Fasteners for truck bed covers

Abstract

An apparatus for adjustably attaching a cover to an open-topped vehicle enclosure including a cover attachment member, a plurality of cover attachment clip members and a plurality of rail members attached to the top of a side wall of the enclosure by any suitable means. A cover attachment member affixed to a peripheral element of a cover is engageable with the cover attachment clip members, which are engageable with the rail members. The cover attachment member may be attached to the rail member in various different positions to accommodate variations in the cover dimensions and to allow for variation of the cover tension as installed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cover apparatus for an open-topped vehicle enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall having at least an outer wall and a top wall, the cover apparatus comprising: 
 at least one rail member having at least an outer side and a longitudinal axis;    the at least one rail member further having a flange, the flange having a proximal end, a distal end, a transverse axis, and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one rail member;    the proximal end of the flange being associated with the outer side of the at least one rail member, and the distal end of the flange being substantially free;    the at least one rail member further being configured to be removably mounted on the top wall of the plurality of side walls of the enclosure;    a cover member having at least one locking member affixed along the peripheral region of the cover;    means for adjustably affixing the at least one locking member of the cover member to the at least one rail member;    the adjustable affixation means comprising at least one clip member being configured to be releasably and lockingly engageable to the flange at one or more positions along the flange's transverse axis so as to provide adjustability of the cover member along the flange's transverse axis; and    the clip member being further configured to interlockingly engage with the at least one locking member so as to securely affix the cover member to the at least one clip member; and    the clip member being further configured to preclude undesired repositioning of the clip member relative to the flange while the locking member is engaged with the clip member.    
     
     
         2 . The invention according to    claim 1    wherein the at least one clip member is sufficiently resilient to retain its desired position on the flange when affixed to the flange.  
     
     
         3 . The invention according to    claim 1    wherein the at least one clip member is further configured to be releasably and lockingly affixable to the flange at one or more positions along the flange's longitudinal axis so as to provide adjustability of the at least one clip member along the longitudinal axis of the rail member.  
     
     
         4 . The invention according to    claim 1    wherein the at least one clip member is releasably and lockingly affixable to and of a plurality of pre-selected positions along the transverse axis of the flange so as to adjust the degree of tightness of the cover member when attached to the at least one rail member.  
     
     
         5 . The invention according to    claim 4    wherein the flange has a plurality of substantially spaced-apart indentations located at said plurality of pre-selected positions along said transverse axis so as to be releasably engaged by the at least one clip member.  
     
     
         6 . The invention according to    claim 4    wherein the flange has a plurality of substantially spaced-apart longitudinally extending grooves located at said plurality of pre-selected positions along said transverse axis so as to be releasably engaged by the at least one clip member.  
     
     
         7 . A clip member for attaching a locking member of a cover member to a rail member, said clip member being comprised of: 
 rail gripping means for releasably, adjustably, and lockingly gripping said rail member;    cover retention means for releasably and lockingly attaching said locking member of said cover member to said clip member; and    release means for selectively attaching and detaching the gripping means to any of a plurality of pre-selected positions on the rail member.    
     
     
         8 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein the clip member is configured so as to prevent inadvertent release of said rail gripping means from said rail member when the locking member of the cover member is engaged with the cover retention means of the clip member.  
     
     
         9 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein the rail gripping means is comprised of: 
 two substantially rigid, substantially linear, and substantially parallel opposed legs;  
 each leg having a proximal end and a distal end;  
 the distal end of each leg being substantially free;  
 the distal end of at least one of each leg terminating in a bump, the bump on the at least one of each leg oriented so as to face the adjacent leg;  
 the rail member having at least a protruding flange, a longitudinal axis, and a transverse axis;  
 the flange having a plurality of substantially spaced-apart indentations along its transverse axis; and  
 the bump on the at least one of each leg being operably configured to securely and releasably engage the indentations along said transverse axis.  
 
     
     
         10 . The invention according to    claim 9    further comprising: 
 the proximal end of each leg terminating at and operably associated with hinge means; and  
 the hinge means allowing substantial separation of the distal ends of the legs.  
 
     
     
         11 . The invention according to    claim 10    wherein the hinge means is biased so as to urge the distal ends of the legs towards contact with each other.  
     
     
         12 . The invention according to    claim 9    wherein each leg is sufficiently resilient to allow for selective disengagement of the bump on the at least one of each leg from the rail member.  
     
     
         13 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein the rail gripping means is comprised of: 
 two substantially rigid, substantially linear, and substantially parallel opposed legs;  
 each leg having a proximal end and a distal end;  
 the distal end of each leg being substantially free; and  
 the distal end of at least one of each leg terminating in a tooth, the tooth on the at least one of each leg oriented so as to face the adjacent leg;  
 the rail member having at least a protruding flange, a longitudinal axis, and a transverse axis;  
 the flange having a plurality of substantially spaced-apart grooves along its transverse axis; and  
 the tooth on the at least one of each leg being operably configured to securely and releasably engage the grooves along said transverse axis.  
 
     
     
         14 . The invention according to    claim 13    further comprising: 
 the proximal end of each leg terminating at and operably associated with hinge means;  
 the hinge means allowing substantial separation of the distal ends of the legs.  
 
     
     
         15 . The invention according to    claim 14    wherein the hinge means is biased so as to urge the distal ends of the legs toward contact with each other.  
     
     
         16 . The invention according to    claim 13    wherein each leg is sufficiently resilient to allow for selective disengagement of the tooth on the at least one of each leg from the rail member.  
     
     
         17 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein the cover retention means for attaching the locking member of the cover member is comprised of: 
 a female cover receiving member integral with the clip member and operably associated with the gripping means;  
 a male locking member operably attached to the outer periphery of the cover member; and  
 said male locking member being securely and releasably captured and retained by said female member.  
 
     
     
         18 . The invention according to    claim 17    wherein the female cover receiving member is comprised of: 
 two substantially rigid, substantially arcuate, longitudinally opposed legs integral with the clip member;  
 each leg having a proximal end and a distal end; and  
 the proximal end of each leg terminating at and associated with hinge means so as to define an open-ended, substantially C-shaped structure allowing for secure receipt of said male member therebetween.  
 
     
     
         19 . The invention according to    claim 17    wherein the male locking member is releasably and lockingly engageable with the female cover receiving member.  
     
     
         20 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein said release means comprises a hinge operably associated with the gripping means, the hinge being biased so as to urge said gripping means into an engaged condition with respect to said rail member.  
     
     
         21 . The invention according to    claim 20   , the hinge further being operably associated with the cover attachment means so as to lock said gripping means in an engaged condition with respect to the rail member when the locking member of the cover is engaged with the cover attachment means.  
     
     
         22 . The invention according to    claim 7    wherein the clip member is comprised of a rigid, substantially linear front member; a rigid, substantially linear rear member substantially separate from and parallel to the front member; and a pivot member; 
 the front member having two ends comprising a gripping leg and an attaching leg, and a mid-section;  
 the rear member having two ends comprising a gripping leg and an attaching leg, and a mid-section; and  
 the pivot member located between and associated with the mid-sections of the front member and the rear member so as to permit substantial separation of the gripping legs.  
 
     
     
         23 . A cover apparatus for an open-topped vehicle enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall having at least an outer wall and a top wall, the cover apparatus comprising: 
 at least one rail member, associated with the top wall of the side wall of the vehicle, and having at least an outer surface and an upper and lower edge;    a cover member having at least one locking member associated with a peripheral region of the cover;    means for affixing the at least one locking member to the at least one rail member, the affixing means comprising a clip member having two retention regions configured so as to snapingly engage each of the upper and lower edges of the rail member, and a receiver member for releasably receiving the at least one locking member.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to    claim 23    wherein the receiving member comprises a c-channel and the at least one locking member comprises a bead configured for releasable receipt with in the c-channel.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to    claim 23    wherein the clip member is substantially precluded from slidable movement along longitudinal axis of the channel.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of    claim 23    wherein the channel member is disposed at an angle relative to the top surface of the sidewall of the vehicle.