REINFORCED TONNEAU COVER
A tonneau cover for use on a vehicle bed can have a multilayer construction. The multilayer tonneau cover can include an upper layer and a reinforcing layer. The tonneau cover can also have a lower layer. The reinforcing layer can include a reinforcing beam to reduce the potential for cracking of the upper layer. The reinforcing beam can be elongate and non-intersecting along its path.
1. Field of the Inventions
This application relates generally to covers for vehicle beds and more specifically to pick up truck bed covers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Covers for vehicles having open beds such as pick up trucks are referred to as “tonneau” covers. In some configurations of tonneau covers, a single sheet cover is pivotally hinged to a front wall of the pick up truck bed. To assist with opening the cover and maintaining an open position, struts can couple the tonneau cover to side walls of the pick up truck bed. These tonneau covers shelter cargo stored in the vehicle bed from the elements, but are often prone to cracking, crazing, or other damage when used on a vehicle. Typically the tonneau covers are supported only about their peripheries by the front wall, side walls, and tailgate of the vehicle bed, and unsupported in their central area. Thus, once set in motion by road vibrations and bumps encountered by a moving vehicle, the large unsupported span of tonneau cover can exhibit the oscillatory behavior of a drum head. These repeated oscillatory cycles can lead to damage to the tonneau cover.
Various attempts have been made to strengthen or stiffen pick up bed tonneau covers. For example, attempts have been made to integrate a sheet-based tonneau cover with a truss-like structure consisting of a plurality of intersecting beams. While these additions to the tonneau covers can provide a stiffened structure, they can produce other problems such as concentrations of structural weaknesses at certain points and/or increased weight. Increased weight can necessitate increased effort to open the tonneau cover and, in turn, can require higher compression gas shock absorbers or higher strength struts. Additionally, increased weight can make installation and removal of the tonneau cover exceedingly time consuming and cumbersome. Moreover, even with the incorporation of truss-like structures to a tonneau cover, the tonneau covers are often still prone to cracking at points of stress concentration overlying the reinforcing beams.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONSTonneau covers having a multi layered construction can overcome the shortcomings of prior covers. More specifically, in some embodiments, the tonneau covers described herein can have a multi-layered construction configured to reduce the incidence of cracking or damage to the tonneau cover. Moreover, the layered construction of the tonneau cover can achieve reductions in cracking tendencies without substantial increases in the weight of the tonneau cover. Thus, the tonneau cover can be easily installed and removed and can have increased longevity compared with other tonneau covers.
In some embodiments, a cover for a vehicle bed is provided. The cover comprises a rigid upper layer and a reinforcing layer. The rigid upper layer is configured to overlie at least a portion of the vehicle bed. The reinforcing layer is disposed under the upper layer. The reinforcing layer has a length and a width. The reinforcing layer includes one or more reinforcing beams to reduce stress concentrations on the upper layer. The reinforcing beam can have a length that is greater than a sum of the length and the width of the reinforcing layer. The reinforcing beam can be structured as a continuous beam that does not intersect with itself.
In other embodiments, a reinforcing layer for a tonneau cover is provided. The reinforcing layer is configured to be disposed under the tonneau cover. The reinforcing layer has a length and a width. The reinforcing layer includes a reinforcing beam to reduce stress concentrations on the tonneau cover. The reinforcing beam can have a length that is greater than a sum of the length and the width of the reinforcing layer. The reinforcing beam can be structured as a continuous beam that does not intersect with itself.
Turning now to the drawings provided herein, a more detailed description of certain embodiments of the present inventions is provided below. It should be noted, however, that while some embodiments have all of the advantages identified herein, other embodiments may only realize some but not all of the advantages.
With reference to
As illustrated in
As illustrated, the upper layer 24 is generally formed of a single generally rectangular sheet and sized to overlie the bed 14 of a pick up truck 16 (
As illustrated in
In embodiments having a three layer construction, as illustrated in
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiments, the reinforcing beam 30, 30′ has a generally square cross-section with a raised portion 36 transverse to, and generally perpendicular to two generally parallel side walls 38. In some embodiments, the opposite side of the recess 41 is a raised portion 36 that provides a relatively large surface that can be joined with a lower surface of the upper layer 24 such as by bonding with adhesive or other techniques, as described below with respect to
In some embodiments, the raised portion 36 of the reinforcing beam 30 has a width of approximately 3 inches, and the side walls are likewise approximately 3 inches tall, creating a generally square reinforcing beam 30, the square defined by the raised portion 36, the two side walls 38, and an open side opposite the raised portion 36. However, it is contemplated that in other embodiments, the reinforcing beam 30 can have a generally square profile with a side length less than or greater than 3 inches. Further, it is contemplated that in other embodiments, the reinforcing beam 30 can have other profiles, such as a generally arched shape, a generally trapezoidal shape, or a generally triangular shape.
In some embodiments, at least one reinforcing rib 40 is provided to further stiffen the reinforcing layer 20, 20′. These ribs 40 provide additional resistance to bending and/or torsional forces without significantly affecting the overall weight of the tonneau cover 10. In some embodiments, these ribs 40 are positioned within the one or more recesses 41. Some of the ribs 40 can also be oriented in different directions (e.g., some of the ribs 40 can also be oriented orthogonal to others) to increase strength along different planes. In some embodiments, the reinforcing ribs 40 have a height that is less than the height of the reinforcing beam 30, 30′. In some embodiments, the reinforcing ribs 40 have a length that is less than the length of the reinforcing beam 30, 30′.
In the embodiments illustrated in
With reference to
In some embodiments, a space for a light 42 is provided in the reinforcing layer 20, 20′. In the three layer embodiments, an opening can be provided in the lower layer 28. In some embodiments, the light is attached to the tonneau cover 10 in a tilted orientation (when the cover is horizontal) so that the light 42 is directed substantially vertically downward when the tonneau cover 10 is tilted upward in an open configuration as shown in
As illustrated in
Advantageously, in some embodiments the layered construction of upper layer 24 and reinforcing layer 20 substantially reduces stress concentrations on the upper layer 24 as relatively short spans of the upper layer 24 between adjacent raised portions 36 of the reinforcing beam 30 are unsupported. Moreover, the rounded corners 34 of the reinforcing beam 30 create reduced stress concentrations in the overlying upper layer 24 as compared with squared corners. The reinforcing layer 20 can be constructed of a relatively light weight material such as a molded or otherwise formed thermoplastic. Thus, the reinforcing layer 20 can increase the longevity of the tonneau cover 10 without significant increases in weight.
Additionally, the advantages offered by a layered tonneau cover 10 described with reference to various embodiments disclosed herein can be made available to many currently existing tonneau covers through retrofit. It is contemplated that a tonneau cover 10 incorporating a reinforcing layer 20, 20′ can be pre-assembled for sale. Additionally, reinforcing layers 20, 20′ can be sold separately to retrofit many currently existing tonneau covers.
As illustrated in the embodiments of
In the embodiments illustrated in
Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Further, the various features of these inventions can be used alone, or in combination with other features of the inventions other than as expressly described above. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
Claims
1. A cover for a vehicle bed, the cover comprising:
- a rigid upper layer configured to overlie at least a portion of the vehicle bed; and
- a reinforcing layer disposed under the upper layer, the reinforcing layer having a length and a width, and the reinforcing layer including a reinforcing beam configured to reduce stress concentrations on the upper layer, the reinforcing beam having a length that is greater than a sum of the length and the width of the reinforcing layer and the reinforcing beam not intersecting with itself.
2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing beam follows a continuous path.
3. The cover of claim 2, wherein the continuous path comprises an expanding helical profile having generally linear sides and rounded corners.
4. The cover of claim 2, wherein the continuous path comprises an expanding helical profile comprising a spiral having an increasing radius.
5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing beam comprises rounded corners.
6. The cover of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises at least one recess between adjacent segments of reinforcing beam.
7. The cover of claim 6, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises one continuous recess between adjacent segments of reinforcing beam
8. The cover of claim 6, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises at least one reinforcing rib positioned in the recess.
9. The cover of claim 8, wherein the reinforcing rib has a height that is less than a height of the reinforcing beam.
10. The cover of claim 8, wherein the reinforcing rib has a length that is less than a height of the reinforcing beam.
11. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a light retained by the reinforcing layer.
12. The cover of claim 1, wherein the rigid upper layer is adhered to the reinforcing layer.
13. The cover of claim 1, wherein the rigid upper layer is affixed to the reinforcing layer with fasteners.
14. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a lower layer disposed under the reinforcing layer.
15. The cover of claim 14, wherein the lower layer is adhered to one of the reinforcing layer and the upper layer.
16. The cover of claim 14, wherein the lower layer is affixed to one of the reinforcing layer and the upper layer with fasteners.
17. The cover of claim 1, wherein the rigid upper layer comprises a fiberglass material.
18. The cover of claim 1, wherein the rigid upper layer comprises a thermoplastic material.
19. A reinforcing layer for a tonneau cover configured to be disposed under the tonneau cover, the reinforcing layer has a length and a width, and the reinforcing layer includes a reinforcing beam to reduce stress concentrations on the tonneau cover, the reinforcing beam having a length that is greater than a sum of the length and the width of the reinforcing layer and the reinforcing beam not intersecting with itself.
20. The layer of claim 19, wherein the reinforcing beam follows a continuous path.
21. The layer of claim 20, wherein the continuous path comprises an expanding helical profile having generally linear sides and rounded corners.
22. The layer of claim 20, wherein the continuous path comprises an expanding helical profile comprising a spiral having an increasing radius.
23. The layer of claim 19, wherein the layer is comprised of a thermoplastic material.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 9, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2007
Inventor: Shiawdar Yue (Cupertino, CA)
Application Number: 11/450,779