AU2012100697B4 - Tonneau Cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A tonneau cover comprises an upper tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic, a lower tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic. The upper tonneau cover is attached to the lower tonneau cover. The lower tonneau cover comprises a plurality of dents supporting the lower surface of the upper tonneau cover and a plurality of ridges. The plurality of ridges comprise a plurality of annular ridges provided in the nested ring pattern. The innermost annular ridge is located in the center of the tonneau cover. Each of the plurality of ridges connecting rings together is formed as the linear connecting part from one annular ridge to the next annular ridge. The ridge connecting the inner ring is not aligned with the ridge connecting with the next ring and at least one ridge inside the innermost ring extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge.

Description

AUSTRALIA ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Tonneau Cover Name of Applicant: Aeroklas Company Limited Actual Inventors: Ekawat VITOORAPAKORN Supawadee VITOORAPAKORN Address for service: WRAYS Ground Floor, 56 Ord Street West Perth WA 6005 Attorney code: WR The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2 TONNEAU COVER TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a tonneau cover. [0002] The present invention relates to a tonneau cover. Specifically, the present invention relates to a tonneau cover made from vacuum thermoformed plastic. BACKGROUND ART [0003] The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. [0004] Each document, reference, patent application or patent cited in this text is expressly incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, which means that it should be read and considered by the reader as part of this text. That the document, reference, patent application or patent cited in this text is not repeated in this text is merely for reasons of conciseness. [0005] The conventional tonneau cover made from vacuum thermoformed plastic, for example, tonneau cover disclosed in the US Patent No. 6,547,310 comprising the upper tonneau cover and the lower tonneau cover, wherein the lower tonneau cover includes the X-shaped reinforcing frame resulting in the light tonneau cover while maintaining strength to withstand the load applied on the upper surface of the cover. In accordance with the X-shaped reinforcing ridge, it may have a drawback in that the force distribution to the circumferential portion is inferior, wherein the majority of the load is directly distributed to the four corners while only small amount of load is distributed to surrounding area of X-shaped reinforcing ridge. This leads to the twisting deformation of the tonneau cover if the operator forcefully and swiftly opens or closes the tonneau cover and results in the unsmooth operations and prevents the tonneau cover from being smoothly opened or closed.

-3 SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0006] In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tonneau cover comprising: an upper tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic; a lower tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic; the upper tonneau cover is attached to the lower tonneau cover; the lower tonneau cover comprises a plurality of dents or recesses supporting the lower surface of the upper tonneau cover and a plurality of ridges, wherein the plurality of ridges comprise: a plurality of annular ridges provided in the nested ring pattern, wherein the innermost annular ridge is located in the center of the tonneau cover; a plurality of ridges connecting rings together formed as the linear connecting parts from one annular ridge to the next annular ridge, wherein the ridge connecting the inner ring is not aligned with the ridge connecting with the next ring; and at least one ridge inside the innermost ring extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge. [0007] Preferably, the upper tonneau cover is attached to the lower tonneau cover by means of the adhesive. [0008] Preferably, the tonneau cover, further comprises a plurality of linear ridges and a plurality of curved ridges. [0009] Preferably, the upper tonneau cover and the lower tonneau cover are made from vacuum thermoformed plastic. [0010] Preferably, the ridges inside the innermost annular ridge comprise three linear ridges extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge to reach the center of the tonneau cover.

-4 [0011] Preferably, the ridge inside the innermost annular ridge is one linear ridge extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge to cross the center of the tonneau cover. [0012] Preferably, the ridges inside the innermost annular ridge are two linear ridges extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge to abut each other. [0013] Preferably, the annular ridge is in circular shape. [0014] Preferably, the annular ridge is in elliptical shape. [0015] Embodiments of the present invention seek to provide a tonneau cover with sufficient rigidity to withstand the load applied to the upper surface of the tonneau cover, light weight, and ability to open and close with no unsmoothness, or to provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. In embodiments of the invention, even if the operator forcefully and swiftly opens or closes the tonneau cover, the tonneau cover body will not be twisted or deformed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of several non-limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.1 is the top perspective view of the tonneau cover according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.2 is the bottom perspective view of the tonneau cover according to the embodiment of the present invention; -5 Fig.3 is the lateral view of the tonneau cover according to the embodiment of the present invention; Fig.4 is the bottom view of the tonneau cover according to the embodiment of the present invention; Fig.5 is the cutaway view from the section 5-5 in Fig.4 showing the attachment of the upper tonneau cover to the lower tonneau cover by means of the adhesive; Fig.6 is the bottom view at the center of the tonneau cover according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig.7 is the bottom view at the center of the tonneau cover according to another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0017] The following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention refers to the drawings showing numbered parts, wherein the same number appearing in various drawings designate the same parts. [0018] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows a tonneau cover 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprising an upper surface of cover 23, front edge of cover 24,rear edge of cover 25, left edge of cover 26, and right edge of cover 27, the tonneau cover 20 including: an upper tonneau cover 21 made from one piece of acrylonitrile butadience styrene (ABS) plastic sheet formed by vacuum thermoforming process, and the like; a lower tonneau cover 22 made from one piece of ABS plastic sheet formed by vacuum thermoforming and the like; the upper tonneau cover 21 is attached to the lower tonneau cover 22 by means of the adhesive 33 as shown in Fig. 5; -6 the lower tonneau cover 22 comprises the a plurality of dents or recesses 28 supporting the lower surface of the upper tonneau cover and a plurality of ridges, said plurality of ridges comprise: a plurality of annular ridges 29 provided in the nested ring pattern, wherein the ring pattern may be elliptical or circular, the innermost annular ridge 30 being located in the center of the tonneau cover 20; a plurality of ridges connecting rings together, each ridge linearly extending from one annular ridge to the next annular ridge, the ridge connecting the inner ring 31 being misaligned with the ridge connecting with the next outer ring 39 as clearly seen in Figs. 4, 6, and 7 by the chain lines representing the misalignment between the ridge connecting the inner ring 31 and the ridge connecting the next outer ring 39; and at least one ridge inside the innermost ring extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge 30. Figs. 2 and 4 show three ridges inside the innermost ring as the linear ridges 32 extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge 30 to the center of the tonneau cover 20. [0019] It further comprises a plurality of linear ridges 35 and a plurality of curved ridges 34. Fig.2 shows the ridges 36 abutting the ridges 35, whereing height of the ridges 36 is lower than that of the ridges 35. [0020] Fig. 3 is the lateral view of the tonneau cover 20 showing the upper tonneau cover 21, the front edge of cover 24,the rear edge of cover 25,and the upper surface of cover 23. [0021] Fig. 4 is the bottom view of the tonneau cover 20 showing the lower tonneau cover 22 and ridges by means of chain lines to more clearly disclose the shape of the ridges. [0022] Fig. 5 is the cutaway view from the section 5-5 in Fig.4 showing the attachment of the upper tonneau cover 21 to the lower tonneau cover 22 by means of the adhesive 33.

-7 [0023] Fig.6 is the bottom view at the center of the tonneau cover according to another embodiment of the present invention showing the ridges by means of chain lines to more clearly disclose the shape of the ridges. The figure shows a ridge inside the innermost ring as one linear ridge 37 extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge 30 across the center of the tonneau cover 20. [0024] Fig.7 is the bottom view at the center of the tonneau cover according to another embodiment of the present invention. The figure shows the ridges by means of chain lines to more clearly disclose the shape of the ridges. The figure also shows ridges inside the innermost ring as two linear ridges 38 extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge 30 to be connected to each other. [0025] Since the tonneau cover 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention is the arrangement of the ridges in the nested multiple annular forms and comprises the a number of ridges connecting rings together, the distribution of the load applied from the upper part of the tonneau cover to the circumferential area is superior because of the distribution of the load to the circumferential area in the annular wave-like shape resulted from a drop of water on the water surface in accordance with the annular pattern of the ridges. This will reduce the tendency that the tonneau cover will deform in the twisting manner when the operator forcefully and swiftly open or close the tonneau cover. The operator will, therefore, be able to open and close the tonneau cover in a smooth manner. [0026] Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. [0027] Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[0028] Furthermore, throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "include" or variations such as "includes" or "including", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims (5)

1. A tonneau cover comprising: an upper tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic; a lower tonneau cover made from one piece of plastic; the upper tonneau cover is attached to the lower cover; the lower tonneau cover comprises a plurality of dents supporting the lower surface of the upper tonneau cover and a plurality of ridges, wherein the plurality of ridges comprise: a plurality of annular ridges provided in the nested ring pattern, wherein the innermost annular ridge is located in the center of the tonneau cover; a plurality of ridges connecting rings together formed as the linear connecting parts from one annular ridge to the next annular ridge, wherein the ridge connecting the inner ring is not aligned with the ridge connecting with the next ring; and at least one ridge inside the innermost ring extending from the inner edge of the innermost annular ridge.

2. The tonneau cover according to claim 1, wherein the upper tonneau cover is attached to the lower tonneau cover by means of the adhesive.

3. The tonneau cover according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a plurality of linear ridges and a plurality of curved ridges. -10

4. The tonneau cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper tonneau cover and the lower tonneau cover are made from vacuum thermoformed plastic.

5. The tonneau cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the annular ridge is in elliptical shape.