Modified retractable tonneau cover

1. A retractable tonneau cover for a cargo bed of a vehicle having a cab comprising:

a pair of side rails;

a plurality of connected slats extending between the pair of side rails;

a motor operable to extend and retract the plurality of connected slats;

a spring connected to an end of the plurality of connected slats and configured to exert an extending force onto the plurality of connected slats; and

a housing configured to contain the motor, the spring, and at least a portion of the plurality of connected slats in a retracted position;

wherein the end of the plurality of connected slats to which the spring is connected is a cab end.

2. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

3. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of connected slats wrap around the spring during retraction.

4. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 3 , further comprising a spring reel containing the spring, the spring reel being connected to the end of the plurality of connected slats.

5. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 4 , further comprising an emergency release, the emergency release configured to disengage the motor from a motor drive reel.

6. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 4 , further comprising a motor drive reel extending a width of the housing and rotated by rotation of the motor, thereby translating the retractable tonneau cover.

7. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 6 , wherein the motor is a tubular motor.

8. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 6 , wherein the motor is located within the motor drive reel.

9. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 8 , further comprising:

a circular drive cog mated to and configured to be rotated by the motor drive reel and configured to mate with the plurality of connected slats in order to retract and/or extend the plurality of connected slats along the pair of side rails between an extended position and/or a retracted position; and wherein the housing is further configured to contain the circular drive cog.

10. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 1 , wherein the retractable tonneau cover is a hard tonneau cover; wherein each of the plurality of connected slats is an aluminum slat; and wherein each of the plurality of connected slats is covered by vinyl.

11. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 1 , further comprising an engagement pad attached to at least one of the pair of side rails, the engagement pad configured to provide a downward force onto an upward facing surface of the plurality of connected slats.

12. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 11 , wherein the engagement pad is plastic.

13. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 12 , wherein the engagement pad has a width of less than ½ of a width of one of the pair of side rails.

14. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 13 , wherein the width of the engagement pad is less than ¼ of the width of one of the pair of side rails.

15. A retractable tonneau cover for a cargo bed of a vehicle having a cab comprising:

a pair of side rails;

a plurality of connected metallic slats extending between the pair of side rails;

a motor operable to extend and retract the plurality of connected metallic slats; and

a spring connected to an end of the plurality of connected metallic slats and configured to exert an extending force onto the plurality of connected metallic slats;

wherein the end of the plurality of connected metallic slats to which the spring is connected is a cab end.

16. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of connected metallic slats are aluminum; and wherein each of the plurality of connected metallic slats is covered by vinyl.

17. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 16 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

18. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of connected metallic slats wrap around the spring during retraction.

19. The retractable tonneau cover of claim 18 , wherein the motor is a tubular motor.