by the frame of the vehicle topper, and the vehicle's cargo bed. The rolling door can be caused to bypass the completely closed position and to open in a reverse direction. An outer frame is included to secure the vehicle topper to the walls of the cargo box.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vehicle topper that creates an enclosed compartment when coupled with a vehicle bed, the vehicle topper capable of providing convenient open access to the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper comprising: a rolling door frame, the rolling door frame having a base supporting two sides, a front end and

1. A vehicle topper that creates an enclosed compartment when coupled with a vehicle bed, the vehicle topper capable of providing convenient open access to the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper comprising: a rolling door frame, the rolling door frame having a base supporting two sides, a front end and a back end, each of the two sides of the rolling door frame supporting a guide track, each of the guide tracks having a starting point and an ending point; a floor covering at least an area defined by the base of the rolling door frame, the floor being supported by the base and able to form a sub-floor space between the floor and the vehicle bed when the vehicle topper is coupled to a vehicle bed, and wherein a portion of each of the two guide tracks runs under the floor and through the sub-floor space; anda rolling door having two side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of the two side edges having a plurality of guiding means attached thereto between the leading edge and the side edge, the guiding means attached to each side edge of the rolling door being disposed in a different one of the guide tracks, the guiding means for slideably supporting the door within the guide tracks between a completely closed position where the leading edge of the rolling door is located at the starting point of each of the guide tracks, and a completely open position where the trailing edge of the rolling door is at the ending point of each of the guide tracks; and wherein at least a portion of the rolling door is disposed under the floor and within the sub-floor space when the rolling door is placed in the completely open position. 2. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein each of the guide tracks further includes a diverter that permits the rolling door to bypass the fully closed position and travel 360 degrees around the guide tracks. 3. The vehicle topper of claim 2 wherein the diverter comprises: a discontinuity in each of the guide tracks located just before the rolling door reaches the starting points of the guide tracks at the fully closed position; a diverter extension that extends each of the guide tracks beyond their ending points; andwherein the guiding means attached to each side of the leading edge of the rolling door can be moved through the discontinuity of the guide tracks and into the diverter extensions of the guide tracks, thereby bypassing the fully closed position of the rolling door. 4. The vehicle topper of claim 3 wherein each of the guide tracks includes a restraining mechanism that engages the rolling door when the rolling door is placed in the fully open position and when the rolling door is placed in the fully closed position, thereby restraining the rolling door from moving within the guide tracks until the restraining mechanism is released. 5. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the rolling door is moved between the fully open and the fully closed positions using an electric motor-driven mechanism. 6. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the rolling door further includes a manual actuating means coupled to the leading edge of the rolling door, the actuating means for applying manual force to the rolling door to move it between the fully closed position and the fully open position. 7. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the floor is capable of supporting factory load requirements specified for the vehicle bed. 8. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the floor is extended vertically up the back end of the rolling door frame to protect the guide tracks and the rolling door from shifting loads. 9. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the rolling door frame is made of an extruded material. 10. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the rolling door frame is made of extruded aluminum. 11. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the guiding means are bearings. 12. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the cargo bed forms a cargo box with lateral walls extending vertically from each side of the vehicle bed and an end wall extending vertically from an end of the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper further comprising: an outer frame having two sides, each side coupled to one of the sides of the rolling door frame, and having an end coupled between the two sides of the outer frame and to the back end of the rolling door frame,wherein each of the two sides of the outer frame are capable of being supported by one of the lateral walls of the vehicle and the end of the outer frame is capable of being supported by the end wall of the cargo box. 13. The vehicle topper of claim 12 wherein each side and the end of the outer frame is coupled to one of the lateral walls using tie down elements of the vehicle. 14. The vehicle topper of claim 1 further comprising an outer frame having two sides, each side coupled to one of the sides of the rolling door frame, and having an end coupled between the two sides of the outer frame and to the back end of the rolling door frame, and wherein the vehicle bed has no vertical walls and the outer frame sides and end are extended to and coupled with the vehicle bed. 15. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the rolling door is segmented to allow the rolling door to flexibly move through the guide tracks. 16. A vehicle topper that creates an enclosed compartment when coupled with a vehicle cargo bed, the vehicle topper capable of providing convenient and open access to the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper comprising: a rolling door frame, the rolling door frame having a base supporting two sides, a front end and a back end, each of the two sides of the rolling door frame supporting parallel guide tracks, each of the guide tracks being continuous between a starting point and an ending point;a floor covering at least an area defined by the base of the rolling door frame, the floor being supported by the base and able to form a sub-floor space between the floor and the vehicle bed when the vehicle topper is coupled to a vehicle cargo box, and wherein a portion of each of the two guide tracks runs under the floor and through the sub-floor space;a rolling door having two side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of the two side edges having a plurality of bearings attached thereto between the leading edge and the side edge, the bearings attached to each side edge of the rolling door being disposed in a different one of the guide tracks, the bearings for slideably supporting the door within the guide tracks between a completely closed position and a completely open position; andan electric motor and drive mechanism in communication with the rolling door for actuating the rolling door between the fully open position and the fully closed. 17. The vehicle topper of claim 16 further comprising: a mechanism that temporarily disengages the drive mechanism from the rolling door to permit manual actuation of the rolling door; anda manual actuating means coupled to the leading edge of the rolling door by which the rolling door can be moved manually between the fully closed position and the fully open position. 18. The vehicle topper of claim 17 wherein the actuating means is a handlebar including a telescoping handle. 19. A vehicle topper that creates an enclosed compartment when coupled with a vehicle cargo box, the vehicle cargo box including a vehicle bed, the vehicle topper capable of providing convenient open access to the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper comprising: a rolling door frame, the rolling door frame having a base supporting two sides, a front end and a back end, each of the two sides of the rolling door frame forming parallel vertical planes, each of the two sides of the frame supporting within its parallel vertical plane a guide track, each of the guide tracks being continuous between a starting point and an ending point;a floor covering at least an area defined by the base of the rolling door frame, the floor being supported by the base and able to form a sub-floor space between the floor and the vehicle bed when the vehicle topper is coupled to a vehicle cargo box, and wherein a portion of each of the two guide tracks runs under the floor and through the sub-floor space;a rolling door having two side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of the two side edges having a plurality of guiding means attached thereto between the leading edge and the side edge, the guiding means attached to each side edge of the rolling door being disposed in a different one of the guide tracks, the guiding means for slideably supporting the door within the guide tracks between a completely closed position, where the leading edge of the rolling door is located at the starting point of each of the guide tracks, and a completely open position, where the trailing edge of the rolling door is at the ending point of each of the guide tracks; anda diverter that permits the rolling door to bypass the fully closed position and travel 360 degrees around the guide tracks. 20. The vehicle topper of claim 1 wherein the cargo bed forms a cargo box with lateral walls extending vertically from each side of the vehicle bed and an end wall extending vertically from an end of the vehicle bed, the vehicle topper further comprising: an outer frame having two sides, each side coupled to one of the sides of the rolling door frame, and having an end coupled between the two sides of the outer frame and the back end of the rolling door frame,wherein each of the two sides of the outer frame are capable of being supported by one of the lateral walls of the vehicle and the end of the outer frame is capable of being supported by the end wall of the cargo box.