# US 10,308,158 B2 · Utility trailer with movable bed > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,158 B2 - Document ID: US10308158B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/204,103 - Filed: 2016-07-07 - Published: 2017-01-12 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-07 - Assignees: Davis Village Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Davis Village Solutions, LLC - Inventors: Philip J. Quenzi; Niel S. Somero; Nathan K. Somero; David M. Somero; Matthew J. Somero - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308158B2 ## CPC - B60P 1/365: {the chains or belts being fixed to a rigid pusher plate (other charging and discharging devices with pusher plates B60P1/006)} - B60P 1/003: {vehicles with loading gates (B60P1/43 takes precedence)} - B60P 1/006: {charge and discharge with pusher plates (plates fixed to endless chains or belts B60P1/365)} - B60P 1/04: with a tipping movement of load-transporting element (dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F3/00) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) ## Abstract A utility trailer with a movable bed floor includes a trailer frame supported by a plurality of wheel assemblies. A bed panel is coupled with the trailer frame and defines an upper support surface. A live-bed flexible member spans the length and width of the upper support surface. A load chain is coupled between forward and rearward ends of the live-bed flexible member and span the length of the bed panel below the bed panel. A drive system is supported by the trailer frame. The drive system has a sprocket engaged with the load chain and is operable to drive the live-bed flexible member in forward and rearward directions over the upper support surface for loading and unloading items from the utility trailer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A utility trailer with a movable bed floor, said utility trailer comprising: a trailer frame including a first structural side wall and a second structural side wall opposing said first structural side wall, each of said first structural side wall and said second structural side wall extending along a length direction of said trailer; a plurality of bed panels coupled with said trailer frame and defining an upper support surface, each of said bed panels extending from a first lateral end proximate to said first structural side wall to a second lateral end proximate to said second structural side wall, whereby adjacent ones of said bed panels are spaced apart from each other by an unobstructed gap extending across a width of said trailer frame from said first structural side wall to said second structural side wall; a live-bed flexible member movable along the length direction of the trailer and having a length dimension that is at least as long as a length dimension of said upper support surface, wherein said live-bed flexible member comprises a flexible conveyor belt that provides a continuous flexible surface between forward and rearward ends thereof; wherein side edge regions of said live-bed flexible member are movable along and under side cover plates at and along the lateral ends of said plurality of bed panels; a load chain coupled between said forward and rearward ends of said live-bed flexible member and extending longitudinally below said plurality of bed panels; and a drive system supported by said trailer frame, said drive system engaged with said load chain and operable to drive said load chain to move said live-bed flexible member in forward and rearward directions over said upper support surface for loading and unloading items. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said live-bed flexible member extends laterally across the width of said upper support surface between said structural side walls of said trailer frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The utility trailer of claim 1, further comprising a bulkhead assembly coupled between said forward end of said live-bed flexible member and a rear end of said load chain, and wherein driving of said load chain moves said bulkhead with said forward end of said live-bed flexible member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The utility trailer of claim 1, further comprising a drawbar assembly pivotally coupled with a front end of said trailer frame about a horizontal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The utility trailer of claim 4, further comprising a linear adjustment device coupled between said drawbar assembly and said trailer frame and linearly actuatable to adjust the angle of said drawbar assembly relative to said trailer frame for adjusting a height of a rear of said trailer frame from a ground surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The utility trailer of claim 5, wherein said linear adjustment device comprises a hydraulic cylinder that is extendable to adjust a height of a rear of said trailer frame from a ground surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said drive system includes a drive shaft having a non-circular portion and a modular sprocket slidably disposed on the non-circular portion, said modular sprocket engaged with said load chain and comprising: a first chain drive sprocket segmented wheel; a second chain drive sprocket segmented wheel; and a chain drive sprocket toothed wheel having a plurality of teeth, said chain drive sprocket toothed wheel disposed immediately between said first chain drive sprocket segmented wheel and said second chain drive sprocket segmented wheel, wherein a first link of said load chain receives a first one of said teeth of the chain drive sprocket toothed wheel and a subsequent second link of said load chain is received in a recess defined by said first chain drive sprocket segmented wheel and said second chain drive sprocket segmented wheel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The utility trailer of claim 1, further comprising a tension device having a plurality of tension elements formed of a compressible urethane material that compresses responsive to an increase in tension in said load chain and said live-bed flexible member, wherein said tension device adjusts responsive to changes in load on said live-bed flexible member caused by the items being loaded or unloaded. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The utility trailer of claim 8, further comprising a bulkhead assembly coupled between said forward end of said live-bed flexible member and the end of said load chain, and wherein driving of said load chain moves said live-bed flexible member and said bulkhead, and wherein said tension elements are disposed at said bulkhead assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The utility trailer of claim 9, wherein said drive system comprises a motor that rotatably drives a sprocket to linearly drive said load chain and said live-bed flexible member, and wherein said motor is disposed at a forward end of said trailer and forward of said bulkhead. ### Claim 11 A utility trailer with a movable bed floor, said utility trailer comprising: a trailer frame including a first structural side wall and a second structural side wall opposing said first structural side wall, each of said first structural side wall and said second structural side wall extending along a length direction of said trailer and including an internal track formed within an upper most portion thereof; a plurality of bed panels coupled with said trailer frame and defining an upper support surface, each of said bed panels extending from a first lateral end proximate to said first structural side wall to a second lateral end proximate to said second structural side wall, whereby adjacent ones of said bed panels are spaced apart from each other by an unobstructed gap extending across a width of said trailer frame from said first structural side wall to said second structural side wall; a live-bed flexible member moveable along the length direction of the trailer and substantially spanning said upper support surface, wherein said live-bed flexible member comprises a flexible conveyor belt that provides a continuous flexible surface between forward and rearward ends thereof; a drive system operable to drive said live-bed flexible member in forward and rearward directions over said upper support surface for loading and unloading items; wherein said live-bed flexible member has a bulkhead disposed at said forward end thereof, said bulkhead extending from said first structural side wall to said second structural side wall and including a first slide bearing slidably received within said internal track of said first structural side wall and a second slide bearing slidably received within said internal track of said second structural side wall; wherein side edge regions of said live-bed flexible member are movable along and under side cover plates at and along the lateral ends of said plurality of bed panels; and wherein said drive system comprises a motor that rotatably drives a sprocket to linearly drive a load chain that is connected at said bulkhead and said rearward end of said live-bed flexible member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The utility trailer of claim 11, wherein said load chain extends longitudinally below said bed panel when said live-bed flexible member spans said upper surface of said bed panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The utility trailer of claim 11, comprising a tension device that adjusts responsive to change in tension in said load chain and said live-bed flexible member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The utility trailer of claim 13, wherein said tension device comprises a plurality of biasing elements disposed at connecting elements that connect said forward end of said live-bed flexible member and an end of said load chain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The utility trailer of claim 11, wherein said bulkhead includes a first slide angle guide configured to engage an upper portion of said first structural side wall and a second slide angle guide configured to engage an upper portion of said second structural side wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The utility trailer of claim 11, wherein the bulkhead comprises: a first flexible wiper seal contacting an inner surface of said first structural side wall; a second flexible wiper seal contacting an inner surface of said second structural side wall; a first corner scraper guide plate contacting said inner surface of said first structural side wall and an upper surface of a first one of said side cover plates; and a second corner scraper guide plate contacting said inner surface of said second structural side wall and an upper surface of a second one of said side cover plates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The utility trailer of claim 11, wherein said bulkhead includes a chain coupling for connecting said bulkhead to a first end of said load chain, said chain coupling movable along the length direction of the trailer between a first position and a second position relative to the bulkhead, and including a urethane tension element configured to bias the chain coupling towards the first position.