Extendable and retractable truck cap

An extendable and retractable panel cap for use with a truck having a bed, the extendable and retractable panel cap comprising:

• a bed assembly having:
• a bed,
• opposed first and second bed sidewalls that extend from the bed and the first bed sidewall has inner and outer sidewall panels and the second bed sidewall has inner and outer sidewall panels;
• the inner and outer sidewall panels of the first bed sidewall and the bed define a first sidewall recess and the inner and outer sidewall panels of the second bed sidewall define a second sidewall recess;
• a bed cross wall that extends from the bed and the bed cross wall has inner and outer cross wall panels and the outer cross wall panel extends from the outer sidewall panel of the first bed sidewall to the outer sidewall panel of the second bed sidewall, and the inner cross wall panel extends from the inner cross wall panel of the first bed sidewall to the inner sidewall panes of the second bed sidewall and the inner and outer cross wall panels define a cross wall recess, and together the first and second sidewall recesses and the cross wall recess form a cap assembly recess;
• a panel cap assembly positioned in the cap assembly recess, and the panel cap assembly further includes first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies that are mounted on the bed and the housings define internal locking arm slots that extends along the housings;
• a first cap panel is mounted on the first and second extendable and retractable post assemblies and a second cap panel mounted on the third and fourth extendable retractable post assemblies;
• wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies has a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the first and second cap panels, and each drive mechanism includes an actuator having an electric powered motor that is operatively associated with a screw having an external thread;
• wherein the actuator converts electrical energy into torque that is delivered to the screw to rotate the screw clockwise and counterclockwise;
• a controller is operatively associated with each actuator such the rotation the motor and screw can be controlled, and wherein the drive mechanisms also include carriages, and each carriage has an internal thread that is threaded to one of the screws;
• and
• wherein the first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies are mounted on the carriages, and a respective raising arm of each post assembly an internal arm thread that is threaded to the screw, and a locking arm extends from the carriage and the locking arm is fitted in a respective internal locking arm slot to prevent the first and second cap panels from rotating as the first and second cap panels are raised and lowered relative to the bed.

An extendable and retractable cab deployable panel cap for use with a truck having a cab and a bed, the extendable and retractable cab deployable panel cap comprising:

• a bed assembly having:
• a bed,
• opposed first and second bed sidewalls that extend from the bed and the first bed sidewall has inner and outer sidewall panels and the second bed sidewall has inner and outer sidewall panels;
• the inner and outer sidewall panels of the first bed sidewall and the bed define a first sidewall recess and the inner and outer sidewall panels of the second bed sidewall define a second sidewall recess;
• a bed cross wall that extends from the bed and the bed cross wall has inner and outer cross wall panels and the outer cross wall panel extends from the outer sidewall panel of the first bed sidewall to the outer sidewall panel of the second bed sidewall, and the inner cross wall panel extends from the inner cross wall panel of the first bed sidewall to the inner sidewall panes of the second bed sidewall and the inner and outer cross wall panels define a cross wall recess, and together the first and second sidewall recesses and the cross wall recess form a deployable cap assembly recess;
• a tailgate pivotally connected to the bed and the tailgate having a tailgate base wall and inner and outer tailgate sides extend from the tailgate base wall and the tailgate base wall and the inner and outer tailgate sides define a tailgate recess;
• a deployable panel cap assembly having a first cap panel and a second cap panel, an end panel and a tailgate panel wherein the first cap panel and the second cap panel and the end panel are positioned in the deployable cap assembly recess and the tailgate panel is positioned in the tailgate recess;
• and,
• a cab housing is mounted on the cab of the truck, and the cab housing defines a cab panel recess and a cab panel is supported on the cab and is capable of being moved in and out of the cab panel recess;
• wherein the deployable cap panel assembly includes first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies, and wherein a first cap panel is mounted on the first and second extendable and retractable post assemblies and a second cap panel mounted on the third and fourth extendable retractable post assemblies;
• wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies has a housing that is mounted on the bed and the housings define internal locking arm slots that extends along the housings;
• wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies has a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the first and second cap panels, and each drive mechanism includes an actuator having an electric powered motor that is operatively associated with a screw having an external thread, and wherein the actuator converts electrical energy into torque that is delivered to the screw to rotate the screw clockwise and counterclockwise;
• a controller operatively associated actuator such the rotation the motor and screw can be controlled, and wherein the drive mechanisms also include carriages, and each carriage has an internal thread that is threaded to one of the screws;
• and,
• wherein the cap panels are mounted on the carriages of the first, second, third and fourth extendable and retractable post assemblies, and a respective raising arm of each post assembly has an internal arm thread that is threaded to the screw, and a locking arm extends from each carriage and each locking arm is fitted in a respective internal locking arm slot to prevent the first and second cap panels from rotating as the first and second cap panels are raised and lowered relative to the bed.