A folding tonneau cover apparatus including a cover assembly and a support frame assembly. The cover assembly having a plurality of rigid panels interconnected in series by a series of flexible hinges preferably made from a laminated woven fabric material. The rigid panels are preferably stiffened b
A folding tonneau cover apparatus including a cover assembly and a support frame assembly. The cover assembly having a plurality of rigid panels interconnected in series by a series of flexible hinges preferably made from a laminated woven fabric material. The rigid panels are preferably stiffened by elongated support members secured to the undersides of the respective panels and the top surfaces of portions of the rigid panels are preferably downwardly concave. The cover assembly is secured to the support frame assembly to cover a cargo box of a pickup truck by a plurality of locking members when the support frame assembly is secured to sidewalls of the cargo box. Methods of making a tonneau cover apparatus and methods of folding and unfolding the cover assembly are also disclosed.
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1. A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a top of a perimeter of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the top perimeter of the cargo box including a forward end, two opposing sidewalls and a tailgate, the tailgate being positioned rearward of the forward end and having an open position
1. A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a top of a perimeter of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the top perimeter of the cargo box including a forward end, two opposing sidewalls and a tailgate, the tailgate being positioned rearward of the forward end and having an open position and a closed position, the tonneau cover apparatus comprising: a support frame assembly for attachment to the cargo box, the support frame assembly having two opposing side rails, wherein each of the respective side rails can be secured to one of the respective opposing sidewalls; anda cover assembly including a plurality of rigid panels; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels; the first and second panels being flexibly secured to one another by a flexible hinge; each of the rigid panels having a thickness of from about 0.020 inches to about 0.200 inches and the flexible hinge is made from a fiber reinforced polymeric material that can withstand deformation without breaking or cracking; and wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of elongated support members; wherein each of the plurality of elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the plurality of rigid panels to stiffen the respective rigid panel. 2. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein at least one of the respective elongated support members has an upper surface that is curved along at least a portion of a length of the elongated support member such that, when the upper surface of the respective elongated support member is secured to an underside of one of the respective rigid panels, a top surface the respective rigid panel is curved along at least a portion of a length of the respective rigid panel. 3. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 2; wherein each of the respective elongated support members has an upper surface that is curved along at least a portion of a length of the respective elongated support member such that, when the upper surface of each of the respective elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the respective rigid panels, at least a portion of a top surface of the respective rigid panel is curved downwardly so as to be at least partially downwardly concave along a length of each of the respective rigid panel when the underside of the respective rigid panel is facing downward. 4. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the cover assembly further includes a securing apparatus, wherein the securing apparatus includes a locking member secured to one of the plurality of rigid panels; wherein the locking member is engageable with one of the respective side rails when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box, so as to engage the cover assembly with the support frame assembly and the cargo box; wherein the locking member is prevented from disengaging from the respective side rail when the locking member is in a first position, in which the respective locking member is engaged with one of the respective side rails, and the respective rigid panel is secured thereto and the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box; wherein the locking member can be moved from the first position to a second position; wherein the locking member is disengaged from the respective side rail when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box and the locking member is in the second position; wherein the cover assembly further includes a perimeter seal secured to the an underside of each of the respective rigid panels; wherein the perimeter seal includes a water resistant gasket that forms a border around an underside of the cover assembly so that, when the cover assembly is secured to the respective side rails of the support frame and the respective side rails are secured to the respective sidewalls of the pickup truck and the tailgate is in the closed position, the perimeter seal creates a water resistant barrier between the cover assembly and the top of a perimeter of the cargo box. 5. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of locking members secured to a plurality of the rigid panels; wherein each locking member is biased toward the first position; wherein the plurality of locking members includes first panel locking members secured to the first panel and second panel locking members secured to the second panel; and wherein the first panel can pivot with respect to the second panel if all first panel locking members are in the second position; wherein at least one second panel locking member will be moved from the first position to the second position when the first panel pivots with respect to the second panel, thereby actuating movement of the at least one second panel locking member from the first position to the second position. 6. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the flexible hinge is secured to a first underside of the first panel and to a second underside of the second panel with an adhesive material and the flexible hinge is made of a flexible material that can withstand deformation without failure due to cracking or breakage that is selected from the group consisting of a laminated polymeric material, a fiber reinforced polymeric material, an elastomeric material, a material and a material that is in part a laminated woven material and in part a laminated material. 7. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the flexible hinge is secured to a first underside of the first panel and to a second underside of the second panel with an adhesive material. 8. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the flexible hinge includes first and second adhesive backed portions respectively secured to a first underside of the first panel and to a second underside of the second panel. 9. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the cargo box has a length and the plurality of rigid panels further include a third rigid panel and a fourth rigid panel; wherein the plurality of rigid panels are secured to one another in series by a series of flexible hinges each of which secures respective adjacent rigid panels to one another; wherein a length of each of the plurality of rigid panels is considerably less than the length of the cargo box; and one of the plurality of rigid panels is a hinge panel that has a hinge panel length that is no greater than one-third of an average length of the other rigid panels. 10. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 9; wherein the cover assembly can fold up into a configuration in which the first, second and fourth rigid panels are oriented such that a top surface of each of the first, second and fourth panels is generally parallel to the top surface of each of the other first, second and fourth panels and a third top surface of the hinge panel is oriented at an angle to the top surfaces of each of the other first, second and fourth panels that is from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees. 11. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 10; wherein the third top surface of the hinge panel resides at an angle of about 90 degrees to the top surfaces of each of the first, second and fourth rigid panels when the cover assembly is in a fully folded configuration. 12. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 1; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels, a third panel that is a hinge panel and a fourth panel; each of the plurality of rigid panels having a top surface; wherein the first and second panels have first and second top surfaces, respectively, the hinge panel, has a third top surface, and the fourth panel has a fourth top surface; wherein the plurality of rigid panels are pivotally secure to one another in series such that the first and second panels are pivotally secured to one another by a first flexible hinge, and the hinge panel is pivotally secured to the second panel by a second flexible hinge and pivotally secured to the fourth panel by a third flexible hinge; wherein the first panel can fold over on top of the second panel and, once the first panel is folded over onto the second panel, the first and second panels can fold together over on top of the fourth panel, so that the cover assembly is in a fully folded configuration; wherein a first top surface of the first panel will be generally parallel to a second top surface of the second panel and to a fourth top surface of the fourth panel when the cover assembly is in the fully folded configuration. 13. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 12; wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of standoffs secured to the second panel that separate the second panel from the fourth panel when the cover assembly is in the fully folded configuration. 14. A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a top of a perimeter of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the top perimeter of the cargo box including a forward end, two opposing sidewalls and a tailgate, the tailgate being positioned rearward of the forward end and having an open position and a closed position, the tonneau cover apparatus comprising: a support frame assembly for attachment to the cargo box, the support frame assembly having two opposing side rails, wherein each of the respective side rails can be secured to one of the respective opposing sidewalls; anda cover assembly including a plurality of rigid panels; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels; the first and second panels being flexibly secured to one another by a flexible hinge; and wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of elongated support members; wherein each of the plurality of elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the plurality of rigid panels to stiffen the respective panel; wherein at least one of the respective elongated support members has a upper surface that is curved along at least a portion of a length of the respective elongated support member such that, when the upper surface of the at least one support member is secured to an underside of one of the plurality of rigid panels, a top surface of the respective rigid panel to which the at least one support member is secured will be curved along at least a portion of a length of the respective rigid panel. 15. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; each of the rigid panels having a thickness of from about 0.020 inches to about 0.200 inches. 16. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein each of the respective elongated support members has an upper surface that is curved along at least a portion of a length of the elongated support member such that, when the upper surface of each of the respective elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the respective rigid panels, at least a portion of a top surface of each of the respective rigid panels to which such an elongated support member is secured is at least partially curved downwardly so as to be at least partially downwardly concave along a length of each of the respective rigid panels when the underside of the respective rigid panel is facing downward. 17. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein the cover assembly further includes a securing apparatus, wherein the securing apparatus includes a locking member secured to one of the plurality of rigid panels; wherein the locking member is engageable with one of the respective side rails when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box, so as to engage the cover assembly with the support frame assembly and the cargo box; wherein the locking member is prevented from disengaging from the respective side rail when the locking member is in a first position and the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box; wherein the locking member can be moved from the first position to a second position; wherein the locking member is disengaged from the respective side rail, when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box and the locking member is in the second position. 18. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 17; wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of locking members secured to a plurality of rigid panels and each locking member is biased toward the first position. 19. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein the cover assembly further includes a perimeter seal secured to the an underside of each of the respective rigid panels; wherein the perimeter seal includes a water resistant gasket that forms a border around an underside of the cover assembly so that, when the cover assembly is secured to the respective side rails of the support frame and the respective side rails are secured to the respective sidewalls of the pickup truck and the tailgate is in the closed position, the perimeter seal creates a water resistant barrier between the cover assembly and the top of a perimeter of the cargo box. 20. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein the flexible hinge is made of a flexible material that can withstand deformation without failure due to cracking or breakage that is selected from the group consisting of a laminated polymeric material, a fiber reinforced polymeric material, an elastomeric material, a woven material and a material that is in part a laminated woven material and in part a laminated material and the flexible hinge is secured to a first underside of the first panel and to a second underside of the second panel with an adhesive material. 21. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels, a third panel that is a hinge panel and a fourth panel; each of the plurality of rigid panels having a top surface; wherein the first and second panels have first and second top surfaces, respectively, the hinge panel, has a third top surface, and the fourth panel has a fourth top surface; wherein the plurality of rigid panels are pivotally secure to one another in series such that the first and second panels are pivotally secured to one another by a first flexible hinge, and the hinge panel is pivotally secured to the second panel by a second flexible hinge and pivotally secured to the fourth panel by a third flexible hinge; wherein the first panel can fold over on top of the second panel and, once the first panel is folded over onto the second panel, the first and second panels can fold together over on top of the fourth panel, so that the cover assembly is in a fully folded configuration; wherein a first top surface of the first panel will be generally parallel to a second top surface of the second panel and to a fourth top surface of the fourth panel when the cover assembly is in the fully folded configuration. 22. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 21; wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of standoffs secured to the second panel that separate the second panel from the fourth panel when the cover assembly is in the fully folded configuration. 23. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 14; wherein the cargo box has a length and the plurality of rigid panels further include a third rigid panel and a fourth rigid panel; wherein the plurality of rigid panels are secured to one another in series by a series of flexible hinges each of which secures respective adjacent rigid panels to one another; wherein a length of each of the plurality of rigid panels is considerably less than the length of the cargo box; and one of the plurality of rigid panels is a hinge panel that has a hinge panel length that is no greater than one-third of an average length of the other rigid panels. 24. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 23; wherein the third rigid panel is a hinge panel that has a hinge panel length that is no greater than one-third of an average length of the other rigid panels; wherein the cover assembly can fold up into a configuration in which the first, second and fourth rigid panels are oriented such that a top surface of each of the first, second and fourth panels is generally parallel to the top surface of each of the other first, second and fourth panels and a third top surface of the hinge panel is oriented at an angle to the top surfaces of each of the other first, second and fourth panels that is from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees. 25. A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a top of a perimeter of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the top perimeter of the cargo box including a forward end, two opposing sidewalls and a tailgate, the tailgate being positioned rearward of the forward end and having an open position and a closed position, the tonneau cover apparatus comprising: a support frame assembly for attachment to the cargo box; anda cover assembly including a plurality of rigid panels; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels; the first and second panels being flexibly secured to one another by a flexible hinge; wherein a top surface of each of the respective rigid panels is curved downwardly so as to be at least partially downwardly concave along a width of the respective rigid panels when the respective rigid panel is secured to the respective side rail. 26. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 25; wherein the support frame assembly includes two opposing side rails, wherein each of the respective side rails can be secured to one of the respective opposing sidewalls; wherein the cover assembly further includes a securing apparatus, wherein the securing apparatus includes at least one locking member secured to one of the plurality of rigid panels; wherein the locking member is engageable with one of the respective side rails when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box, so as to engage the cover assembly with the support frame assembly and the cargo box; wherein the locking member is prevented from disengaging from the respective side rail when the locking member is in a first position and the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box; wherein the locking member can be moved from the first position to a second position; wherein the locking member can disengage from the respective side rail when the respective side rail is secured to the cargo box and the locking member is in the second position; wherein the flexible hinge is a single piece of flexible sheet material secured to each of the respective rigid panels. 27. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 25; wherein the cover assembly includes a plurality of elongated support members; wherein each of the plurality of elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the plurality of rigid panels to stiffen the respective panel; wherein each of the respective support members has an upper surface that is curved along at least a portion of a length of the elongated support member such that when the upper surface of each of the respective elongated support members is secured to an underside of one of the respective rigid panels, at least a portion of a top surface of each of the respective rigid panels is curved downwardly so as to be at least partially downwardly concave along a width of each of the respective rigid panels. 28. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 27; wherein each of the respective elongated support members has first and second ends and each of the respective elongated support members is bent so that each of the respective elongated support members curves through an arc as the respective elongated support member passes from one end to the other end; wherein the respective elongated support members are secured to an underside of each of the respective rigid panels so that each of the rigid panels is sufficiently bent for water to run off of a top surface of each of the respective rigid panels under the force of gravity when the cover assembly is engaged with the support frame assembly; wherein each of the respective elongated support members have first and second ends and each of the respective elongated support members is curved so that each of the respective elongated support members curves through an arc as the support member passes from one end to the other end; wherein the upper surface each of the respective elongated support members is curved so that the ends of the upper surface are a deflection distance lower than a center portion of the upper surface, and wherein the deflection distance is from about 1/64 inch to about ½ inch. 29. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 25; each of the rigid panels having a thickness of from about 0.020 inches to about 0.200 inches and the flexible hinge is made from a fiber reinforced polymeric material that can withstand deformation without breaking or cracking. 30. The tonneau cover apparatus of claim 25; wherein the flexible hinge is made of a flexible material that can withstand deformation without failure due to cracking or breakage that is selected from the group consisting of a laminated polymeric material, a fiber reinforced polymeric material, an elastomeric material, a woven material and a material that is in part a laminated woven material and in part a laminated material.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (116)
Wheatley Donald G., Accessory system for a vehicle cargo box.
Ericson John C. (4828 Hannibal Way Las Vegas NV 89130) Ericson Linda S. (4828 Hannibal Way Las Vegas NV 89130), Folding cover for the bed of a pickup truck.
Thoman David C. (623 W. Mishawaka Ave. Mishawaka IN 46545) Thoman Christopfer M. (623 W. Mishawaka Ave. Mishawaka IN 46545), Tonneau cover for a pick-up truck.
Hathaway Richard C. (Greenville OH) Bridges Mearl K. (New Madison OH) Klein Donald R. (Greenville OH), Vehicle modular rail system having cover locking attachment.
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