The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 13, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 09, 1999
Paul Waltz, Washington, IN (US);
Kevin Waltz, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Other;
Abstract
A load-carrying box on a land vehicle in the form of a generally rectangular container having an upper perimeter defined by a top edge of each of the walls encompassing an open top is covered by a flexible sheet cover having a first end secured adjacent a top edge of one of the side walls. A second end of the flexible sheet is attached to a roller having opposite ends projecting beyond the top edges of two end walls forming the load-carrying box. A motor is coupled to the roller for rolling and unrolling the flexible sheet cover along the top edges of the two end walls and along bows connecting the two side walls. An arm has a first end coupled to the roller and a second end including a slot engaging a pin defining a pivot for the arm so that the roller can remain in constant contact with the top edges of the end walls and bows as the flexible sheet cover is deployed and retrieved. The arm is in the form of a box beam of fixed length having an outer member, an inner member confronting the load-carrying box, and side joining members joining the outer member to the inner member, the inner member including the pivot slot. The motor is fixed to the arm between the roller and the slot, and a drive unit couples the motor to the roller, the drive unit being enclosed within the box beam.