Tonneau cover
A tonneau cover can be provided for installation on a vehicle. The tonneau cover may be adaptably installed onto the vehicle. For example, in certain embodiments, the panels can be provided and/or stored individually and then installed into an assembled configuration on the vehicle to overlap a cargo area of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, the tonneau cover may be inserted at a perimeter of the cargo area. For example, the panels can be linked together as they are installed until secured onto the vehicle.
1 . An end panel for a tonneau cover, the end panel comprising:
an engager configured to releasably engage a receptacle of an inner panel;
sliders at opposing sides of the end panel and configured to be inserted into rails of a cargo area;
a slat extending between the sliders and defining a bottom side for facing the cargo area when the sliders are inserted into the rails; and
a locking assembly comprising:
retention tabs each retractably extending through a corresponding one of the sliders;
a release handle at the bottom side of the slat and facing the cargo area when the sliders are within the rails; and
a cable connecting the release handle to the retention tabs and being configured to retract the retention tabs towards each other and into the sliders when the release handle is actuated.
2 . The end panel of claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly further comprises:
anchors coupled to the slat of the end panel; and
springs each configured to bias a corresponding one of the retention tabs away from a corresponding one of the anchors.
3 . The end panel of claim 2 , wherein the sliders define holders each configured to secure a corresponding one of the anchors, wherein the holders extend into the slat.
4 . The end panel of claim 1 , wherein the retention tabs each define an inner surface extending transversely to the sliders and an outer surface extending orthogonally to the sliders.
5 . The end panel of claim 1 , wherein the cable extends within the slat and the release handle extends out of the slat.
6 . The end panel of claim 1 , further comprising an end seal that is on a side of the end panel that is opposite the engager.
7 . A tonneau cover for a vehicle, the tonneau cover comprising:
an inner panel comprising a receptacle; and
an end panel comprising:
an engager configured to releasably engage the receptacle of the inner panel;
sliders at opposing sides of the end panel; and
a locking assembly comprising:
retention tabs each retractably extending through a corresponding one of the sliders, wherein the retention tabs each define (1) an inner surface extending transversely to the sliders and facing towards the engager and (2) an outer surface extending orthogonally to the sliders and facing away from the engager; and
a release handle configured to retract each of the retention tabs towards the corresponding one of the sliders when the release handle is actuated.
8 . The tonneau cover of claim 7 , wherein the locking assembly further comprises;
anchors coupled to a slat of the end panel; and
springs each configured to bias a corresponding one of the retention tabs away from a corresponding one of the anchors.
9 . The tonneau cover of claim 8 , wherein the sliders define holders each configured to secure a corresponding one of the anchors, wherein the holders extend into the slat.
10 . The tonneau cover of claim 7 , wherein the end panel further comprises a seal extending between the sliders on a side of the end panel that is opposite the engager.
11 . The tonneau cover of claim 7 , further comprising an additional inner panel comprising an additional receptacle.
12 . The tonneau cover of claim 11 , wherein the inner panel further comprises:
an additional engager configured to releasably engage the additional receptacle of the additional inner panel, the additional engager being on a side of the inner panel that is opposite the receptacle; and
additional sliders at opposing sides of the inner panel.
13 . The tonneau cover of claim 7 , wherein the end panel further comprises:
a cable connecting the release handle to the retention tabs; and
a slat extending between the sliders, wherein the cable extends within the slat and the release handle extends out of the slat.
14 . The tonneau cover of claim 7 , wherein the end panel further comprises an end seal that is on a side of the end panel that is opposite the engager.
15 . A method of assembling a tonneau cover, the method comprising:
inserting an inner panel partially into rails of a vehicle to partially cover a cargo area;
while a portion of the inner panel is within the rails and one or more receptacles of the inner panel are outside of the rails, engaging the one or more receptacles with engagers of an end panel;
inserting the end panel into the rails while advancing the inner panel along the rails to further cover the cargo area; and
engaging recesses defined by the rails with retention tabs of the end panel to lock the end panel with respect to the rails.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein inserting the end panel into the rails comprises retracting the retention tabs to be within the rails.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein retracting the retention tabs comprises overcoming a bias to extend the retention tabs away from each other.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising closing a tailgate of the vehicle to abut the end panel and enclose the cargo area.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
actuating a release handle to retract the retention tabs out of the recesses;
removing the end panel from the rails while retracting the inner panel along the rails; and
removing the inner panel from the rails.
20 . The end panel of claim 1 , wherein the release handle extends from the bottom side of the slat and towards the cargo area when the sliders are within the rails.