abstract a releasable hinge for attaching tonneau covers to the cargo compartment of pickup trucks the hinge has a hinge mechanism fastened to the bottom or underside of the tonneau cover a complementary locking tab is mounted to the cab end of the cargo compartment the hinge mechanism has a plate with a locking tongue that is received in a locking channel in the locking tab to latch the tonneau cover to the cargo compartment to remove the tonneau cover from the cargo compartment the tonneau cover is raised above a predetermined angle which disengages the locking tongue from the locking channel this allows the hinge to separate from the locking tab any gas struts are released from their mounting brackets and the tonneau cover can be removed from the cargo compartment application_number US 58406106 A description turning first to fig1 there is illustrated a tonneau cover 10 in its opened or raised position over a cargo bed 12 of a pickup truck the cover 10 has a smooth top surface 14 with side overhanging edges 16 and a front and rear overhanging edge 18 and 20 grain texture or various surface geometries and patterns can be formed into the top surface 14 the overhanging edges 16 18 and 20 extend over upstanding walls 22 of the cargo bed.