Tonneau cover tailgate latch and stake pocket attachment system
AssigneeThyssenKrupp Budd Company
InventorWilliam D. Rusu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tonneau cover attachment system for a motor vehicle having a cargo area defined by a first side wail having a stake pocket includes a first plate and a second plate. The first plate has a first end and a second end and is positioned within the stake pocket. The second plate has a first end and a second end. The second end of the second plate is coupled to the second end of the first plate. The first end of the first plate is coupled to the first end of the second plate.
Claims25
A tonneau cover attachment system for a motor vehicle having a cargo area defined by a first side wall, a second side wall, a bed and a tailgate, the first side wall having a stake pocket defined by an outer panel and an inner panel, the tonneau cover attachment system comprising:
- a support plate having a first end and a second end, said second end having a slot extending therethrough;
- a clamping plate having a first end and a second end, said second end including a tongue positioned in said slot, wherein said first end of said support plate and said first end of said clamping plate are interconnected and adapted to sandwich the inner panel of the first side wall therebetween;
- a striker coupled to said clamping plate;
- and
- a tonneau cover having a panel adapted to cover at least a portion of the cargo area, the tonneau cover having a latch selectively engageable with said striker thereby releaseably coupling said panel to said striker.
A vehicle comprising:
- a cargo area defined by side walls having a stake pocket;
- a cover at least partially enclosing said cargo area;
- a first plate having a first end and a second end, each of said first and second ends positioned within said stake pocket;
- a second plate having a first end and a second end, said second end of said second plate positioned within said stake pocket and coupled to said second end of said first plate;
- wherein said first end of said first plate and said first end of said second plate are interconnected thereby capturing said side wall therebetween and wherein said cover is detachably coupled to one of said first and second plates.
A method for attaching a stake pocket tie down to a vehicle having a stake pocket defined by an inner panel and an outer panel, the method comprising:
- inserting a first plate within said stake pocket, said first plate having a first end and a second end;
- disposing a second end of a second plate in said stake pocket;
- coupling said second end of said second plate to said second end of said first plate;
- positioning a first end of said second plate outside said stake pocket;
- and
- coupling said first end of said first plate to said first end of said second plate.
A method for attaching a stake pocket tie down to a vehicle having a stake pocket defined by an inner panel and an outer panel, the method comprising:
- inserting a first plate within said stake pocket, said first plate having a first end and a second end, said first end having a slot;
- positioning a second end of a second plate within said slot;
- and
- coupling a first end of said second plate to said first end of said first plate.
A tonneau cover attachment system for a motor vehicle having a cargo area defined by a first side wall, a second side wall, a bed and a tailgate, the tonneau cover attachment system comprising:
- a cover panel adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle for selectively covering at least a portion of the cargo area when said cover panel is in a closed position, said cover panel including a panel blade downwardly extending therefrom;
- and
- a receiver adapted to be coupled to the tailgate, said receiver including a member having an aperture extending therethrough, said member selectively moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein said panel blade is positioned within said aperture when said member is in said first position and when said cover is in said closed position thereby limiting movement of the tailgate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.