Roof assembly for a storage container

#The present invention relates generally to storage containers such as mobile storage containers, and more specifically to roof structures for such storage containers.

#Conventional roofs for storage containers, and particularly for mobile storage containers, may be provided in various forms. For example, in conventional box or van-type trailers, a roof assembly may include a number of roof bows extending between and along the trailer side walls and a flexible sheet or cover supported by the roof bows. It is desirable to improve storage container roofing technology generally, and particularly roofing technology for transportable storage containers.

#The present invention may comprise one or more of the features recited in the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof. A roof assembly is provided for a storage container having two opposing side walls that together define a length of the storage container. The roof assembly may comprise a plurality of roof panels arranged atop and between the two opposing side walls along the length of the storage container in side-by-side relationship. Each of the plurality of roof panels may have opposite sides and opposite ends. Each of the opposite ends of the plurality of roof panels may be configured to be secured to a top of a corresponding one of the two opposite side walls of the storage container. Each of the opposite sides of each of the plurality of roof panels may be configured to be attached to the side of an adjacent one of the plurality of roof panels.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment of a roof assembly for a trailer.

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the roof assembly as viewed along section lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the roof assembly as viewed along section lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

#For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to a number of illustrative embodiments shown in the attached drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. While the concepts of this disclosure are described in relation to trailers towed by motor vehicles, it will be understood that they are equally applicable to storage containers generally, and more specifically to transportable containers for transporting one or more objects, straight truck bodies, small personal and/or commercial trailers, trailers mounted to motor vehicles, and the like.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view is shown of one illustrative embodiment of a roof assembly 18 for a trailer 10. Illustratively, the trailer 10 is a conventional box or van type trailer that is towable by a heavy duty truck, although it will be understood that the roof assembly 18 may be mounted to other trailer types and/or to other storage containers generally. In the illustrated embodiment, the trailer 10 includes a pair of opposing side walls 12A and 12B (see also FIG. 4) that extend the length of the trailer 10, a front wall 14 attached to and between the side walls 12A and 12B at one end thereof and a rear frame 16 attached to and between the side walls 12A and 12B at an opposite end thereof. A conventional door assembly 17 is mounted to the rear frame 16.

#The roof assembly 18 includes a plurality of individual and separate roof panels 201-20N arranged in side-by-side relationship atop the trailer 10 and extending along the length of the trailer 10, wherein N may be any positive integer. The roof panels 201-20N are configured to be joined together and secured generally to the tops of the side walls 12A, 12B, to the front wall 14 and to the rear frame 16. For example, each of the roof panels 201-20N is attached at one end 221-22N thereof along the top of the side wall 12A and at an opposite end 241-24N along the top of the side wall 12B. In the illustrated embodiment, and as further illustrated in FIG. 3, the top of the side wall 12A is attached to and along a top rail 40A and the top of the sidewall 12B is attached to and along another top rail 40B. In this embodiment, the opposite ends 221-22N and 241-24N of the roof panels 201-20N are attached to the top rails 40A and 40B respectively. In any case, one side, e.g., the free side, of the first roof panel 201 is attached to the top of the rear frame 16, and one side, e.g., the free side, of the last roof panel 20N is attached to the top of the front wall 14. Illustratively, the free sides of the roof panels 201 and 20N are attached to the tops of the rear frame 16 and front wall 14 respectively via a number of conventional fixation members, such as rivets, threaded nut/bolt combinations or the like, as illustrated in FIG. 1, although the free sides of the roof panels 201 and 20N may alternatively or additionally be attached to the tops of the rear frame 16 and front wall 14 respectively via a conventional bonding medium.