# US 10,118,653 B2 · Composite panel edge treatments and joints and cargo body having same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,653 B2 - Document ID: US10118653B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/353,462 - Filed: 2016-11-16 - Published: 2017-03-02 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-04 - Assignees: STI Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: STI Holdings, Inc. - Inventors: Gary L. Fenton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118653B2 ## CPC - G01F 1/6965: {comprising means to store calibration data for flow signal calculation or correction} - B62D 25/02: Side panels {(B62D33/046 takes precedence; sideboards for open load compartments B62D33/023)} - B62D 25/2054: {Load carrying floors for commercial vehicles} - B62D 33/046: {built up with flat self-supporting panels; Fixed connections between panels (B62D29/045, B62D33/048 take precedence)} - B62D 63/06: Trailers (vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32) - G01F 1/6842: {with means for influencing the fluid flow} - G01F 1/692: Thin-film arrangements - G01F 25/10: of flowmeters - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A cargo body includes sidewalls constructed of pairs of panels secured together at respective joints. Each panel is an assembled panel having a core, an interior skin, and an exterior skin. Each of the joints is formed as a lap joint in which edge portions of first and second panels overlap each other. The first panel has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than half of a maximum core thickness of the first panel. The second panel has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than a maximum core thickness of the second panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cargo body comprising: a floor; a roof; and a plurality of sidewalls extending between the floor and the roof to define a cargo receiving volume in cooperation with the floor and the roof, each one of the plurality of sidewalls constructed of a plurality of panels including adjacent pairs of panels secured together at respective joints, wherein each of the plurality of panels is an assembled panel having a core, an interior skin secured to a first side of the core facing the cargo receiving volume, and an exterior skin secured to a second side of the core opposite the first side, wherein each of the joints is formed as a lap joint in which an edge portion of a first one of the adjacent pair of panels overlaps a portion of a second one of the adjacent pair of panels, and an edge portion of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels overlaps a portion of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels, wherein the first one of the adjacent pair of panels has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than half of a maximum core thickness of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels, and wherein the second one of the adjacent pair of panels has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than a maximum core thickness of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the edge portion of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels overlaps the edge portion of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the reduced-thickness core portions of the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels are sandwiched between the respective interior and exterior skins, such that the exterior skin of the first panel lies directly against the interior skin of the second panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein each of the edge portions of the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels has a thickness of not more than 0.100 inch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein each of the edge portions of the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels has a thickness of not more than 0.060 inch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein each of the edge portions of the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels has a thickness of less than 0.050 inch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the core of each of the plurality of panels is a profiled sheet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cargo body of claim 7, wherein the profiled sheet is a metal sheet of anticlastic form such that the maximum thickness of the core is more than 20 times the material thickness of the metal sheet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The cargo body of claim 7, wherein the profiled sheet is a metal sheet of anticlastic form such that the maximum thickness of the core is more than 50 times the material thickness of the metal sheet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The cargo body of claim 7, wherein the profiled sheet is a steel sheet embossed to an anticlastic form having an array of uniformly-interspersed peaks and valleys. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The cargo body of claim 7, wherein the profiled sheet of each core is flat in the reduced-thickness core portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The cargo body of claim 7, wherein the profiled sheet of each core defines the maximum thickness as a first profile height between interspersed peaks and valleys, and the profiled sheet of each core defines a second, shorter profile height between interspersed peaks and valleys throughout the reduced-thickness core portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cargo body of claim 12, wherein the interior skin of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels wraps 90 degrees over an edge of the reduced-thickness core portion of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels, and the exterior skin of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels wraps 90 degrees over an edge of the reduced-thickness core portion of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels are secured together via adhesive. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels are secured together via a plurality of spaced-apart, individual mechanical fasteners. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cargo body of claim 15, wherein all of the plurality of mechanical fasteners securing the adjacent pair of panels are arranged in a single row. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels are welded together. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The cargo body of claim 1, wherein the interior and exterior skins of each of the plurality of panels each has a sheet thickness not less than 0.008 inch and not more than 0.080 inch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The cargo body of claim 18, wherein the interior and exterior skins of each of the plurality of panels are constructed of galvanized steel sheets. ### Claim 20 A cargo body comprising: a floor; a roof; and a plurality of sidewalls extending between the floor and the roof to define a cargo receiving volume in cooperation with the floor and the roof, each one of the plurality of sidewalls constructed of a plurality of panels including adjacent pairs of panels secured together at respective joints, wherein each of the plurality of panels is an assembled panel having a core, an interior skin secured to a first side of the core facing the cargo receiving volume, and an exterior skin secured to a second side of the core opposite the first side, wherein each of the joints is formed as a lap joint in which an edge portion of a first one of the adjacent pair of panels overlaps a portion of a second one of the adjacent pair of panels, and an edge portion of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels overlaps a portion of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels, wherein the first one of the adjacent pair of panels has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than a maximum core thickness of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels, wherein the second one of the adjacent pair of panels has a reduced-thickness core portion throughout the edge portion in which a core thickness measured between the interior and exterior skins is less than a maximum core thickness of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels, and wherein the core of each of the plurality of panels is a profiled sheet of anticlastic form such that the maximum core thickness of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels is defined by interspersed peaks and valleys thereof, and the maximum core thickness of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels is defined by interspersed peaks and valleys thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The cargo body of claim 20, wherein the maximum core thicknesses of the first and second ones of the adjacent pair of panels are equal, and wherein a sum of the core thickness of the reduced-thickness core portion of the first one of the adjacent pair of panels and the core thickness of the reduced-thickness core portion of the second one of the adjacent pair of panels does not exceed the maximum core thickness.