Patent Application
20130069391
To assemble or trim the interior of a truck sleeper, components typically need to be passed through an opening in the sleeper or cab, and the opening is later closed off during the assembly process. The opening must be sufficiently large such that sleeper components, such as a mattress, cabinets, kitchenette accessories, etc., may fit through the opening. For ease of installation, large sections of the sleeper are often removed or otherwise designed for later installation to create a sufficiently large opening in the sleeper during trim assembly. For instance, a large opening may be defined by a removable roof, rear panel, or fire wall.
Although such large openings enable an operator to easily install trim components and allow significant air and light to pass into the sleeper during assembly, such large openings require installation of large closures (i.e., the roof, rear panel, fire wall, etc.) after the interior trim is installed. Large closures often include complicated interfaces that can make installation difficult, leading to incomplete sealing of the closures and an increased risk of damage to the body, interior components, and finished surfaces during installation. The openings defined for the cab doors may also be used, but use of such openings limit the access, light, and air into the sleeper. Moreover, use of the cab door openings for sleeper trim installation prevents simultaneous installation of components within the cab.
What is desired, therefore, is a system that allows for improved access to a truck cab during assembly and trimming in a manner that also improves truck manufacturing efficiency.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one aspect, a sidewall enclosure assembly for selectively providing access to an interior portion of a vehicle having a sidewall with an access opening formed in the sidewall is provided. In one embodiment, the sidewall enclosure assembly comprises:
(a) an insert selectively attachable to a portion of the sidewall such that it divides the access opening into at least first and second closeout openings; and
(b) at least one modular closeout sealingly engageable with the sidewall and the insert to enclose one of the first and second closeout openings.
In another aspect, a sidewall enclosure assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the sidewall enclosure assembly is configured for selectively providing access to an interior portion of a vehicle having a sidewall and an access opening defined in the sidewall, the access opening sized and configured to allow vehicle interior trim components to be passed through the access opening during vehicle assembly. The sidewall enclosure assembly comprises:
a double door assembly sealingly engageable with the sidewall to cover the access opening, wherein the double door assembly comprises:
In another aspect, a method for assembling an interior of a vehicle having a cab portion and a sleeper portion is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises:
(a) defining an access opening in a sidewall of the sleeper portion of the vehicle that provides access to an interior of the sleeper portion;
(b) passing at least one interior trim component through the access opening and into the interior of the sleeper portion;
(c) installing the at least one interior trim component in the interior of the sleeper portion; and
(d) covering the access opening with a sidewall enclosure assembly, comprising:
In another aspect, a method for assembling an interior portion of a truck sleeper is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises:
(a) defining an access opening in a sidewall of the truck sleeper that provides access to the interior portion of the truck sleeper;
(b) passing a sleeper component for installation in the truck sleeper through the access opening and into the interior portion of the truck sleeper;
(c) installing the at least one interior sleeper component in the interior portion of the sleeper; and
(d) covering the access opening with a sidewall enclosure assembly, the sidewall enclosure assembly comprising a double door assembly sealingly engageable with the sidewall to cover the access opening, wherein the double door assembly comprises:
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present disclosure provides various assemblies for selectively providing access to an interior portion of a vehicle.
The access opening 110 is located within the sidewall 112 of the vehicle body near the rear of the cab/sleeper unit 118. The access opening 110 is suitable in size and configuration to provide access to the interior of the cab/sleeper unit 118 when uncovered. For instance, the access opening 110 may be generally rectangular in shape and of a sufficient height and width such that, when uncovered, it provides access to both the bed in the sleeper portion of the cab/sleeper unit 118 (when trimmed) and a toolbox or other storage space (not shown for simplicity) located beneath the bed, directly inside the opening 110.
The access opening 110 is also suitable in size and configuration to accommodate the pass-through of various interior trim components of the cab/sleeper unit 118 during assembly. For example, a bed 120 is illustrated in
After the trim components have been passed through the access opening 110 and the interior of the cab/sleeper unit 118 has been satisfactorily assembled, the access openings 110 are covered by securing a sidewall enclosure assembly within the access opening 110 of the sidewall 112.
In the embodiments discussed below, the sidewall enclosure assembly can optionally take many forms, depending on, for instance, the functionality or aesthetic appearance desired of the sidewall enclosure assembly. For example, the sidewall enclosure assembly can be embodied as a single door (see sidewall enclosure assembly 214 of
Referring to
The door 220 is provided with at least one hinge 224 secured along an elongated edge of the door 220. The hinges 224 are attachable to the sidewall 212 of the cab/sleeper unit 218 near the access opening 210. As such, the door 220 may be reciprocated between open and closed positions to selectively cover the access opening 210. For example, when the door 220 is opened, a person situated on the exterior of the cab/sleeper unit 218 may have access to, for instance, a bed and/or a toolbox inside the cab/sleeper unit 218. This maybe useful when, for example, a first person would like to access the interior of the sleeper (to get into and out of the sleeper or to access the toolbox) without disturbing someone in the cab portion of the cab/sleeper unit 218. Moreover, in the closed position, the door 220 acts as a substantial barrier from any noise, weather conditions, etc. In that regard, the sidewall enclosure assembly 214 may further include a seal 226, having substantially the same size and shape as the access opening 210, disposed between the door 220 and the sidewall 212 of the cab/sleeper unit 218 so as to provide a weather tight interface between the door 220 and the sidewall 212.
Turning now to
In the embodiment illustrated in
Similar to the embodiment described in
Turning now to
Referring first to
Each of the doors 442 and 444 are attached to the sleeper sidewall 412 near the access opening 410 with one or more hinges 446 that allow for reciprocation between open and closed positions. An upper seal 448 substantially the same size and shape as the upper door 442 is intermediate the upper door 442 and the sleeper sidewall 412 to provide a weather tight seal. Similarly, a lower seal 450 substantially the same size and shape as the lower door 444 is intermediate the lower door 444 and the sleeper sidewall 412 to provide a weather tight seal.
The carrier insert 452 laterally spans the width of the access opening 410 and divides the access opening 410 into upper and lower closeout openings that provide access to different areas of the interior of the sleeper, such as the bed (through the upper door 442) and the toolbox (through the lower door 444). The upper and lower openings may be selectively covered by the upper and lower doors 442 and 444. In that regard, the carrier insert 452 is vertically positioned intermediate the upper seal 448 and the lower seal 450. The carrier insert 452 also functions to cover the portion of the access opening 410 in the space between the upper door 442 and the lower door 444 when the doors are closed.
The carrier insert 452 makes it possible to install one or more modular closeouts or enclosures into a single access opening 410. In this regard, it should be appreciated that the carrier insert 452 may be configured to divide the opening 410 into any desired number of smaller closeout openings that are sized and shaped to receive a desired enclosure, such as a door, panel, etc.
The carrier insert 452 is affixed to the sleeper sidewall 412 using techniques known to those of skill in the art (e.g., bolts, screws, etc.). The carrier insert 452 may be formed from a metal, a plastic, a composite, or combinations thereof.
The lower and upper doors 444 and 442 in combination are substantially the same size and shape as the access opening 410. The lower door 444 is sized and shaped to provide access to the floor of the cab/sleeper unit 418 proximal to the opening 410. Such access is useful, for example, when a toolbox or other item is stored within a compartment in the floor of the cab/sleeper unit 418. Accordingly, such an access door is sometimes referred to as a “toolbox door.” The lower door 444 is a dedicated toolbox door that allows an operator to reach through a smaller closeout opening (defined by the carrier insert 452) to access a tool or other item inside the cab/sleeper unit 418. Such a dedicated, smaller closeout opening helps increase efficiency in obtaining tools and does not require a full-sized door to be opened. This is helpful, for example, when an operator wishes to access the toolbox without disturbing someone sleeping on the bed in the sleeper unit.
The upper door 442 is sized and shaped to provide access to another portion of the cab/sleeper unit 418, such as the bed, and may be configured, for example, to allow a person access to, or egress from, the bed of the cab/sleeper unit 418.
Turning now to
The sidewall enclosure assembly 514 provides an operator with access to the interior of the cab/sleeper unit 518 through the lower “toolbox” door 564, while maintaining closure of the upper opening that would provide access to, for instance, a bed in the cab/sleeper unit 518. The upper portion of the opening 510 (defined by carrier insert 574) is enclosed by the panel 562 that is not readily openable. Accordingly, the embodiment of
The lower door 564 is provided with at least one hinge 566 secured along an edge of the door 564. The hinges 566 are attachable to the sidewall 512 of the cab/sleeper unit 518 near the access opening 510. As such, the lower door 564 may be reciprocated between open and closed positions to selectively provide access to the toolbox area of the cab/sleeper unit 518.
The upper panel 562 is affixed to the sleeper sidewall 512 surrounding the opening 510 using one or more brackets 568, similar to the wall panel 330 of
While the embodiment illustrated in
Turning now to
Turning now to
The double door assembly 680 includes an entry door 682 that is substantially the same size and shape as the access opening 610, which allows a vehicle operator to, for instance, enter into the interior of the cab/sleeper unit 618, or have access to the bed within the cab/sleeper unit 618, when the entry door 682 is opened. The entry door 682 is mounted to the sidewall 612 by one or more hinges (not illustrated) and is moveable between open and closed positions.
An access door 686 is embedded within the entry door 682 to provide access to a limited, predetermined portion of the interior of the cab/sleeper unit 618. The access door 686 is inset from the lateral and lower edges of the entry door 682 or is otherwise located within the entry door 680 to provide access to the predetermined interior portion of the cab/sleeper unit 618, such as a toolbox area located beneath a sleeper bed. The access door 686 forms a portion of the entry door 680 and therefore moves with the entry door 680 when the entry door 680 is moved between open and closed positions. However, the access door 686 is also configured to open independently from the entry door 682.
In the illustrated embodiment of
Referring to
In the exemplary configuration illustrated in
A seal 688 is also disposed intermediate a sidewall door frame 604 and the entry door frame 602 so as to provide a weather tight connection between the entry door 682 and the sidewall 612. Accordingly, when the entry door 682 is closed, the sidewall door frame 604 sealingly engages with the entry door frame 602 by compressing the seal 688. The entry door 682 may be latched (not illustrated) when in the closed position, as illustrated in
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the access door 686 can be opened independently of the entry door 682 (e.g., for toolbox access when the entry door 682 is closed). If the entry door 682 is opened, however, the access door 686 opens in unison with the entry door 682 (e.g., the entire double door assembly 680 opens as a single door unit).
A second embodiment of a sidewall enclosure assembly 714 depicted as a double door assembly 790 is illustrated in
Referring to
In the exemplary embodiment of the double door assembly 790 illustrated in
The embodiments described herein with regard to
It will be appreciated that the modular nature of the sidewall enclosure assemblies and methods provided herein allow for modification of a sidewall enclosure assembly after it is installed on a cab/sleeper unit during production. For example, if a door 220 is initially installed, as illustrated in
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
