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US 6,669,271 B2Granted
Smooth side body structure and method
AssigneeEast Manufacturing Corporation
InventorHoward Booher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A smooth side trailer body or body structure comprised of a plurality of extruded panel members positioned adjacent one another. The extruded panels are arranged perpendicular to the floor of a trailer. The panels are held to the floor by a bottom rail. A top rail portion may be used to hold the panels together to form a more rigid wall.
Claims14
A trailer comprising:
- a floor;
- a monolithic top rail;
- a monolithic bottom rail;
- a plurality of vertically extending monolithic hollow, extruded wall panels positioned vertically adjacent one another wherein the plurality of hollow, extruded wall panels is secured at one end to the top rail and at the opposite end to the bottom rail;
- wherein each wall panel comprises an inside wall and an outside wall connected to each other by a first end wall, a second end wall, and at least one intermediate wall;
- the first end wall includes a groove that extends along the length of the panel between the top rail and the bottom rail;
- the second end wall includes a projection that extends along the length of the panel between the top rail and the bottom rail;
- wherein the projection of the second end wall matingly engages the groove of the first end wall of an adjacent wall panel;
- wherein the bottom rail includes:
- a wall engaging portion and a floor engaging portion, and a bracing portion;
- wherein the wall engaging portion is at least partially U-shaped to matingly support the wall panels;
- wherein the bracing portion extends upward at an angle approximately 45° from the floor engaging portion and includes a flat end portion formed generally parallel to the wall panels and connected to the plurality of wall panels;
- wherein the floor engaging portion attaches to the top of the floor of the trailer and includes a lower member which extends below a floor of the trailer and is attached to the bottom of the floor of the trailer;
- wherein the outside walls of the plurality of wall panels form a smooth exterior trailer wall surface.
11 more elements
A wall for a trailer comprising:
- a plurality of hollow, extruded wall panels positioned vertically adjacent one another;
- wherein each wall panel comprises an inside wall and an outside wall connected to each other by a first end wall, a second end wall, and at least one intermediate wall;
- wherein the inside wall or the outside wall comprises at least one reinforcing rib extending part wall toward the other wall said at least one stiffening rib having a free end, the free end being spaced away from the other wall;
- wherein the first end wall includes a groove that extends along the length of the panel between ends of the first end wall;
- wherein the second end wall includes a projection which that extends along the length of the panel between ends of the second end wall;
- wherein the projection of the second end wall matingly engages the groove of the first end wall of an adjacent wall panel;
- wherein the outside walls of the plurality of wall panels form a smooth exterior trailer wall surface.
4 more elements
A method of constructing a trailer comprising the following steps:
- providing a floor;
- providing a plurality of vertically extending monolithic extruded hollow wall panels wherein each wall panel comprises an inside wall and an outside wall connected to each other by a first end wall, a second end wall, and at least one intermediate wall, the first end wall including a groove that extends along the length of the panel, the second end wall including a projection which that extends along the length of the panel;
- providing a bottom rail comprising:
- a first U-shaped section oriented vertically upward, the wall panels lower end being positioned within the first U-shaped section oriented vertically upward, the wall panels lower end being positioned within the first U-shaped section;
- a second U-shaped section oriented horizontally, the floor being positioned within the second U-shaped section;
- and an angle section extending from the second U-shaped section towards the wall panels positioned within the first U-shaped section, a free end of the angle section engaging the wall panels inside wall;
- attaching the bottom rail second U-shaped section to the floor of the trailer;
- attaching the plurality of wall panels to each other by positioning the projection of the second end wall of a wall panel into the groove of the first end wall of an adjacent wall panel;
- inserting and securing the plurality of interconnected wall panels into the first U-shaped portion of the bottom rail;
- providing a top rail comprising a first wall panel engaging flange;
- and a second wall panel engaging flange, the second wall panel engaging flange being vertically lower than the first wall panel engaging flange;
- and
- attaching the top rail over the plurality of interconnected wall panels, the top rail first wall panel engaging flange engaging the wall panels outside wall and the second wall panel engaging flange engaging the wall panels inside wall.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.