Sliding Pivot Assembly for Cover Systems
AssigneeRoll-Rite, LLC
InventorTimothy Searfoss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A covering system for vehicles and trailers having a narrow pivot assembly with a moveable arm to help deploy the covering system. The pivot assembly has a gear assembly combined with a spring assembly having the power of multiple springs, which are preferably spiral torsion springs, regarding movement of the arm. The pivot assembly may in turn be mounted in a sliding mechanism for covering various heights of detachable containers.
Claims20
Intended for use with an open-top container of a trailer or a rail car, a covering system with a cover movable between an opened position and a closed position, the covering system having a narrow pivot assembly comprising a gear assembly and a coordinated spring assembly between substantially flat, thin plates with
- a first gear and a first spring of the spring assembly engaging a primary rotating shaft for coordinated movement;
- a secondary gear and a second spring engaging a second rotating shaft for coordinated movement;
- wherein the first gear transmits torque to the secondary gear as part of the gear assembly;
- and
- an arm fixedly attached to the first gear for pivoting about the primary rotating shaft.
A covering system comprising a cover, movable arms, and a narrow pivot assembly for pivotably moving one of the movable arms, the pivot assembly including:
- a first rotating shaft with an axial groove, a primary gear with an inner tab engaging the axial groove, a primary spiral torsion spring with an inner hook secured in the axial groove, the pivotably movable arm secured relative to the primary gear and pivoting about the first rotating shaft;
- and
- a second rotating shaft with a groove, a secondary gear with a tab engaging the groove, a second spiral torsion spring with an inner hook secured in the groove;
- wherein direct contact of teeth of the primary and secondary gears transmit torque relative to the pivotably movable arm with the power of multiple aligned spiral torsion springs.
A gear-driven pivot assembly comprising a housing with a gear assembly cooperating with a spring assembly having power of aligned multiple springs with
- the gear assembly including a set of toothed gears meshed with one another, each engaging a respective shaft;
- the spring assembly including a plurality of aligned spiral torsion springs, each with an inner hook engaging the respective shaft and an outer hook cooperating with a respective pin fixed on the housing;
- and
- a pivot arm secured relative to one of the toothed gears with the respective shaft as its pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.