Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-11
2003-03-04
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
C296S183100, C296S191000, C052S584100, C052S586100, C052S588100, C052S309200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06527335
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention relates to enclosed trailers and used for the transport of cargo. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plate coupling system for assembling the trailers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial tractors and other types of trucks transport cargo using trailers such as van-type trailers and other types of enclosed trailers. As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a van-type trailer
10
includes a floor
15
, a roof (not shown) and two sidewalls
25
. A front bulkhead
30
and a rear door or doors (not shown) enclose the trailer
10
. A king-pin
40
located at a forward area of the trailer
10
couples to a fifth wheel on a tractor and a conventional wheel assembly
35
and front landing gear
45
support the trailer
10
.
Federal regulations specify a maximum width
12
of about 102{fraction (3/8 )}inches for enclosed trailers
10
. Generally, this is measured between the exterior surfaces of the trailer sidewalls
25
. In addition, the transport industry has cargo carrying standards that require a width of about 101¼inches inside the trailer
10
. This width is generally measured between the interior surfaces of the sidewalls
25
. When combined, the Federal and industry requirements define a maximum sidewall thickness
82
of about {fraction (9/16)} of an inch, shown in
FIGS. 2-3
. The sidewall thickness
82
is therefore constrained by the limits imposed by both the Federal regulations or the industry standards.
Illustrated in
FIGS. 1-3
, the sidewalls
25
of conventional van-type or other enclosed trailers are generally constructed of a plurality of generally rectangular plates
50
. Each plate
50
is connected by elongaged joiners
55
. Fasteners
65
attach the plates
50
to the joiners
55
.
FIG. 2
illustrates two plates
50
attached to joiner
55
by fasteners
65
. Also illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the sidewall thickness
82
is the sum of the plate thickness
85
and the joiner
55
thickness
80
. The outside-facing surface of each joiner
55
is used to define the maximum width of the trailer
10
, and the inside-facing surface of each plate
50
is used to define the inner, or enclosed width of the trailer
10
.
When the outside-facing surface
70
of each joiner
55
defines the maximum Federally regulated width of the trailer
10
, and the inside-facing surface of each the plate
50
defines the minimum industry standard inner width of the trailer
10
, if the plate thickness
85
or the joiner thickness
80
is changed, the other member must change to maintain the necessary sidewall thickness
82
. For example, it may be advantagous to add a cargo control member to the sidewall
25
. A cargo control member is an elongated plate having a plurality of holes and/or slots for attaching straps, hooks and other devices to position and secure the cargo within the trailer
10
. Illustrated in
FIG. 3
, the inclusion of a cargo control member
60
requires a plate thickness
87
that is smaller than the plate thickness
85
of FIG.
2
. The larger joiner thickness
89
maintains the required sidewall thickness
82
. A thinner sidewall
25
cannot be used, as it does not have the structual strength necessary to restrain the cargo during transportation.
Alternatively, a thicker plate
50
may be installed to increase the structural strength of the sidewall
25
in the area adjacent to the cargo-loading end of the trailer
10
. The trailer
10
opening where cargo is loaded can sustain impacts from the cargo or from fork-loaders placing the cargo into the trailer
10
. In this instance, the thickness of the joiner
55
must be reduced. Mounting two different thickness plates
50
to one joiner
55
also requires a special joiner
55
because an outside-facing shoulder is created where the different thickness plates
50
meet. The shoulder cannot face the interior of the trailer
10
as it becomes a “snag” point, causing damage to cargo and causing the plates
50
to be more easily damaged. The special joiner
55
must be designed to accommodate that shoulder. Thus, for conventional plate coupling systems, when the plate
50
increases in thickness the joiner
55
must decrease in thickness to maintain the necessary sidewall thickness
82
.
During service, the trailer sidewalls
25
can be damaged, requiring replacement of plates
50
, joiners
55
, or both.
FIG. 4
illustrates a section of sidewall
25
constructed of three plates
50
fixed to two joiners
55
using four rows of fasteners
65
. In
FIG. 4A
, replacement of a plate
50
is illustrated. The plate
50
must be removed from the outside of the trailer
10
, because the plate
50
extends past the ceiling and floor
15
of the trailer
10
interior. Thus, both joiners
55
must be removed to remove one plate
50
. This requires the removal of four rows of fasteners
65
. The time and effort necessary to remove four rows of fasteners
65
, and two joiners
55
is significant, which reduces trailer availability, negatively affecting cargo delivery schedules.
FIGS. 5 and 5A
illustrate a section of sidewall
25
constructed of three plates
50
fixed to two joiners
55
by four rows of fasteners
65
, with logistics members
60
. In this arrangement, the four rows of fasteners
65
, both joiners
55
and both logistics members
60
must be removed to replace the plate
50
. Again, this requires substantial time and effort, resulting in trailer downtime.
Therefore, there exists a need for a trailer plate construction system that permits quick replacement of damaged plates and enables the use of thick plates without exceeding Federal regulations while meeting industry cargo carrying standards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to overcome the deficiencies with known, conventional plate construction systems, a method and apparatus for coupling trailer plates is provided. Briefly, the plate-coupling system of the present invention includes a stepped section located on at least one side of a substantially rectangular trailer plate and an elongated coupler having a plate receiving area. The plate receiving area is configured to receive the trailer plate stepped section.
More specifically, one embodiment of the plate-coupling system employs a substantially rectilinear coupling member comprising an inward-facing and an outward-facing surface. At least two trailer plate receiving areas are located on the outward-facing surface of the rectilinear coupling member. The trailer plate receiving areas are arranged to receive an inward-facing surface of a stepped section of a trailer plate. As defined herein, the outside-facing surface is the surfaces that faces the exterior of the trailer and the inside-facing surface is the surface that faces the interior of the trailer.
Advantageously, the trailer plate coupling system according to the present invention allows the use of increased thickness plates without exceeding Federal trailer width standards. With the present invention, increases in plate thickness do not push the coupling member outward, but rather, the plate is pushed outward. However, the outward-facing surface of the plate does not exceed the outward-facing surface of the coupling member, thereby maintaining a sidewall thickness that meets the Federal regulations and industry standards.
The coupling system according to the invention also permits quick replacement of damaged plates by requiring the removal of the damaged trailer plate only. The coupling member remains attached to the trailer sidewall.
In addition, the coupling system according to the invention also permits plates of different thickness to be coupled adjacent to each other, without the need for special coupling members. Moreover, the coupling system according to the invention can also be used in the construction of intermodal containers, and shipping containers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4455803 (1984-06-01), Kornberger
patent: 4455807 (1984-06-01), Ehrlich
patent: 4685721 (1987-08-01), Banerjea
patent: 4810027 (1989-03-01), Ehrlich
patent: 5058756 (1991-10-01), Green
patent: 5066066
Coletta Lori L
Dayoan D. Glenn
Hyundai Precision America, Inc.
Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps LLP
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