Due to Tonneau Cover design, no bed-cab pass through

[Ranulf]

Given that the patent is from last year, perhaps Elon and the team have come up with a redesign.

With the patent we have, however, the tonneau cover is a constant barrier that would prevent a pass-through option. The only way we could have pass through with this design is if the tonneau fully retracted around the motor. Yet even this is unlikely, as the last few segments of the tonneau are designed to seal up the slot in the body that the cover moves through.

It would take some pretty clever engineering to overcome this problem, but Elon has tweeted that a cab-bed pass through option may be possible. Who knows, maybe they’ll come up with something.

I’d like to be able to have a pass through and drive with, say, 10ft sticks of conduit with the tonneau cover covering the bed. Don’t think it will happen though.

Thoughts?

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[Crissa]

That is exactly why I want a pass-through. It would be awkward getting stuff in with the tonneau closed, but well worth it.

-Crissa

 

[Diehard]

I can think of ways of making it happen but it would require alignment, connecting and disconnecting moving parts which most likely will fail over time. I would still take it if it works for 50K before failing.

 

[CyberGus]

With the vault open (tonneau retracted) there is no reason the back seat (and bed wall) could not be folded down. But that would just be making your truck into a convertible.

With the vault closed, it's definitely tricker, but not impossible. For instance, I envision a tonneau that has a cutout in the middle where it meets the rear seats, and the center of the seats can open in alignment with the cutout. Of course, at that point, the pass-thru becomes a guillotine lol

 

[madquadbiker]

With the vault open (tonneau retracted) there is no reason the back seat (and bed wall) could not be folded down. But that would just be making your truck into a convertible.

With the vault closed, it's definitely tricker, but not impossible. For instance, I envision a tonneau that has a cutout in the middle where it meets the rear seats, and the center of the seats can open in alignment with the cutout. Of course, at that point, the pass-thru becomes a guillotine lol

A pass through would be brilliant but there’s nothing stopping you from having an external racking system which follows the angle of the tonneau cover and roof for longer items like pipe etc.

 

[Crissa]

From the patent drawings, it would be esier to make a full passthrough that worked with the tonaeu closed than open.

-Crissa

 

[Eye of Elon]

Unless I'm missing something, you could pass through when the cover is closed and whatever open hatch or door is there could physically prevent guillotining any body parts.

 

[FullyGrounded]

I would like to see a choice between a cap and passthrough, or tonneau without. Possibly other options, but certainly these. I would do the cap with passthrough in a heartbeat. peace

 

[Ranulf]

A pass through with the tonneau fully deployed would work. Thing is, it doesn’t look like its designed to be a conveyor type mechanism. It looks like it has linked rollers that move in a channel, and the design seems to suggest that there are some slats that never see the light of day, but stay inbetween the bed and the cab. If this is not the case, then no problem. If it is the case, they may have to engineer an opening in the slats. Probably not all that difficult to do.

Doing the same with the tonneau fully retracted would be a lot more difficult, as, well, where you’d need the opening would be on part of the tonneau that would cover the bed.

 

[Crissa]

...the design seems to suggest that there are some slats that never see the light of day, ...

We have seen from the release-day videos that the cover does not obscure the rear window except while in motion.

-Crissa

 

[John K]

This can be engineered to have a pass through in an open or closed tonneau cover.
with pass through open, the tonneau cover opening and closing should, probably be disabled.
Thus, loading with a closed cover and deciding to open the cover, cargo will need to be unloaded, pass through closed to move the cover.
There are sensors and load resistance needed if the pass through does not require being closed but the cargo will still need unloading to change the tonneau position. Partial openings and closures will not work with pass through.

another option, feed the tonneau cover from the side or sides. Sacrificing the side storage can perhaps open up the tunnel storage similar to the Rivian.

I also understand the design approach is probably baked by now and these are madman musings.

 

[John K]

(Secret message for Tesla, if you like my concept, bump me up in the productions list. ?)

 

[Ranulf]

We have seen from the release-day videos that the cover does not obscure the rear window except while in motion.

-Crissa

Good catch, I should go back and watch that

EDIT:

I did, the rear window could have a sliding panel set up like a lot of legacy trucks have, but I was more talking about the metal section the track is housed in. Seems like it stops just as it clears the window.

Still, I get your point. Fully covered, the tonneau should leave that space empty and nothing would obstruct a passthrough, unless there is something we aren’t seeing.

 

[Crissa]

Good catch, I should go back and watch that

Yeah! There's one in a previous thread from a year ago... I just don't know where, exactly.

-Crissa

 

[Ranulf]

A quick youtube video search gave me a bunch of angles. I guess I was mixed up by the patent drawing.

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