BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of the truck with truck bed covers in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of the rear view of the truck without the covers.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of the first cover, which is identical to second and third covers.
FIG. 4 is an illustration of the last cover.
FIG. 5 is an illustration of the rear view of the truck with the covers.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the side view of the truck with the covers retracted.
FIG. 7 is an illustration of the side view of the truck with the covers extended.
FIG. 8 is an illustration of a partially broken side view of the truck showing the motor and the threaded shaft.
FIG. 9 is an illustration of the bottom view of the covers in extended condition.
FIGURES—REFERENCE NUMERALS
10 . . . Truck
11 . . . Truck Bed
12 . . . Cab
13 . . . Bumper
14 . . . Sidewall
15 . . . Tailgate
16 . . . Track
17 . . . Inverted U-shaped Cover
18 . . . Projecting Member
19 . . . Threaded Bore
20 . . . Bolt
21 . . . Cable
22 . . . Tail Member
23 . . . Window Panel
24 . . . Water Proof Material
25 . . . Motor
26 . . . Threaded Shaft
27 . . . Hinge
28 . . . Handle on the Window Panel
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of an automatic truck bed cover assembly is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10. The present invention is an assembly that can be installed on a truck 10 to cover the truck bed 11.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the truck 10 generally includes a cab 12 and a truck bed portion including a bumper 13, two sidewalls 14 and a tailgate 15. The interior surfaces of the sidewalls 14 include a plurality of tracks 16, one below the other. For example, four tracks, namely the first, second, third, and fourth, are located one below the other near the top portion of the sidewalls 14. The tracks 16 are in the form of longitudinal grooves.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, four inverted U-shaped truck bed covers 17, namely, first 17A, second 17B, third 17C, and fourth 17D, are used in the assembly. The free ends of each truck bed cover 17 include a projecting member 18 that extends along the length of the cover. The first, second, and third covers are identical, as shown in FIG. 9. The fourth cover 17D is slightly different in that it includes a threaded bore 19 in its projecting members, as seen in FIG. 10. For this reason, the projecting members on the fourth cover 17D are larger compared projecting members on the other covers. The projecting members 18 received in the tracks 16. More particularly, the projecting members 18 of the first 17A, second 17B, third 17C, and the fourth covers 17D are received in the first, second, third, and the fourth tracks 16, respectively. Alternatively, any number of covers and tracks can be selected
Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, the first cover 17A is permanently attached to the rear portion of the cab 12 using suitable fasteners such as bolts 20. Two steel cables 21 are used to connect the covers 17. The fourth cover 17D includes four tail members 22, two are disposed on its top edge and the other two are located on its either side edges. A window panel 23 is connected to rear top edge of the fourth cover 17D using a hinge 27. The window panel includes a handle 28.
The covers are slightly different in size to form a telescopic arrangement when received in their respective tracks. The second cover 17B can slide below the first 17A, the third 17C below the second 17B and the fourth 17D below the third 17C, etc. The covers comprise any solid rigid material. The exterior surfaces of the covers include a lining of waterproof material 24.
Two low speed DC motors 25 are mounted near the rear end of the truck bed. A threaded shaft 26 is associated with each motor and can rotate in either direction. The motors 25 can be activated by an activation means (not shown) such as a remote control or a switch located inside the truck cab. The motor and threaded shafts are in level with the fourth track in order to be received in the threaded holes of the fourth cover 17D. When the motors 25 are activated, the rotary motion of the threaded shafts 26 imparts a linear motion to fourth cover 17D, which then slides along the fourth track.
In order to extend the covers, the threaded shafts 26 are rotated. The fourth cover 17D slides and extends along the fourth track. Since all the covers are connected by steel cables 21, the fourth cover pulls the second and third cover along with it, thereby covering the truck bed area, as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. To retract the covers, the threaded shafts are made to rotate in the opposite direction. The fourth cover 17D slides towards the truck cab and the tail members on it will push the second and third truck bed covers towards the cab, thereby uncovering the truck bed area. The motors 25 are automatically deactivated when the fourth cover 17D is fully extended or retracted. The window panel 23 is used to cover the gap between the tailgate 15 and the fourth cover 17D when the assembly is in extended condition. The direction of rotation of the threaded shafts is selected by the activation means.
All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.
Patent Application
20080088151
