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US 11,299,213 B2Granted
Joining a rail member to a composite trailer structure
AssigneeWabash National, L.P.
InventorTravis Smith McCloud
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo vehicle configured to support cargo includes a frame assembly with at least one rail member defining a portion of an outer perimeter of the trailer. The cargo vehicle also includes a composite member adjacent to the frame assembly and a mounting member removably coupled to the at least one rail member and permanently coupled to the composite member.
Claims22
A cargo vehicle comprising:
- a composite floor assembly configured to support cargo, the composite floor assembly comprising a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, a longitudinal axis extending between the left and right sides from the front end to the rear end, and a plurality of composite support beams extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the plurality of composite support beams being spaced apart to define a plurality of recessed areas between adjacent composite support beams;
- a rail extending along the left side or the right side of the composite floor assembly;
- a first mounting plate coupled to a front surface of one of the composite support beams, the first mounting plate comprising at least one protrusion positioned adjacent at least one edge of an inner surface of the mounting plate, the at least one protrusion configured to abut the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam to define a gap therebetween, the first mounting plate further defining a port positioned laterally inward of the protrusion, the port configured to receive an adhesive in the gap between the inner surface of the first mounting plate and the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam to permanently couple the first mounting plate to the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam;
- a second mounting plate permanently coupled to a rear surface of one of the composite support beams;
- a third mounting plate positioned against the rail and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the first and second mounting plates;
- and
- at least one mechanical fastener coupling the third mounting plate to the rail, at least a portion of the at least one mechanical fastener located in one of the recessed areas of the composite floor assembly.
4 more elements
A cargo vehicle comprising:
- a composite floor assembly configured to support cargo, the composite floor assembly comprising a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, a longitudinal axis extending between the left and right sides from the front end to the rear end, and composite support beam extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the composite support beam having a front surface that faces a front recessed area and a rear surface that faces a rear recessed area;
- a rail extending along the left side or the right side of the composite floor assembly;
- a first mounting plate coupled to the front surface of the composite support beam, the first mounting plate comprising at least one protrusion positioned adjacent at least one edge of an inner surface of the first mounting plate, the at least one protrusion configured to abut the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam to define a gap therebetween, the first mounting plate further defining a port positioned laterally inward of the protrusion, the port configured to receive an adhesive in the gap between the inner surface of the first mounting plate and the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam to permanently couple the first mounting plate to the front surface of the corresponding composite support beam;
- a second mounting plate coupled to the rear surface of the composite support beam, the second mounting plate comprising at least one protrusion positioned adjacent at least one edge of a second inner surface of the second mounting plate, the at least one protrusion configured to abut the rear surface of the corresponding composite support beam to define a second gap therebetween, the second mounting plate further defining a second port positioned laterally inward of the at least one protrusion, the second port configured to receive an adhesive in the second gap between the second inner surface of the second mounting plate and the rear surface of the corresponding composite support beam to permanently couple the second mounting plate to the rear surface of the corresponding composite support beam;
- a third mounting plate positioned against the rail and extending forwardly from the first mounting plate through the front recessed area;
- a fourth mounting plate positioned against the rail and extending rearwardly from the second mounting plate through the rear recessed area;
- at least one front mechanical fastener coupling the third mounting plate to the rail;
- and
- at least one rear mechanical fastener coupling the fourth mounting plate to the rail.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.