A crank assembly for operating a tarpaulin manipulator used for extending and retracting a tarpaulin respectively across and from a top aperture of a vehicle container. The crank assembly includes a crank and a crank assembly shaft for transmitting rotations of the crank to the tarpaulin manipulator through a transmission assembly. The crank can be moved between a mounted configuration in which the crank protrudes axially from the crank assembly shaft and a stowed configuration in which the crank is folded over the crank assembly shaft.

A roof construction for a motor vehicle, including a displaceable roof element which is displaceable between a retracted out-of-use position and an extended use position, wherein the roof element in its extended use position is in a spaced-apart position relative to a body of the vehicle. Arranged on the roof element is a folding bellows which, when the roof element is in the use position, assumes an opened state and bridges a gap between the roof element and the body, and which, when the roof element is in the out-of-use position, assumes a compressed state collapsed in folds. The folding bellows has a layer structure with at least two different layers.

A roof construction for a motor vehicle, including a displaceable roof element which is displaceable between a retracted out-of-use position and an extended use position, wherein the roof element in its extended use position is in a spaced-apart position relative to a body of the vehicle. Arranged on the roof element is a folding bellows which, when the roof element is in the use position, assumes an opened state and bridges a gap between the roof element and the body, and which, when the roof element is in the out-of-use position, assumes a compressed state collapsed in folds. The folding bellows has a layer structure with at least two different layers.

An apparatus for extending and retracting a cover over a bed of a vehicle transporting material therein. The apparatus comprises an arm assembly, a motor and a tarp reel for rolling and unrolling a tarp to uncover and cover the vehicle bed. To improve tarp tensioning, rollers are provided on a bracket in which the reel seats when the tarp is unrolled. Locations of sliding friction found in known designs are avoided and replaced with rolling friction. Rolling friction is significantly less than sliding friction and thus greater levels of motor output torque can be incorporated into stretching the tarp tighter before the motor is shut off. At this point of the covering operation, the vehicle bed is covered and the tarp held taut. The bracket may also be configured to provide a braking effect to the reel to assist in holding the tarp in tension.

Various embodiments include methods and vehicles that may include determining whether to initiate a configuration change protocol to implement a configuration change for modifying the exterior shape of a body of the vehicle in response to a planned or predicted future operating mode, event or environment. Also, determining whether an occupancy status of the vehicle conflicts with an occupancy status allowed for in a configuration called for by a configuration change input or indication. Further, modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle in accordance with the configuration change input or indication in response to determining that the occupancy status of the vehicle does not conflict with the configuration change input or indication, wherein modifying the exterior shape of the body of the vehicle includes modifying a configuration of at least one exterior vehicle part.

A tonneau cover assembly that selectively covers a truck bed of a truck is provided. The tonneau cover assembly includes a cover and a longitudinally extending rail located adjacent a sidewall of the truck bed. The longitudinally extending rail includes an attachment member. The attachment member extends longitudinally along with the rail and at least a portion of the attachment member is located over a portion of the bed. The cover includes a stiffener located adjacent the attachment member of the longitudinally extending rail.

A tonneau cover access panel assembly connectable to a vehicle that eliminates the need for side rails to both locate and tension a tonneau cover. The assembly also reduces weight and complexity. The assembly incorporates a readily accessible rear latching system that reduces or eliminates interference with the tonneau cover during operation. The assembly also incorporates a tonneau cover tensioning system. The tension seals out environmental elements and holds the tonneau cover and locating bows in place. The assembly holds the tonneau in the closed tension state keeping the tonneau cover secured and tight until the cover is opened by an operator. The assembly is movable between a closed position and a fully open/stowable position and any intermediate positions. The assembly is also movable between at least a first open position and the deployed position for more limiting access to the cargo bed of the vehicle when desired.

A tarping system and method for covering at least a portion of a cargo load carried on a cargo carrying surface of a bed of a truck or trailer are provided. The tarping system includes at least one flexible tarp extending from a mounted end to a free end. At least one reel is coupled to the mounted end and is operative to automatically urge the tarp to a self-stowed positon, coiled onto a spool of the reel, under a return force imparted by the reel. A mounting structure is configured to support the at least one reel and the associated tarp in an upstanding relation relative to the cargo carrying surface to enable a user, while standing on the ground, to draw the tarp from the stowed position to a deployed position to cover at least a portion of a side of the cargo load.

A retractable truck bed cover having an array of parallel aluminum slats joined together by connective hinges including leading and trailing edge configuration for improving the security of the cover by covering and concealing the seam between adjacent slats while improving the connective hinge's resistance to the effects of aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations. The truck bed cover connective hinge slat is designed to be in an array of discrete slats, which are joined to one another by means of joiner members secured at each end to slat end caps. The distal ends of the joiner members are attached to slat end caps at the distal ends of the slats, thereby preventing the joiner members from shrinking in relationship to the slats due to aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations.

A tonneau cover assembly that selectively covers a truck bed of a truck is provided. The tonneau cover assembly includes a cover and a longitudinally extending rail located adjacent a sidewall of the truck bed. The longitudinally extending rail includes an attachment member. The attachment member extends longitudinally along with the rail and at least a portion of the attachment member is located over a portion of the bed. The cover includes a stiffener located adjacent the attachment member of the longitudinally extending rail.