Rear Corner Element Rainwater Drainage for Truck Bed Covers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing truck bed covers face challenges in efficiently draining rainwater without permanently altering or damaging the truck bed, especially when aftermarket covers are installed, as pre-drilled holes may be inadequate or in inappropriate locations.
Innovation Solution
A rear corner element with a mounting part and a cover part that guides rainwater from the coupling rail and the truck bed cover slats along the rear end wall of the truck, allowing for drainage without the need for drilled holes, and featuring a detachable design for easy installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If drain holes are drilled in the truck bed to drain rainwater, then water drainage capability is improved, but the truck bed structure is permanently altered and may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
A rear corner element is introduced as an intermediary component that channels rainwater from the coupling rail and truck bed cover without requiring holes in the truck bed itself. This mediator redirects water flow through its own drainage holes to the rear end wall, preventing direct penetration into the truck bed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage function is segmented from the truck bed structure itself and placed in a separate rear corner element. This allows the drainage system to be independent of the truck bed, eliminating the need to drill holes in the bed while maintaining effective water drainage capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If drain holes are drilled in the truck bed for aftermarket covers, then water drainage is achieved, but the original truck bed configuration is permanently modified
Solution Approach 1:
The rear corner element serves as a mediator that enables aftermarket cover compatibility without modifying the original truck bed. It provides the necessary drainage functionality for aftermarket covers while leaving the factory configuration intact.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of permanently modifying the expensive truck bed structure, a separate, replaceable rear corner element is used. This component can be easily installed and removed without permanent changes to the vehicle, making it economically advantageous.
3Ease of operation
If the rear corner element is made detachable, then ease of installation and maintenance is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rear corner element is segmented into detachable components that can be easily assembled and disassembled. This segmentation allows for simple mounting and removal operations while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Data Source
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AI summary
A rear corner element (1;1') for a truck bed cover (48) serve to guide rainwater exterior to the truck bed wall. The rear corner element (1;1') has a mounting part (3; 3') and a cover part (2;2'), which mounting part (3;3') has -a base mounting part (4;4') adapted for being secured on top of the rear end of a side wall (49) of the truck bed (67) in elongated of a coupling rail adapted for mounting a roll-up truck bed cover (48) to said side wall (49) of the truck bed (67), a first front end part (5;5') configured to be assembled to a free rear end of the coupling rail in lengthwise extension of said coupling rail, which first front end part (5;5') has at least one rainwater inlet (17,40) adapted for alignment with at least one rainwater drain channel of the coupling rail, a first rear end part (6;6') opposite the first front end part (5;5'), and at least one rainwater diverting channel (20) and/or chamber (21) extending lengthwise of the mounting part (3;3') from the rainwater inlet (17,40) to the first rear end part (6;6'). The cover part (2;2') is detachably mounted to the mounting part to provide the rear corner element with an elegant appearance, to protect the component of the mounting part and to prevent water from entering the mounting part, and flow back into the coupling rail (35).