Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-11-20
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
C428S046000, C428S055000, C052S309150, C052S392000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318794
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transport vehicles, more particularly but not necessarily exclusively to tractor trailer vehicles, and more particularly to flooring used in transport vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tractor trailer vehicle has a tractor which pulls what is widely referred to as a semi-trailer and generally includes covered vans and open flat-deck semi-trailers. These semi-trailers commonly have a payload-receiving deck, which is constructed with flooring which is formed from a hardwood laminate. A typical semi-trailer has a deck with a surface area of about 480 square feet and usually the flooring weighs about 5.5 pounds per square foot. This means that nearly 2200 pounds of the semi-trailer's ‘deadweight’ is the flooring. It follows that the greater the deadweight of the flooring, the higher the operating cost of the vehicle. Most highways have strict weight restrictions per axle and the higher the deadweight, the lower the payload that can be hauled in the semi-trailer.
Conventional laminate flooring is usually made from oak or other hardwoods with a density similar to oak. The laminate flooring is expected to last only about 7 to 10 years, because of the effects of wear and tear on the flooring, and exposure to the extreme temperature swings and precipitation of the changing seasons. Water penetrates the flooring causing both an increase in the deadweight, an inevitable accelerated degradation of the flooring due to rot, and a loss in strength due to the damaging effect of water along the bonding lines of the laminate, causing a resulting loss of adhesion. In fact, the presence of water in the laminate can be expected to reduce the strength of the laminate by as much as 75% of its original strength.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flooring for use in the decks of semi-trailers or other transport vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one of its aspects, the present invention involves a semi-trailer flooring panel comprising a wood core, the wood core including a plurality of strip elements, wherein the wood core has a bottom surface, and a reinforced composite layer is applied to the bottom surface.
Preferably, the strip elements are made from selected hardwoods or softwoods, such as aspen, maple or birch hardwoods and some selected softwoods such as northern black spruce and northern white spruce which have suitable mechanical characteristics including one or more of specific density, tension strength, shear strength and torsional stiffness. Preferably, the semi-trailer flooring panel meets the specifications established by PULLMAN TRAILMOBILE and included herein as Appendix One.
Preferably, substantially the entire area of the bottom surface is continuously bonded to the composite layer. In one embodiment the reinforced composite layer has a plurality of reinforcing elements which are arranged substantially parallel with the bottom surface, preferably embedded in an adhesive matrix. Still more preferably, the matrix includes a resilient material in a granulated form, such as a granulated synthetic rubber. The reinforcing elements are preferably fibreglass strands and more preferably in a woven fibreglass sheet.
Preferably, each of said strip elements has a specific density, or an average specific density, ranging from about 0.35 to about 0.65, more preferably from about 0.40 to 0.59. Desirably, strip elements may be used in some cases where the specific density does not exceed 0.59.
In one embodiment, the panel has a thickness which does not exceed about 1{fraction (1/16)} inch, although other thickness are also contemplated.
A protective coating may be applied to the wood core. In one embodiment, the protective coating envelopes the wood core together with the layer and preferably includes polyurethane materials and may include granular materials and the like to provide a roughened ‘anti-slip’ outer surface.
Preferably, the flooring panel has edge regions which are formed to establish a joint with at least one adjacent flooring panel. More preferably, the edge region is provided with a compressible portion in order to render the so-formed joint substantially watertight. Still more preferably, the edge regions include a first relatively large projection and the compressible portion includes a second relatively small projection. In one embodiment, the first and second projections are offset relative to one another.
In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a semi-trailer having a payload-receiving deck formed with a plurality of flooring panels, each of the flooring panels including a wood core, the wood core including a plurality of strip elements bonded together and having a bottom surface, and a reinforced composite layer applied to the bottom surface.
In still another of its aspects, the present invention provides a transport vehicle having a payload-receiving deck including at least one flooring panel, the flooring panel including a wood core, the wood core including a plurality of strip elements bonded together and having a bottom surface, and a reinforced composite layer applied to the bottom surface.
In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a method of forming a flooring panel for a transport vehicle, comprising the steps of:
a) fusing a plurality of wooden strip elements to form a wood core with a lower surface;
b) applying a first adhesive layer to said bottom surface;
c) applying a layer of reinforced material on said layer of adhesive material; and
d) applying a second adhesive layer to said reinforced material
Preferably, the first and second adhesive layers are ‘wet’ and include an isocyanate constituent. In this context, the term ‘wet’ is intended to mean in a liquid form with a capacity to penetrate both the substrate of the wood core and the inner spaces or voids of the reinforcing material. More preferably, the method includes, following step d), the step of:
e) enveloping the wood core with a protective layer
If desired, the protective layer may include a polyurethane constituent as well as a hardening constituent to harden the upper surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1487255 (1924-03-01), Magelssen
patent: 5236754 (1993-08-01), McBride et al.
patent: 5928735 (1999-07-01), Padmanabhan et al.
patent: 6179942 (2001-01-01), Padmanabhan et al.
patent: 6183824 (2001-02-01), Padmanabhan et al.
Chemcraft International Inc homepage, www.chemcraft.com, copyright 1998.*
Resin Systems Inc. homepage, www.resinsysteminc.com, copyright 1999.
Engle Patricia
Gordon Stephen T.
Katten Muchin & Zavis
Planchers Leclair Inc.
LandOfFree
Flooring panel for a transport vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flooring panel for a transport vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flooring panel for a transport vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2586660