US 5,584,521 A · Vehicle modular rail system

Abstract

A modular rail system supports accessories on a pickup truck bed. The system comprises first and second rail assemblies overlying the top surfaces of the first and second truck bed side walls for releasably connecting with the side walls. A flexible cover overlies the bed for covering and providing protection for the bed. A locking mechanism is likewise provided and is associated with the cover and the rail assemblies for lockingly attaching the cover to the rail assemblies and securing the cover in place over the truck bed. The first and second rail assemblies include first and second elongate members having at least one outboard elongated channel and at least two inboard elongated channels for receiving a mating portion of an accessory or an attachment for an accessory. The rail system may additionally include a decorative strip, light strip, protective cap, tie-down bar, light bar, utility box, camper top, and single or multi-piece bed liner, airfoiler, headache rack cab protection attachment, simulated roll bar, portable work bench, liquid storage tank, cargo compartment, advertising panel, ice chest, and various types of racks (motorcycle, bicycle, ski, ladder, etc.) or tracks for slidably receiving a hard shell, hard tonneau cover, camper top, or other accessory, each of which is supported by mating portions or attachments received in the elongated channels in the elongate members making up the rail assemblies.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A modular rail system for supporting at least one accessory on a pickup truck bed including a front wall, an end wall, and opposing first and second side walls, the side walls each having a generally horizontal top surface, the system comprising:

a first elongated rail assembly releasably connecting with said first side wall, said first elongated rail assembly including a first unitary fill rail/base rail having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one first outboard elongated channel in the outer surface of said first unitary fill rail/base rail for receiving a mating portion of a first accessory or a first attachment for an accessory, and at least two first inboard elongated channels in the inner surface of said first unitary fill rail/base rail for receiving a mating portion of a second accessory or a second attachment for an accessory, and
a second elongated rail assembly releasably connecting with said second side wall, said second elongated rail assembly including a second unitary fill rail/base rail having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one second outboard elongated channel in the outer surface of said second unitary fill rail/base rail for receiving the mating portion of said first accessory or said first attachment for an accessory, and at least two second inboard elongate channels in the inner surface of said second unitary fill rail/base rail for receiving the mating portion of said second accessory or said second attachment for an accessory.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle modular rail system

Life of this patent

Vehicle modular rail system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9