US 12,330,487 B2
Folding tonneau cover having secured flexible hinge
Charles M. Schmeichel, Jamestown, ND (US); Brendan T. Bohn, Jamestown, ND (US); Mark E. Beam, Jamestown, ND (US); and John W. Simon, Burnsville, MN (US)
Assigned to Agri-Cover, Inc., Jamestown, ND (US)
Filed by Agri-Cover, Inc., Jamestown, ND (US)
Filed on Apr. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/712,885.
Application 17/712,885 is a continuation of application No. 16/865,132, filed on May 1, 2020, granted, now 11,292,324.
Application 16/865,132 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/252,345, filed on Jan. 18, 2019, granted, now 11,235,652, issued on Feb. 1, 2022.
Application 16/252,345 is a continuation of application No. 15/794,549, filed on Oct. 26, 2017, granted, now 10,189,340, issued on Jan. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/845,086, filed on May 8, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/843,357, filed on May 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/414,591, filed on Oct. 28, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219516 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60J 7/19 (2006.01); B60J 7/14 (2006.01); B60J 7/04 (2006.01); B60J 7/16 (2006.01)
CPC B60J 7/198 (2013.01) [B60J 7/141 (2013.01); B60J 7/041 (2013.01); B60J 7/1621 (2013.01)] 56 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a top of a perimeter of a cargo box of a pickup truck, the top perimeter of the cargo box including a forward end, two opposing sidewalls and a tailgate, the tailgate being positioned rearward of the forward end and having an open position and a closed position, the tonneau cover apparatus comprising:
a support frame assembly for attachment to the cargo box, the support frame assembly having two opposing side rails;
a cover assembly including a plurality of rigid panels; wherein the plurality of rigid panels includes first and second panels; the first and second panels being flexibly secured to one another by a first flexible hinge; wherein the first flexible hinge is secured to a first underside of the first panel and to a second underside of the second panel; the cover assembly including a plurality of support members secured to at least one of the first underside of the first panel and the second underside of the second panel to stiffen the respective rigid panel.