Power-operated retractable closure panel for truck bed

A closure system for a motor vehicle having a cargo bed, comprising:

• a closure panel extending along opposite side edge portions between opposite end portions, said closure panel being moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position and having a plurality of slats, with adjacent pairs of said plurality of slats being pivotably connected to one another by at least one hinge unit to facilitate relative pivotal movement between said adjacent pairs of said plurality of slats about a hinge axis;
• a guide track mechanism including a driver-side guide track unit, configured to be mounted to the cargo bed and to extend adjacent one of said opposite side edge portions, and a passenger-side guide track unit, configured to be mounted to said cargo bed and to extend adjacent the other of said opposite side edge portions;
• a plurality of roller units, each of said roller units having an axle, at least one roller supported by a roller support segment of said axle for rolling movement about a roller axis along said driver-side guide track unit and along said passenger-side guide track unit, and a mounting segment coupled to said at least one hinge unit, wherein said hinge axis and said roller axis are coaxially aligned;
• a first power-operated drive unit and a storage box including a furling mechanism configured to be mounted in the cargo bed;
• a chain linkage mechanism having a first portion connected to the closure panel and a second portion connected to the furling mechanism;
• and
• a control system for controlling actuation of the first power-operated drive unit to cause movement of the closure panel between the retracted position stored within the furling mechanism in the storage box and the deployed position enclosing the cargo bed.

A closure system for a motor vehicle having a cargo bed, comprising:

• a closure panel extending along opposite side edges portions between opposite end portions, said closure panel being moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position and having a plurality of slats, with adjacent pairs of said plurality of slats being pivotably connected to one another by at least one hinge unit to facilitate relative pivotal movement between said adjacent pairs of said plurality of slats about a hinge axis;
• a guide track mechanism including a driver-side guide track unit, configured to be mounted to the cargo bed and to extend adjacent one of said opposite side edge portions, and a passenger-side guide track unit, configured to be mounted to said cargo bed and to extend adjacent the other of said opposite side edge portions;
• a plurality of roller units, each of said roller units having an axle, at least one roller supported by a roller support segment of said axle for rolling movement about a roller axis along said driver-side guide track unit and along said passenger-side guide track unit, and a mounting segment coupled to said at least one hinge unit, wherein said hinge axis and said roller axis are coaxially aligned;
• wherein the at least one roller includes a first roller and a second roller, wherein said driver-side guide track unit and said passenger-side guide track unit each include a first roller surface and a second roller surface, wherein said first roller is configured for rolling engagement with said first roller surface and said second roller is configured for rolling engagement with said second roller surface;
• a first power-operated drive unit and a storage box including a furling mechanism configured to be mounted in the cargo bed;
• a chain linkage mechanism having a first portion connected to the closure panel and a second portion connected to the furling mechanism;
• and
• a control system for controlling actuation of the first power-operated drive unit to cause movement of the closure panel between the retracted position stored within the furling mechanism in the storage box and the deployed position enclosing the cargo bed.