US 11,235,819 B2Granted

Multi-panel skirt system for cargo enclosures

AssigneeTranstex Inc.

InventorsSemir Kapetanovic, Nathan David See, Michael Lorenzo Henderson

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A preferred multi-panel skirt system for a cargo enclosure includes two pair of forward and aft skirt panels with each pair located on an opposite lateral sides of the enclosure. In each pair, the forward skirt panel extends along the bottom wall generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, which is located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of a lateral side edge of the enclosure. An aft skirt panel extends along the bottom wall generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge aft of the forward skirt panel, which trailing edge is located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of the lateral side edge of the enclosure. The leading edge of the aft skirt panel is positioned laterally inboard of the trailing edge of the forward skirt panel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A cargo enclosure, comprising:

(a) a top wall;
(b) front and rear walls;
(c) first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls in a lengthwise direction of the cargo enclosure;
(d) a bottom wall extending between the front and rear walls in the lengthwise direction and between the first and second side walls in a lateral direction of the cargo enclosure, the first side wall intersecting the bottom wall at a first lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure, the second side wall intersecting the bottom wall at a second lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure, wherein the top wall, the front and rear walls, the side walls, and the bottom wall enclose a cargo space of the cargo enclosure;
and
(e) a multi-panel skirt system installed or otherwise secured to the bottom wall, the multi-panel skirt system:
(i) a first forward skirt panel extending along the bottom wall generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel being located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of the first lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
and
(ii) a first aft skirt panel extending along the bottom wall generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge aft of the first forward skirt panel relative to a forward travel direction of the cargo enclosure, the trailing edge of the first aft skirt panel being located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of the first lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
(iii) wherein the first aft skirt panel extends laterally inboard as the first aft skirt panel extends in the lengthwise direction from its trailing edge to its leading edge such that the leading edge of the first aft skirt panel is positioned laterally inboard of the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel.

7 more elements

A cargo enclosure, comprising:

(a) walls defining a cargo space, including a bottom wall;
(b) a first forward skirt panel extending along the bottom wall of the cargo enclosure generally in the lengthwise direction of the cargo enclosure between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel, with the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of a first lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
and
(c) a first aft skirt panel extending along the bottom wall aft of the first forward skirt panel generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the first aft skirt panel relative to a forward travel direction of the cargo enclosure, with the trailing edge of the first aft skirt panel being located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of the first lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
(d) wherein the first aft skirt panel extends laterally inboard as the first aft skirt panel extends in the lengthwise direction from its trailing edge to its leading edge such that the leading edge of the first aft skirt panel is positioned laterally inboard of the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel;
and
further comprising,
(e) a second forward skirt panel extending along the bottom wall of the cargo enclosure generally in the lengthwise direction of the cargo enclosure between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the second forward skirt panel, with the trailing edge of the second forward skirt panel located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of a second lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
and
(f) a second aft skirt panel extending along the bottom wall aft of the second forward skirt panel generally in the lengthwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the second aft skirt panel relative to a forward travel direction of the cargo enclosure, with the trailing edge of the second aft skirt panel being located adjacent to and aligned with or positioned laterally inboard of the second lateral side edge of the cargo enclosure;
(g) wherein the second aft skirt panel extends laterally inboard as the second aft skirt panel extends in the lengthwise direction from its trailing edge to its leading edge such that the leading edge of the second aft skirt panel is positioned laterally inboard of the trailing edge of the second forward skirt panel;
(h) wherein the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel is positioned forward of the leading edge of the first aft skirt panel relative to the forward travel direction for the cargo enclosure such that a lengthwise gap is defined between the first forward and aft skirt panels in the lengthwise direction;
and
(i) wherein the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel is positioned aft of the leading edge of the first aft skirt panel relative to the forward travel direction for the cargo enclosure such that the first aft skirt panel overlaps the first forward skirt panel in the lengthwise direction, and wherein a transverse gap extending between the trailing edge of the first forward skirt panel and the leading edge of the first aft skirt panel defines an air vent.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/777,874Filed 30 Jan 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 Jan 2019
Published: US 2020/0239088 A130 Jul 2020
Granted: 1 Feb 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B62D 35/02
Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining: streamlining the undersurfaces
B62D 33/04
Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles: enclosed load compartments ; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains
B62D 35/001
Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining: for commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
Y02T 10/82
Technologies aiming to reduce greenhouse gasses emissions common to all road transportation technologies: elements for improving aerodynamics