Tonneau Cover Vertical Storage Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional folding tonneau covers often obscure the rear window view and access to the truck bed when stored, as they extend upwardly and do not efficiently configure into a stowed position, compromising visibility and usability.
Innovation Solution
A tonneau cover system with hingedly coupled panels that can be folded into a stack and pivoted to store vertically within the cargo box, maintaining the primary plane orthogonal to the initial configuration, allowing the stack to be disposed below the cargo box, thus preserving rear window visibility and access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the tonneau cover panels are stacked and extended upwardly above the truck box, then the portion of the cargo box covered is reduced, but the tonneau cover obscures the view out the rear window
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by pivoting the forward panel about a longitudinal axis to move the stacked panels from a horizontal extension above the cargo box to a vertical storage position within the cargo box. This transforms the storage orientation from the first dimension (horizontal extension) to the second dimension (vertical storage), simultaneously improving rear window visibility and maintaining cargo box accessibility
2Ease of operation
If the tonneau cover panels are folded into a stacked configuration, then access to the cargo box is improved, but the stacked panels still leave a portion of the cargo box covered and obscure rear window view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by providing a pivotable forward panel that can rotate between a raised configuration (where panels are stacked above the cargo box) and a storage configuration (where panels are disposed within the cargo box). This dynamic transformation allows the system to adapt between two functional states, optimizing both cargo access and rear window visibility as needed
3Reliability
If the tonneau cover is designed to fold and stack, then the cover can be configured to protect the bed, but the folded panels do not efficiently configure into a stowed position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the tonneau cover into multiple hingedly coupled panels that can independently fold and stack. This segmentation allows the cover to maintain structural integrity for bed protection while enabling compact stacking configuration, reducing the overall storage footprint and simplifying the stowed position
Data Source
AI summary
A tonneau cover can be foldable between an extended configuration and a folded configuration. In the extended configuration, the primary panel plane of each of the plurality panels can all be substantially coplanar with each other and with a first plane. In the folded configuration, the plurality of panels can all be substantially aligned to form a stack of the plurality of panels, wherein the stack is disposed above the cargo box. The forward panel can be pivotable between a raised configuration corresponding to the folded configuration and a storage configuration. In the storage configuration, the primary plane of the forward panel can be in a second plane that is substantially orthogonal to the first plane to dispose the stack within the cargo box.