# US 9,434,293 B2 · Side rail of a flatbed trailer for use with cargo restraint devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,293 B2 - Document ID: US9434293B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/619,808 - Filed: 2015-02-11 - Published: 2015-08-06 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-15 - Assignees: Wabash National, L.P. - Applicants: Wabash National, L.P. - Inventors: Travis Smith McCloud - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434293B2 ## CPC - B60P 7/0815: {Attachment rails or trellis} - B60P 7/0807: {Attachment points} - B62D 25/2054: {Load carrying floors for commercial vehicles} - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A side rail of a floor assembly of a trailer, such as a flatbed trailer, including a channel formed in a top wall of the side rail and an aperture formed in the top wall of the side rail at a location spaced-apart from the channel. The channel extends along a length of the side rail and is configured to receive a first cargo restraint device therein. The aperture is configured to receive a second cargo restraint device therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A floor assembly of a vehicle, for example, comprising: a plurality of transversely-extending cross members; a plurality of longitudinally-extending floor planks positioned above and coupled to a top surface of the plurality of cross members; and a support member configured to extend generally along a length of the floor assembly, the support member including a top wall generally flush with the plurality of longitudinally-extending floor planks, and a vertical wall coupled to the top wall and extending downwardly therefrom such that a bottom end of the vertical wall is positioned generally below the cross members, wherein the support member is positioned between two of the longitudinally-extending floor planks, and wherein the top wall of the support member includes a channel formed therein which extends along a length of the support member, the channel being configured to receive a cargo restraint device therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is generally J-shaped when viewed in cross-section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel formed in the top wall is defined by spaced-apart vertical members and a base member coupled to the bottom of the vertical members, wherein the base member is wider than a widest portion of the channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The floor assembly of claim 3, wherein the base member is welded to one of the cross-members of the floor assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The floor assembly of claim 3, wherein one of the vertical members defines a width greater than another one of the vertical members. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The floor assembly of claim 3, wherein the vertical members are first and second vertical members and wherein the top wall further includes third and fourth vertical members which are each spaced-apart from the first and second vertical members. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a side rail spaced-apart from the support member and including a top wall defining a side rail channel and an aperture spaced-apart from the side rail channel, wherein the side rail channel is configured to receive the cargo restraint device therein, and wherein the aperture is configured to receive a different cargo-restraint device therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The floor assembly of claim 7, wherein the side rail is positioned outwardly from the transversely-extending cross-members of the floor assembly, and wherein the channel of the side rail is positioned outside a lateral end of at least one of the transversely-extending cross-members of the floor assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is positioned laterally outside the vertical wall of the support member away from a longitudinal centerline axis of the floor assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, wherein the support member is positioned laterally outside a longitudinal axis of the floor assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The floor assembly of claim 10, wherein the support member is a first support member, and further comprising a second support member spaced-apart from the first support member and coupled to the first support member by a cross-brace, and wherein the second support member includes a channel formed in a top wall of the second support member which extends along a length of the second support member and is configured to receive the cargo restraint device therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The floor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cross-brace coupled directly to the support member and configured to extend transversely across a central portion of the floor assembly, wherein at least a portion of the cross-brace is positioned below the plurality of transversely-extending cross-members.