Tailgate gap cover
OwnerMartin Daniel McDermott, IIIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tailgate gap cover is mountable to a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, so as to cover the gap between a truck bed and a tailgate surface. One edge of the gap cover is confined within an elongate mounting rail wherein the mounting rail is crimped at the opposite ends so as to prevent lateral movement of the cover. This mounting rail is secured directly to the truck bed to provide a rigid mount on the truck bed side of the gap. The opposite free edge of the cover overlies the tailgate includes connector formations or fastener structures which releasably snap onto corresponding connector formations or fastener structures on the tailgate.
Claims18
A tailgate gap cover for covering a tailgate gap formed between spaced vehicle edge sections of a truck bed and a tailgate, said gap cover comprising:
- a cover flap having a length corresponding to a transverse length of a tailgate gap and a width in a front to back direction which spans a tailgate gap, said cover flap comprising first and second side edges which extend transversely and are spaced apart in the front to back direction to define said width;
- a mounting rail which is mountable to one vehicle edge section on one side of a tailgate gap, said mounting rail comprising a transversely elongate channel which has an open side receiving said first side edge of said cover flap therein, said cover flap being non-removably fixed within said channel for secure mounting to the vehicle edge section, said mounting rail including fastener formations for mounting to the vehicle edge section;
- and
- an attachment rail which includes fastener formations for mounting to another vehicle edge section on the other side of a tailgate gap opposite to said mounting rail, said attachment rail and said second side edge of said cover flap including cooperating connector formations which are engagable to secure said second side edge to said attachment rail and releasable to permit separation of said cover flap from said attachment rail.
A tailgate gap cover for covering a tailgate gap formed between spaced vehicle edge sections of a truck bed and a tailgate, said gap cover comprising:
- a cover flap having a length corresponding to a transverse length of a tailgate gap and a width in a front to back direction which spans a tailgate gap, said cover flap comprising first and second side edges which extend transversely and are spaced apart in the front to back direction to define said width;
- a mounting rail which is mountable to one vehicle edge section on one side of a tailgate gap, said mounting rail comprising a transversely elongate channel which has an open side receiving said first side edge of said cover flap therein, said cover flap being non-removably fixed within said channel for secure mounting to a-the vehicle edge section, said mounting rail including fastener formations for mounting to the vehicle edge section, said mounting rail including a base flange extending below said cover flap which includes said fastener formations that can be exposed by bending of said cover flap upwardly and are covered when said cover flap spans a tailgate gap during use;
- and
- an attachment rail which includes fastener formations for mounting to another vehicle edge section on the other side of a tailgate gap opposite to said mounting rail, said attachment rail and said second side edge of said cover flap including cooperating connector formations which are engagable to secure said second side edge to said attachment rail and releasable to permit separation of said cover flap from said attachment rail.
A tailgate gap cover for covering a tailgate gap formed between spaced vehicle edge sections of a truck bed and a tailgate, said gap cover comprising:
- a cover flap having a length corresponding to a transverse length of a tailgate gap and a width in a front to back direction which spans a tailgate gap, said cover flap comprising first and second side edges which extend transversely and are spaced apart in the front to back direction to define said width, and being formed of a flexible cover material which is compressible;
- a mounting rail which is mountable to one vehicle edge section on one side of a tailgate gap, said mounting rail comprising a transversely elongate channel which has an open side receiving said first side edge of said cover flap therein, said cover flap being non-removably fixed within said channel for secure mounting to the vehicle edge section wherein said mounting rail includes spaced crimps which compress and pinch said first side edge of said cover flap within said channel to prevent transverse movement within said channel, said mounting rail including fastener formations for mounting to the vehicle edge section;
- and
- an attachment rail which includes fastener formations for mounting to another vehicle edge section on the other side of a tailgate gap opposite to said mounting rail, said attachment rail and said second side edge of said cover flap including cooperating connector formations which are engagable to secure said second side edge to said attachment rail and releasable to permit separation of said cover flap from said attachment rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.