Retractable cover apparatus for a pickup truck bed and a pickup truck with a retractable bed cover

A pickup truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a pickup truck bed;
• and
• an aerodynamic cover assembly moveable between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration, the aerodynamic cover assembly positioned at least partially behind the passenger cab and at least partially over the pickup truck bed at least when at the deployed configuration, the aerodynamic cover assembly including:
• a first end with a contour substantially matching a contour of an adjacent portion of the passenger cab at least when the aerodynamic cover assembly is at the deployed configuration;
• and
• a sloped surface arrangement extending between a first end and a second end at least when the aerodynamic cover assembly is at the deployed configuration, the first end of the sloped surface arrangement adjacent the first end of the aerodynamic cover assembly at least when the aerodynamic cover assembly is at the deployed configuration, the sloped surface arrangement extending rearwardly and sloping downwardly from the first end to the second end of the sloped surface arrangement at least when the aerodynamic cover assembly is at the deployed configuration;
• wherein the aerodynamic cover assembly forms an aerodynamic shape at least when at the deployed configuration, and
• wherein the aerodynamic cover assembly provides access to the pickup truck bed at least when at the retracted configuration.

A truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a truck bed including a pair of sides, the pair of sides including a corresponding pair of guides;
• an aerodynamic truck bed cover configured to move at least along the pair of guides;
• a fairing panel with a contour substantially matching a contour of an adjoining portion of the passenger cab and substantially matching a contour of an adjacent portion of the aerodynamic truck bed cover at least when the aerodynamic truck bed cover is at a deployed configuration;
• and
• at least one motor engaged with the aerodynamic truck bed cover and configured to enable movement of the aerodynamic truck bed cover at least along the pair of guides.

A truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a truck bed including a pair of sides, the pair of sides including a corresponding pair of guides;
• a truck bed cover configured to move at least along the pair of guides;
• and
• at least one motor engaged with the truck bed cover and configured to enable movement of the truck bed cover at least along the pair of guides;
• wherein at least a substantial portion of the truck bed cover slopes downwardly from a forward end to a rearward end of the truck bed cover at least when the truck bed cover is at a deployed configuration;
• wherein the truck bed cover includes a plurality of movable portions;
• and
• wherein each one of the plurality of movable portions is linked to an adjacent movable portion of the plurality of movable portions by a hinge.

A pickup truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a pickup truck bed including a pair of guides;
• a pickup truck bed cover including a plurality of movable portions moveable at least along the pair of guides, the plurality of movable portions each including at least a sloping top portion at least when the pickup truck bed cover is at a deployed configuration;
• and
• at least one motor engaged with the pickup truck bed cover and configured to enable movement of the pickup truck bed cover including at least movement of the plurality of movable portions at least along the pair of guides;
• wherein the pickup truck bed cover includes an end portion adjacent the passenger cab at least when the pickup truck bed cover is at the deployed configuration;
• wherein the end portion includes a contour substantially matching a contour of an adjacent portion of the passenger cab at least when the pickup truck bed cover is at the deployed configuration;
• wherein configuring the pickup truck bed cover between a retracted configuration and the deployed configuration includes moving the plurality of movable portions at least along the pair of guides;
• and
• wherein the pickup truck bed cover provides access to an interior of the pickup truck bed at least when at the retracted configuration.

A truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a truck bed including a pair of sides, the pair of sides including a corresponding pair of guides;
• an aerodynamic truck bed cover configured to move at least along the pair of guides;
• a fairing panel with a contour substantially matching a contour of an adjacent portion of the passenger cab and substantially matching a contour of an adjacent portion of the aerodynamic truck bed cover at least when the aerodynamic truck bed cover is at a deployed configuration;
• and
• at least one motor engaged with the aerodynamic truck bed cover and configured to enable movement of the aerodynamic truck bed cover at least along the pair of guides;
• wherein the aerodynamic truck bed cover includes a plurality of movable portions;
• and
• wherein each one of the plurality of movable portions is linked to an adjacent movable portion of the plurality of movable portions by a hinge.

A pickup truck comprising:

• a passenger cab;
• a pickup truck bed including a pair of guides;
• and
• a pickup truck bed cover including a plurality of movable portions linked together and moveable at least along the pair of guides;
• wherein the pickup truck bed cover is configured to allow rear visibility from a view from within the passenger cab to beyond the pickup truck bed cover at least when the pickup truck bed cover is at a retracted configuration;
• and
• wherein the pickup truck bed cover is configured to obstruct the rear visibility from the view at least when the pickup truck bed cover is at a deployed configuration.