Automatic bed cover door systems for a truck
AssigneeLeer Group
InventorMarcus K. Junod
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A truck is provided that includes a bed section located rear of a cab section. The bed section is bounded on each side by opposing first and second upward-extending sidewalls, respectively. The truck also includes a truck bed cover that sits over the bed section on at least the first and second upward-extending sidewalls, and includes a door portion to create selective accessibility to the bed section of the pickup truck. The door portion is movable with respect to the first and second upward-extending sidewalls between open and closed positons via an automatic bed cover drive assembly that moves the door portion between open and closed positons according to a plurality of velocities within a predetermined variance.
Claims16
A pickup truck bed cover that sits over top a bed section of a pickup truck, the pickup truck bed cover comprising:
- a door movably attached to the pickup truck bed cover;
- wherein the door is movable between open and closed positions with respect to the pickup truck bed cover;
- an automatic bed cover drive assembly that moves the door between the open and closed positions, the automatic bed cover drive assembly comprises:
- at least one strut that moves the door;
- a motor that moves the at least one strut;
- a sequencer in electronic communication with the motor and directs operation of the motor;
- an open input in communication with the sequencer to initiate an open signal to the sequencer;
- a close input in communication with the sequencer to initiate a close signal to the sequencer;
- wherein the door is moved by the at least one strut according to a plurality of velocities within a predetermined variance;
- and
- wherein the sequencer monitors a distance of travel of the at least one strut and determines the distance of travel of the at least one strut relative to the plurality of velocities of the motor.
A pickup truck bed cover that sits over top a bed section of a pickup truck, the pickup truck bed cover comprising:
- a door movably attached to the pickup truck bed cover;
- wherein the door is movable between open and closed positions with respect to the pickup truck bed cover;
- an automatic bed cover drive assembly that moves the door between the open and closed positions;
- wherein the automatic bed cover drive assembly moves the door according to a plurality of velocities within a predetermined variance;
- wherein the automatic bed cover drive assembly includes a sequencer that monitors a distance of travel of the door;
- wherein the automatic bed cover drive assembly includes at least one strut that moves the door;
- wherein the automatic bed cover drive assembly includes a motor that moves the at least one strut;
- and
- wherein the sequencer monitors the distance of travel of the at least one strut.
A method of controlling a motor of a door on a pickup truck bed cover that sits over top a bed section of a pickup truck, the method comprising steps of:
- providing a sequencer that initiates a plurality of velocities of the motor that moves at least one strut that moves the door between open and closed positions;
- accelerating the motor that accelerates movement of the door;
- monitoring a distance of travel of the at least one strut;
- determining the distance of travel of the at least one strut relative to a first velocity transition of the plurality of velocities of the motor;
- determining whether the at least one strut has reached the first velocity transition;
- continuing accelerating the motor that accelerates the movement of the door when the at least one strut has not reached the first velocity transition;
- moving the motor at a constant velocity once the distance of travel of the at least one strut has reached the first velocity transition;
- determining the distance of travel of the at least one strut relative to a second velocity transition of the plurality of velocities of the motor;
- determining whether the at least one strut has reached the second velocity transition;
- continuing moving the motor at the constant velocity when the at least one strut has not reached the second velocity transition;
- decelerating the motor once the distance of travel of the at least one strut has reached the second velocity transition;
- and
- determining the distance of travel of the at least one strut relative to a third velocity transition of the plurality of velocities of the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.