Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – With distinct wind deflector
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-13
2001-07-31
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
With distinct wind deflector
C296S180500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267434
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to truck and semi-tractor/trailer vehicles and side extensions attached for aerodynamics and in particular to the open triangle area behind the cab body or sleeper box side extensions between the floor line and the roof line and outside the arc of the trailer when mounted to the fifth wheel.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Due to a lack of current product availability to contain the open triangle area behind the cab body or sleeper box side extensions in semi-tractor trucks, the area is being used by truck drivers who attempt to modify the space with novice contraptions in an effort to gain use of this area on the vehicle. The volume of the space equals approximately 2.3 cubic feet of usable or potential storage space.
The novice contraption type of innovation by truck drivers, though well intended, results in issues of highway safety, i.e., flying objects, and the potential damage caused by arbitrary attachment of items such as coffee cans tie-wrapped to brackets to hold hardware or, as in one observation, holes drilled in the support brackets of the side extensions to attach a small plastic tackle box.
Several test market studies performed between July of 1994 and April of 1995 using a concept model, resulted in the following findings: (1) Truck drivers like the idea of converting this otherwise useless area into usable space. (2) Currently there are no known units on the market to fit this need. The only available alternative currently on the market that provides similar utilization, is chassis mounted and is extremely heavy in weight. (3) The use of this space is considered by major OEM's and other after market manufactures not to be practical due to three constraints:
(1) Weight—using current truck design philosophies, a unit would evolve as a heavily designed structure to support its own weight, which would require structural upgrading to the cab or sleeper box in the areas to which the unit would attach.
(2) Shock Mount—the vehicle cab or sleeper box rear shock mounts would require re-design or modification, which would affect the vehicle ride characteristics.
(3) Manufacturability/Cost—to build such a unit would be labor intensive to fabricate, to modify mountings and attachment areas, and to install.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of prior art relating to products intended to alter air flow and current and compartment utilization, none achieve or fulfills the purpose and/or intent of the Multi-Purpose Fairing.
The principle objective of the present invention is to address the side extension attached for aerodynamics and in particular the open triangle area behind the Cab Extensions, between the floor line and the roof line and outside the arc of the trailer when mounted to the fifth wheel and to convert this area considered a “dead zone” or “useless space” into a unique application for a uniquely designed product to produce usable storage space.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4685715 (1987-08-01), Hardin
patent: 4746160 (1988-05-01), Wiesemeyer
patent: 4750772 (1988-06-01), Haegert
patent: 4775179 (1988-10-01), Riggs
patent: 4883307 (1989-11-01), Hacker et al.
patent: 4890879 (1990-01-01), Hurlock
patent: 5078448 (1992-01-01), Selzer et al.
patent: 5513894 (1996-05-01), Ragsdale
patent: 5658038 (1997-08-01), Griffin
Coletta Lori L.
Dayoan D. Glenn
FSD Corporation
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