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US 2026/0274148 A1Published application
Trailers and trucks having expandable cargo compartments, and covering systems and outriggers therefor
OwnerDarryl Clive Metz, Cherise Mandy Metzinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Trailers and trucks, for hauling cargo, which also have (i) retractable compartments or platforms for use as modern, rapidly deployable sleeping quarters, offices, administrative facilities, medical facilities, command centers, kitchens, canteens, etc. and (ii) covering systems which protect and change or improve the appearance of the expandable trailers and trucks, screen the expandable trailers and trucks from sunlight or from view, and provide additional insulation from wind and cold.
Claims46
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing and a housing compartment within the cargo housing;
- a plurality of first support structures which extend upwardly from the roof of the cargo housing;
- a plurality of second support structures which (i) extend upwardly from the roof of the cargo housing, (ii) are shorter than the first support structures, and (iii) are each positioned between one of the first support structures and an outer perimeter of the roof of the cargo housing or are positioned on the outer perimeter of the roof of the cargo housing;
- a plurality of outwardly extending covering support elements, each of which (i) extends outwardly from an upper end or upper portion of one of the first support structures and (ii) slopes downwardly as it extends outwardly;
- at least most of the outwardly extending covering support elements being supported by one of the second support structures;
- and
- a removable covering which is positioned over the first support structures, the second support structures, and the outwardly extending covering support elements and covers at least most of the roof of the cargo housing.
4 more elements
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing and a housing compartment within the cargo housing;
- a left retractable platform or retractable compartment which is extendable from a left lateral side of the cargo housing to a deployed position for use and is retractable to a retracted position for transporting the trailer or truck;
- a right retractable platform or retractable compartment which is extendable from a right lateral side of the cargo housing to a deployed position for use and is retractable to a retracted position for transporting the trailer or truck;
- a plurality of first support structures which extend upwardly from the roof of the cargo housing;
- a plurality of second support structures which (i) extend upwardly from the roof of the cargo housing, (ii) are shorter than the first support structures, and (iii) are each positioned between one of the first support structures and an outer perimeter of the roof of the cargo housing or are positioned on the outer perimeter of the roof of the cargo housing;
- a plurality of outwardly extending covering support frames, each of the covering support frames having an upper frame element which (i) extends outwardly from an upper end or upper portion of one of the first support structures and (ii) slopes downwardly as it extends outwardly;
- the upper frame element of at least most of the outwardly extending covering support frames being supported by one of the second support structures;
- a removable covering which is positioned over the first support structures and the outwardly extending covering support frames;
- and
- when the left retractable platform or retractable compartment and the right retractable platform or retractable compartment are in their deployed positions and the removable covering is positioned over the first support structures and the outwardly extending covering support frames, the removable covering extends over at least most of the roof of the cargo housing, at least most of a top of the left retractable platform or retractable compartment, and at least most of a top of the right retractable platform or retractable compartment.
7 more elements
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing and a housing compartment within the cargo housing;
- a plurality of lateral channels positioned on the roof of the cargo housing which are spaced longitudinally apart;
- a set of cover support frames in which each of the cover support frames in the set of cover support frames comprises:
- a first upwardly extending support structure having a lower end which is removably received and held in a supporting one of the lateral channels,
- a sloped upper frame element which extends laterally outward, at a downward inclination, from an upper end or upper portion of the first upwardly extending support structure, and
- a second upwardly extending support structure having an upper end which is attached at a mid-portion location of the sloped upper frame element and having a lower end which is removably received and held in the supporting one of the lateral channels, the first upwardly extending support structure being taller than the second upwardly extending support structure;
- and
- a removable covering which is positioned on, and supported over at least a portion of the roof of the cargo housing by, the set of cover support frames.
5 more elements
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing and a housing compartment within the cargo housing;
- a first lateral channel on the roof of the cargo housing;
- a second lateral channel on the roof of the cargo housing, the second lateral channel being spaced longitudinally apart from the first lateral channel;
- the first lateral channel and the second lateral channel each having a left cover support frame and a right cover support frame installed therein;
- each of the left and the right cover support frames installed in each of the first and the second lateral channels comprising
- a first upwardly extending support structure having a lower end which is removably received and held in the lateral channel,
- a sloped upper frame element which extends laterally outward, at a downward inclination, from an upper end or upper portion of the first upwardly extending support structure, and
- a second upwardly extending support structure having an upper end which is attached at a mid-portion location of the sloped upper frame element and having a lower end which is removably received and held in the lateral channel, the first upwardly extending support structure being taller than the second upwardly extending support structure;
- the sloped upper frame elements of the left cover support frames installed in the first and the second lateral channels extending laterally outward over a left side of the roof of the cargo housing;
- the sloped upper frame elements of the right cover support frames installed in the first and the second lateral channels extending laterally outward over a right side of the roof of the cargo housing;
- and
- a removable covering which is positioned on, and supported over at least a portion of the roof of the cargo housing by at least (i) the left and the right cover support frames installed in the first lateral channel and (ii) the left and the right cover support frames installed in the second lateral channel.
9 more elements
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing and a housing compartment within the cargo housing;
- a retractable platform or retractable compartment which is extendable from a lateral side of the cargo housing to a deployed position for use and is retractable to a retracted position for transporting the trailer or truck;
- a longitudinally extending solar panel structure that is pivotably secured on the roof of the cargo housing for pivoting the solar panel structure upwardly on the roof of the cargo housing to an upwardly angled operating position;
- a set of removable canopy supports on the lateral side of the cargo housing, each of the canopy supports comprising (i) a first elongate support element that extends outwardly from the roof of the cargo housing, or from an upper portion of the lateral side of the cargo housing, and (ii) a second elongate support element that extends downwardly from a distal end or end portion of the first elongate support element;
- and
- a removable covering comprising
- a roof having (i) a longitudinally extending upper ridge, (ii) a first side which extends outwardly from the upper ridge at a downward angle, at least most of a total area of the first side of the roof of the removable covering being an open area which is positioned over the solar panel structure to expose the solar panel structure to sunlight when the solar panel structure is oriented in its angled operating position and (iii) a second side, opposite the first side of the roof of the removable covering, which extends outwardly from the upper ridge at a downward angle and
- a canopy which extends from a lower side edge of the roof of the removable covering over the first elongate support elements of the canopy supports so that the canopy is positioned over at least most of a top of the retractable platform or retractable compartment.
5 more elements
A trailer or truck comprising:
- a cargo housing having a roof on top of the cargo housing, a housing compartment within the cargo housing, and a bottom bed;
- a retractable platform or retractable compartment which is extendable from a lateral side of the cargo housing to a deployed position for use and is retractable to a retracted position for transporting the trailer or truck, the retractable platform or retractable compartment having a floor which pivots upwardly to cover a side opening of the cargo housing when the retractable platform or retractable compartment is retracted to its retracted position;
- and
- at least one outrigger for supporting the floor of the retractable platform or retractable compartment when the retractable platform or retractable compartment is in its deployed position, the outrigger comprising
- a pivot arm which is pivotable from a stowed position of the pivot arm beneath the bottom bed of the cargo housing to a deployed position of the pivot arm extending outwardly from the cargo housing;
- a support element which is positionable on top of the pivot arm in a supporting position of the support element;
- and
- when (i) the pivot arm of the outrigger is in the deployed position of the pivot arm, (ii) the support element is positioned on top of the pivot arm in the supporting position of the support element, and (iii) the retractable platform or retractable compartment is in its deployed position, the floor of the retractable platform or retractable compartment will rest on the support element.
5 more elements
The trailer or truck of claim further comprising:
- the support element being pivotably attached to the pivot arm and
- the support element being upwardly pivotable from (i) a lowered position which permits the pivot arm to be pivoted to the stowed position of the pivot arm beneath the bottom bed of the cargo housing to (ii) the supporting position of the support element on top of the pivot arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.