Pickup truck accessory

This application claims priority from a U.S. Provisional Application having Ser. No. 60/829,504, filed Oct. 13, 2006, wherein that Provisional Application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to a pickup truck accessory. In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to a truck accessory rail.

Various accessories are known for use with pickup trucks. Such accessories include bicycle racks, tonneau covers, and the like. Prior art pickup truck accessories are often attached to the vehicle using screws, bolts, and the like. Such attachment methods require holes to be drilled in various locations on the vehicle.

Applicant's invention comprises a pickup truck accessory. The pickup truck accessory comprises a first L-shaped assembly that can be removeably attached to a first side of a pickup truck bed without drilling holes therein, and a first rectangular tubular member comprising a first longitudinal aperture extending from one end to the other, and attached to the first L-shaped assembly such that the longitudinal aperture faces outwardly therefrom.

The pickup truck accessory further comprises a second L-shaped assembly that can be removeably attached to a second side of the pickup truck bed without drilling holes therein, and a second rectangular tubular member comprising second longitudinal aperture extending from one end to the other, and attached to the second L-shaped assembly such that the second longitudinal aperture faces outwardly therefrom;

The pickup truck accessory further comprises a rack assembly comprising a first fixturing member formed to include a first fixturing member aperture extending therethrough, a second fixturing member formed to include a second fixturing member aperture extending therethrough, and a connecting member having two ends, wherein a first end of the connecting member is attached to the first fixturing member, and wherein a second end of the connecting member is attached to the second fixturing member.

The pickup truck accessory further comprises a first securing member comprising a first rectangular base and a first cylindrical member attached to the first rectangular base and extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the distal end of the first cylindrical member is threaded, wherein the first rectangular base is moveably disposed within the first longitudinal aperture, and wherein the distal end of first cylindrical member extends through the first longitudinal aperture, and wherein the distal end of the first cylindrical member extends through the first fixturing member aperture.

The pickup truck accessory further comprises a second securing member comprising a second rectangular base and a second cylindrical member attached to the second rectangular base and extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the distal end of the second cylindrical member is threaded, wherein the second rectangular base is moveably disposed within the second longitudinal aperture, and wherein the distal end of second cylindrical member extends through the second longitudinal aperture, and wherein the distal end of the second cylindrical member extends through the second fixturing member aperture.

The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference designators are used to designate like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of Applicant's pickup truck accessor removeably disposed in a pickup truck bed;

FIG. 1B is a side view of one embodiment of Applicant's rack assembly;

FIG. 1C is a cross sectional view of Applicant's rectangular tubular member;

FIG. 1D is a perspective view of Applicant's securing member which is slideably disposed within Applicant's rectangular tubular member;

FIG. 1E is a cross sectional view showing Applicant's securing member of FIG. 1D releaseably attaching the fixturing member portion of Applicant's rack assembly of FIG. 1B to Applicant's rectangular tubular member;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing Applicant's clamp releaseably attaching Applicant's L-shaped assembly to a side of a pickup truck bed;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing an embodiment wherein Applicant's L-shaped assembly and Applicant's rectangular tubular member comprise an integral assembly;

FIG. 3B shows one side of a second embodiment of Applicant's pickup truck accessory which comprises an integral Applicant's L-shaped assembly and rectangular tubular member in combination with a tonneau cover;

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of Applicant's pickup truck accessory that comprises a moveable overhead rack and a tonneau cover;

FIG. 5A shows a tie-down assembly used to attach objects to Applicant's pickup truck accessory;

FIG. 5B shows the tie-down assembly of FIG. 5A secured to Applicant's tubular member using the securing member of FIG. 1D ;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of Applicant's pickup truck accessory comprising two rack assemblies in combination with a tonneau cover.

This invention is described in preferred embodiments in the following description with reference to the Figures, in which like numbers represent the same or similar elements. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are recited to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing truck 100 in combination with truck accessory rail 110 a , truck accessory rail 110 b , and overhead rack 120 . Accessory rails 110 a and 110 b provide attachment means to releaseably affix aftermarket truck accessories, such as an overhead rack, bicycle rack, tie-down points, as well as other accessories, to truck 100 . In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1A , truck accessory rails 110 a and 110 b are shown attached to the sides of a pickup truck bed. Each truck accessory rail 110 comprises L-shaped assembly 112 , clamp 114 , rectangular tubular member 116 formed to include a longitudinal aperture extending through a side thereof, and optionally a first compliant material 118 a ( FIG. 2 ) and a second compliant material 118 b ( FIG. 2 ). In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1A , overhead rack 120 is shown releaseably and moveably attached to accessory rails 110 a and 100 b.

In certain embodiments, L-shaped member 112 and rectangular tubular member 116 are separately formed, and subsequently attached using conventional attachments methods to form accessory rail 110 . In other embodiments, L-shaped member 112 and rectangular tubular member 116 are integrally formed.

In certain embodiments, truck accessory rail 110 comprises a rigid material selected from the group consisting of metal, an engineering plastic, wood, or combinations thereof. By “engineering plastic,” Applicant means a polymeric material comprising a tensile modulus of about 500,000 psi or greater, and/or a flexural modulus of about 500,000 psi or greater. Such polymeric materials include, without limitation, one or more polyamides, one or more polyimides, one or more polyetheretherketones, one or more cured epoxy resins, and the like. In certain embodiments, truck accessory rail 110 comprises a one piece aluminum extrusion or molded plastic. In certain embodiments, truck accessory rail 110 is L-shaped, but may have a superimposed secondary shape for strength, stability, fit, and water drainage. In certain embodiments, truck accessory rail 110 comprises a length to fit trucks sold in commerce by a variety of vendors under a variety of trade names and trademarks.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of one embodiment of Applicant's attachment rack. Applicant's attachment rack assembly 120 comprises a first fixturing member 130 , second fixturing member 140 , first vertical member 150 , second vertical member 160 , and connecting member 170 .

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B , first fixturing member 130 comprises first end 136 and second end 138 , and is formed to include first fixturing member apertures 132 and 134 extending therethrough. In other embodiments, Applicant's first fixturing member 130 comprises one aperture extending therethrough. In yet other embodiments, Applicant's first fixturing member 130 comprises more than 2 apertures extending therethrough.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B , second fixturing member 140 comprises first end 146 and second end 148 , and is formed to include first fixturing member apertures 142 and 144 extending therethrough. In other embodiments, Applicant's second fixturing member 140 comprises one aperture extending therethrough. In yet other embodiments, Applicant's second fixturing member 130 comprises more than 2 apertures extending therethrough.

First vertical member 150 comprises first end 152 and second end 154 . In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B , first end 152 of vertical member 150 is attached to first end 136 of first fixturing member 130 , and second end 154 extends outwardly from vertical member 150 . In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B , first end 162 of vertical member 160 is attached to first end 146 of second fixturing member 140 , and second end 164 extends outwardly from vertical member 160 .

Connecting member 170 comprises first end 172 and second end 174 . First end 172 is attached to end 154 of vertical member 150 . Second end 174 is attached to end 164 of vertical member 160 . In certain embodiments, first fixturing member 130 , vertical member 150 , connecting member 170 , vertical member 160 , and second fixturing member 140 comprise an integral assembly.

FIG. 1C shows a cross-sectional view of rectangular tubular member 116 , wherein rectangular tubular member 116 defines inter lumen 115 . Side 119 is formed to include longitudinal lumen 117 extending therethrough. Lumen 115 comprises length 182 and height 184 .

Referring now to FIGS. 1C and 1D , FIG. 1D is a perspective view of Applicant's securing member 190 . In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1D , securing member 190 comprises rectangular base 198 , surface 191 , first cylindrical member 194 , second cylindrical member 192 , length 196 , and height 197 . First cylindrical member 194 is attached to surface 191 of rectangular base 198 and extending upwardly. The distal end 195 of first cylindrical member 194 is threaded. Second cylindrical member 192 is attached to surface 191 of rectangular base 198 and extending upwardly. The distal end 193 of first cylindrical member 192 is threaded. Length 196 is less than length 182 . Height 197 is less than height 184 . Securing member 190 can be moveably disposed within lumen 115 such that cylindrical members 192 and 194 extend outwardly through longitudinal aperture 117 .

FIG. 1E illustrates securing member 190 disposed within lumen 115 , such that cylindrical member 192 extends outwardly through longitudinal aperture 117 and through first fixturing member aperture 132 ( FIG. 1B ). Securing nut 198 can threadedly coupled to distal end 193 of threaded cylindrical member 192 . Tightening securing nut 198 pulls securing member 190 upwardly and into contact with tubular member 116 thereby releaseably securing fixturing member 130 to tubular member 116 .

In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3A , rectangular tubular member 116 and L-shaped assembly 112 comprise an integral unit. FIG. 2 further shows use of first compliant material 118 a and second compliant material 118 b . The load applied to the accessory rail 110 is distributed between the clamped vertical portion 111 and the horizontal portion 113 which is supported by the truck bed side rail 230 .

In certain embodiments, truck accessory rail 110 is releaseably attached to the truck side 230 a ( FIGS. 1A , 2 ) and/or truck side 230 b ( FIG. 1A ), using one or more clamps 114 FIGS. 1A , 2 , 3 A, 3 B). Clamp 114 comprises first clamp portion 114 a , second clamp portion 114 b , and clamp fixturing means 114 c . In certain embodiments, first clamp portion 114 a comprises a rigid material selected from the group consisting of metal, an engineering plastic, wood, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, second clamp portion 114 b comprises a rigid material selected from the group consisting of metal, an engineering plastic, wood, or combinations thereof.

In certain embodiments, accessory rail 110 is shaped in such a way that the vertical portion 111 and/or the horizontal portion 113 mirror the contours of truck side 230 , thereby maximizing the contact area between rail 110 and truck side 230 . In other embodiments, first compliant material 118 a and/or second compliant material 118 b are shaped to mirror the contours of truck side 230 , thereby maximizing the contact area between rail 110 and struck side 230 . As those skilled in the art will appreciate maximizing the contact area between rail 110 and struck side 230 most effectively distributes the load carrier by Applicant's accessory rail 110 .

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2 , first compliant material 118 a is disposed between vertical portion 111 and vehicle side portion 230 , and second compliant material 118 b is disposed between horizontal portion 113 and vehicle side portion 230 . In certain embodiments, first compliant material and second complaint comprise an integral assembly.

In certain embodiments, first compliant material 118 a comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a rigid thermoplastic/thermoset material, a flexible foam, a rigid foam, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, second compliant material 118 b comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a rigid thermoplastic/thermoset material, a flexible foam, a rigid foam, or combinations thereof.

In certain embodiments, first compliant material 118 a and/or second compliant material 118 b may be shaped to improve the fit of the accessory rail 110 against the truck side 230 . In other embodiments, unshaped portions of the compliant material may be installed in an asymmetrical way to provide a contoured fit.

Compliant materials 118 a and 118 b serve three purposes, namely to protect the truck side portion 230 , to improve the fit of the accessory rail 110 , and to permit universal application of Applicant's accessory rail. By “improve the fit,” Applicant means to maximize the contact area between Applicant's rail accessor 110 and the side of a truck bed. Compliant materials 118 a and/or 118 b can be dimensioned, shaped, and/or contoured, to permit Applicant's accessory rail 112 to be releaseably attached to a wide variety of trucks.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 , 3 B, and 4 , tonneau assembly 300 comprises L-shaped members 310 a and 310 b in combination with cover 320 . Cover 320 is attached to surface 316 of L-shaped assembly 310 using adhesive 330 .

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, tonneau assembly 300 comprises an after-market truck accessory sold by a variety of manufacturers. Applicant's accessory rail 110 allows the simultaneous attachment of both an aftermarket truck accessory mount, such as overhead rack 120 ( FIG. 1 ) and a truck bed cover, such as tonneau assembly 300 . In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 3B and 4 , accessory rail 110 is releaseably disposed between L-shaped assembly 310 and the truck side 230 such that horizontal portion 113 ( FIG. 2 ) of accessory rail 110 rests on the top of truck side 230 . Vertical portion 111 ( FIG. 2 ) of accessory rail 110 is dimensioned such that it does not interfere with the installation of tonneau assembly 300 .

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B , fastener 500 is dimensioned to mate with rectangular member 116 such that tab 504 can be removeably inserted into longitudinal aperture 117 . Fastener 500 comprises hook-shaped attachment member 520 attached to and extending upwardly from surface 502 . FIG. 5B shows securing member 190 being used to releaseably attach fastener 500 to rectangular tubular member 116 . A plurality of fasteners 500 can be secured to accessory rails 110 a ( FIG. 1A) and 110 b ( FIG. 1A ). One or more ropes and/or elastic straps can be affixed to that plurality of fasteners 500 to hold an irregular shaped object within truck bed 102 ( FIG. 1A ).

Referring to FIG. 6 , first accessory rail 110 a and first tonneau assembly L-shaped assembly 310 a are releaseably attached to truck side portion 230 a , and second accessory rail 110 b and second tonneau assembly L-shaped assembly 310 b are releaseably attached to truck side portion 230 b . First horizontal member 610 a is releaseably attached to accessory rails 110 a and 110 b using fasteners 500 a and 500 b , respectively. Second horizontal member 610 b is releaseably attached to accessory rails 110 a and 110 b using fasteners 500 c and 500 d , respectively. Bicycle 620 is releaseably attached to first horizontal member 610 a and to second horizontal member 610 b.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.