# US 5,704,678 A · Cap protector for pickup truck sidewalls

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- Number: US 5,704,678 A
- Document ID: US5704678A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/644,944
- Filed: 1996-05-13
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1996-05-13
- Assignees: Putco, Inc.
- Inventors: Dennis L. Elwell; Robert L. Sills
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704678A

## CPC

- B60R 13/04: {External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12)}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A protective cap for covering the sidewalls of a pickup truck bed is provided. The caps have a contour matching the contour of the sidewalls so as to provide a close fit, without the use of spacers or shims. The cap includes an elongated body with opposite forward and rearward ends and opposite inside and outside edges. Inside and outside lips are formed by bending portions of the respective inside and outside edges of the body downwardly. A notch is provided adjacent the rearward end of the body, to permit a rearward lip to be formed by bending a portion of the rearward end downwardly. The formation of the outside and rear lips closes the gap. The outside lip and rear lip are joined by a weld which fills the closed notch so as provide a continuous curved surface at the rearward corner of the body. The weld is polished to be visually indistinguishable from the outside and rear lips. When the cap is mounted upon a sidewall of the truck, the outside and rear lips overlapingly mate with the curved rearward end of the sidewall.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A truck sidewall cap for protecting the sidewall of a pickup truck, comprising:
an elongated body having a forward end, a rearward end, a top portion, an inside lip extending downwardly from the top portion, and an outside lip extending downwardly from the top potion;
a rear lip extending downwardly from the rearward end of the body;
the rear lip and the outside lip being joined to form a smooth curved surface;
the cap being contoured to matingly cover the sidewall of the truck, with the curved surface being adapted to cover a radiused rear end of the sidewall.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the rear and outside lips are joined by a weld.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the body is tapered adjacent the rearward end.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the body is constructed of metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the body is free from wrinkles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the body has opposite interior and exterior surfaces, and further comprising adhesive material on the inside surface for mounting the cap to the sidewall.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 wherein the body is formed with a notch between the outside lip and rear lip, the notch being filled with a weld to join the outside and rear lips.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cap of claim 1 further comprising at least one hole in the top portion, the hole being located so as to align with a stake hole in the sidewall of the truck.

### Claim 9

A protective cap for covering a sidewall of a pickup truck bed, comprising:
an elongated body having opposite forward and rearward ends, opposite inside and outside edges, and a notch at the rearward end of the outside edge;
an inside lip formed by bending a portion of the inside edge downwardly;
an outside lip formed by bending a portion of the outside edge downwardly;
a rear lip formed by bending a portion of the rear end downwardly;
the notch being narrowed by the formation of the outside and rear lips;
a weld filling the notch to provide a continuous curved surface at the rearward end of the body to matingly cover a curved rearward end of the sidewall of the truck bed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 wherein the weld is polished so as to be visually indistinguishable.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 further comprising a stake hole in the body adapted to align with a stake hole in the sidewall.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 wherein the weld is made over a heat dissipating mandrel to prevent warpage of the cap.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 wherein the rearward end of the body is tapered.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 wherein the body has opposite interior and exterior surfaces, and further comprising adhesive material on the inside surface for mounting the cap to the sidewall.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The cap of claim 9 wherein the body and lips have a custom contour to matingly fit a specific truck model without the use of spacers.