Patent Application
20140054340
The field of the invention relates to pickup trucks, transport systems for sheet materials, glass racks, and more specifically to glass racks mountable on pickup trucks.
For as long as glass windows have been commercially available, various methods and apparatus have evolved for transporting sheets of glass from manufacturer to distributor, and from distributor to consumer. Modern consumers of sheet glass are mainly businesses, since most glass which gets installed in residences is already pre-installed in window frames, mirror frames, and the like, whereas windows and mirrors installed in businesses are often large sheets of glass which are delivered un-framed. Modern consumers of curved glass (such as automobile windshields and automobile door windows) are also typically businesses.
There are two classes of modern glass delivery trucks: large, heavy-duty large-capacity glass trucks which are used for delivering glass from manufacturers to distributors (or to large construction sites during initial construction), and small, lighter-duty trucks that are used for delivering glass from distributors to small construction sites or repair job sites.
Large glass delivery trucks, such as shown in
Glass shops typically use smaller glass-carrying trucks such as those shown in
Attaching a glass rack to a pickup truck is typically an involved process that is done in a way that the rack is not intended to be removed. One disadvantage of permanent rack attachment is that it leaves the small business owner (glass shop owner) with a less broadly useful vehicle. The same disadvantage stated another way is that typically a small glass shop owner has to purchase an extra vehicle to serve as a glass truck, because a truck with a glass rack on it is not suitable as a recreational vehicle during non-business hours. There is a need for a glass rack suitable for attachment and detachment from a pickup truck, so that owners of small glass shops can more economically operate their businesses.
Another disadvantage of currently available pickup-truck-mountable glass racks is that they tend to be mounted in ways that require permanently altering the pickup truck in a way that may compromise resale value that can be recovered from the truck after it has lived out its useful life as a glass delivery vehicle. There is a need for a pickup-truck-mountable glass rack that requires no alteration or minimal alteration of the pickup on which it is installed, so as to maximize the resale value of the truck after is has served out its useful life as a glass delivery vehicle.
Currently available pickup-truck-mountable racks bolt in place in ways that require substantial time to attach the rack to the pickup truck body, and require permanent modification of the truck body to attach. While this results in a good theft deterrent for the rack itself, it also deters owners from transforming their glass trucks back into pickup trucks for non-glass-delivery applications. There is a need for a pickup-truck-mounted glass rack that can be attached and detached quickly (for instance, in a few minutes), with a means of attachment that still provides a good theft deterrent for the glass rack.
The weight and poor aerodynamics of today's pickup-truck-mounted glass racks results in poorer gas mileage and noisier driving conditions when the rack is mounted on the truck. In addition, glass racks typically add substantially to the width of a pickup truck, so a truck with a glass rack mounted on it typically can't park in a single parking space in a typical parking lot. Thus, a pickup truck with a typical glass rack on it becomes a more expensive and less desirable vehicle to use for non-glass-delivery applications. There is a need for a pickup-mountable glass rack which can be installed and removed quickly and easily, allowing increased efficiency and better aerodynamic performance for non-glass-carrying uses of the truck.
Another reason that today's pickup-truck mounted glass racks are not suitable for repeated installation and removal is that they are made in such a way that they are not rigid until they are attached to the truck body, so they are difficult and unwieldy to move and store. In addition, they are made in such a way that the likelihood of repeatedly incrementally damaging the finish or the pickup truck bed walls and/or sides during installation and removal is significant. There is a need for a removable pickup-truck-mountable glass rack with innovative features that significantly reduce the potential for damage to the truck during removal and re-installation of the rack. There is a need for a pickup-truck-mountable removable glass rack that is easy to store.
When a glass rack is fully loaded, it may have a weight on the order of the rated carrying capacity for the pickup truck it is mounted on. In recent years, pickup truck manufacturers have used lighter-gauge steel in some panels when manufacturing pickup trucks, to reduce manufacturing cost and weight. While reducing the weight and strength of steel used in pickup trucks, manufacturers attempt to keep enough strength in the pickup truck bed that when carrying a normal load (where the load weight is typically supported primarily by the pickup bed), if the truck goes over a bump, the pickup bed is strong enough not to become deformed by the load.
Unfortunately, pickup truck-mounted glass racks often transfer most of their load to the pickup truck bed rails (the top of the bed walls), rather than the bed itself. Thus, many of today's pickup-truck-mounted glass racks can cause permanent deformation of the bed walls if a pickup with a fully loaded glass rack goes over a bump in transit. Some manufacturers of glass racks for pickup trucks have made available optional bracing supports that bolt in place inside the pickup truck bed walls, and transfer rack load vertically to the truck bed to lessen the compressive force on the bed walls. These vertical braces (such as shown in
It is an object of the present invention to provide glass racks suitable for repeated rapid installation on and removal from a pickup truck. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pickup-truck-mountable glass rack that can be installed and removed with minimal labor and a minimal number of people. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable pickup-truck-mountable glass rack with theft-deterrent features. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable, pickup-truck-mountable glass rack with innovative features which substantially reduce the likelihood of damage to the body and bed finish of a pickup truck during the installation and removal process.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a glass rack with improved torsional stability while off-truck, due to the addition of a midline torsional brace 901 which (when the rack is mounted on a pickup truck) is attached just above bed-wall height just behind the cab of the pickup truck to which the rack mounts. In a preferred embodiment where the rack can be adjusted to fit various widths of pickup beds, this member may be composed of two members with a slidable overlap region. In a preferred embodiment, midline torsional brace 901 attached at multiple points 902 and 903 on each side of the rack to provide extra torsional rigidity. In an alternate embodiment, midline torsional brace 901 may be made as a pair of diagonal cables or bars affixed line an “x” to vertical braces at the front of the rack. In an alternate embodiment, an additional midline removable torsional brace may be included for attachment to the rear of the rack when during installation and removal of the rack, or a removable torsion brace of braces may be used rather than permanent midline torsional brace 901.
Even in embodiments where upper torsional braces provide enough torsional rigidity when the rack is off-truck, preferred embodiments may employ one or more midline braces which link one side of the rack to the other such that the side-to-side spacing of the mounting rails 307 of the rack remain consistent off-truck and on-truck. To maintain such consistent spacing such braces are typically rigid, such that they can operate in compression or tension. Such braces may be removable, and shall in this document be referred to as midline torsional braces, even though their primary purpose is to maintain consistent spacing of the racks mounting and alignment points when the rack is off-truck.
In another aspect, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides no-scratch guides 906 which keep the rack approximately centered (form side to side) over the pickup bed as the rack is lifted slightly (relative to its mounted height) and moved forward for installation or backward for removal. In a preferred embodiment, these guides function over at least several vertical inches of elevation of the rack above final mounted height. The guides automatically pivot to pass over the edges of the tailgate frame during removal and installation.
In another aspect, the present invention provides lower front torsion braces 701 and lower rear torsion braces 603 which are quickly and easily detachable, and which have anti-theft features to prevent unauthorized detachment. In another aspect, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes detachable rolling jacks 1001, which allow one person to quickly and easily install or remove the rack without assistance.
In another aspect, a preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporates forward travel stop 904, which prevents the rack from sliding too far forward on the truck bed during installation, and aids in alignment during the installation process. A preferred embodiment also includes beveled alignment nubs attached to the lower side of rack rails 308 which sit on the pickup truck bed rails. These beveled alignment nubs are positioned to align with stake holes provided in typical pickup truck bed rails. In an alternate embodiment, the present invention includes hardware mountable in pickup truck bed wall stake holes, which includes a captive metal loop which may be raised through a slot in the rack and locked in place with a padlock, deterring rack theft and securing the rack against slippage during hard braking of a pickup truck carrying a heavily loaded rack. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the rack is attached to hardware mounted in truck bed wall stake holes.
In another aspect, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, clamps 907 are used (rather than bolts) to attach the rack to the pickup bed rails. In a preferred embodiment, clamps are quick-adjustable to the right clamping span, provide high leverage for the final portion of tightening, and are self-centering under the rail lip of the pickup bed.
The term “glass rack” as used in this document shall be construed to mean a rack suitable for transporting glass or other sheet material, or stone slabs or the like.
Glass or other sheet material which is loaded on the rack rests edge-wise on rubber pads 311 and the majority of the weight of the glass is transferred to lower support rail 309 through pads 311. A small fraction of the weight of glass or other sheet material loaded on the rack rests on surface pads 314 (also sometimes called “buttons”), which are mounted along first (lower) face rail 313, second face rail 315, third face rail 316, fourth face rail 318, fifth face rail 319, and 6th (top) face rail 301. All face rails are mounted to vertical frame members 322. Face rails are also referred to in the industry as slats. Typically, lower support rail 309 is provided with stake holes 310 into which the lower pointed end 312 of stakes 305 fit. Rubberized clamps 306 (also sometimes called cleats) which attach to stakes 305 may be adjusted to push glass or other sheet material being transported against surface pads 314 (which may be round as in
While mounting the rack to truck bed sidewall rails 308 provides load bearing support, and torsional support around all axes perpendicular to the direction of travel of the truck, additional torsional bracing such as corner braces 304, combined with upper torsion braces 303 are typically needed to give the rack torsional stability around an axis parallel with the direction of travel of the truck. Equivalently, some racks accomplish such torsional bracing by bolting braces between lower support rail 309 and fixed mounting points underneath the truck toward the front and rear of the rack. Some racks may also be equipped with reflectors and/or lighting 320 to enhance visibility and safety on the road.
In a preferred embodiment, during mounting and dismounting, clamps 907 are not in place and mounting rail 911 is raised one or two inches with respect to truck bed wall rail 912. Mounting is preferably accomplished by moving the rack forward from a position behind the truck to a position slightly elevated from the mounted position, and then lowering the rack onto the truck and securing the rack. Similarly, dismounting is preferentially accomplished by unclamping mounting rail 911, and then raising the rack slightly and moving it rearward off the truck. Mounting and dismounting is preferably done with the tailgate in the open (folded down) position, to allow forward travel stops 904 to pass through the tailgate opening.
Alternate preferred embodiments incorporate clamps that are at one end permanently affixed to rack attachment rail 911, and where the portion of the clamp which engages the underside of truck bed wall rail 912 swings out of the way while the rack is being moved onto or off of the truck.
In a preferred embodiment, while moving the rack forward and backward during mounting and dismounting (respectively), sideways centering guides 906 keep the rack centered from side over the truck bed. In a preferred embodiment, centering guides 906 hang vertically down into the truck bed a few inches to accomplish their centering function even when the rack is lifted a couple of inches with respect to the bed wall rails, so that their centering function is not compromised by slightly elevating the rack with respect to the truck. Likewise, in a preferred embodiment, forward stop guides 904 stick down at least a couple of inches past the bed wall rail when the rack is mounted, to allow them to function properly when the rack is slightly lifted during installation and removal.
In a preferred embodiment, clamps such as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, removable jacks 1001 (shown in
In a preferred embodiment, centering guides 906 are made of or coated with a low-friction material which will not leave scratches if rubbed against paint. Likewise, in a preferred embodiment, forward stops 904 include bumper material 905 which is soft enough that it will not cause damage when bumped against a painted surface. In an alternate embodiment, the surface of centering guides 906 comprise rollers with their axis of rotation normally vertically aligned. In a preferred embodiment, centering guides 906 are able to pivot from front to back around pivot points 910 so that they can automatically clear tailgate side stops 317 (see
In a preferred embodiment, the upper left and right sides of the rack are joined by upper braces 303, which may also include extra upper torsional reinforcements 304. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, removable lower torsional braces 606 & 701 (see
Within this document, the term “latchably attachable” shall be construed to include any means of attachment that will not self-detach under vibration conditions such as are typical in a vehicle traveling on the road, and which can be detached by hand without the use of tools. Using the language of physics, latchable attachment methods all represent in the latched state a system sitting in a potential energy well. Getting out of the potential energy well requires putting in enough energy to overcome the well. In frictional latchable attachment methods (such as hand-tightenable wing bolts, or twist cams as are used on quick-release bicycle hubs, or adjustable tripod legs), the potential well is provided by the difference between the (higher) coefficient of static friction and the (lower) coefficient of dynamic friction between two surfaces. In door latches, the potential well is provided by the energy needed to compress a spring enough to remove a catch from a hole. In locking pliers, the potential well is provided by moving a linkage slightly past its maximum compression point, into a less compressed position that rests against a stop. In modern trailer hitches, latching is typically accomplished by sliding a curved spring clip in a slot, to a position where the clip is spread less than it is at positions on either side of that position. Within this document, the term “clampably attachable” shall be construed to include any means of attachment that does not require drilling holes in the truck bed, bed walls, or bed wall rails.
In the lower torsional brace embodiment shown in
In a preferred embodiment attachment end 601 is bolted to, welded to, or formed in lower rack rail 310. In a preferred embodiment, attachment end 607 is formed in, welded to, or bolted to the pickup truck body, frame, bumper, or trailer attachment mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, in the attached position, bar 603 is captive (in the un-latched state) in either truck attachment end 607 or rack attachment end 601 over a sufficient length that locking the opposite end effectively prevents removal of bar 603 without removing one of either attachment 601 or 607, or damaging the rack in some way. Thus in a preferred embodiment, only one locking mechanism is required to lock a lower torsion brace in place to deter theft or tampering.
Since all lower torsion braces are normally in compression when the rack is carrying a load, in an alternate preferred embodiment rack attachment end 601 and truck attachment end 607 may effectively be formed as hollow sockets, and latching in place of bar 602 may be accomplished by making bar 602 latchably extendable.
In a preferred embodiment, the edge angles of serrations 1605 and the engaging part of latching mechanism 1603 may be asymmetrically formed in a matched way to form a ratcheting mechanism, and latching mechanism 1603 may be spring-loaded to facilitate ratcheting. In such an embodiment, prior to torsion brace installation, latching mechanism 1603 may manually be held in the disengaged position and bar 1606 may be slid all the way into tube 1601. To install the torsion brace, the user then just manually ratchets out bar 1606 with respect to tube 1601, thus lengthening the bar until one end engages truck-mounted attachment 607 and rack-mounted attachment 601, which in such case include hollow socket portions into which the bar ends can extend. In such an embodiment, once a lock is placed through lock hole 1604, the length of the torsion brace cannot be shortened, so it cannot be removed from either socketed end. In such an embodiment, if serrations 1605 are made fine enough, the torsion brace may be expanded into place in such a way that it is constantly held in compression and thus does not rattle in transit. In an alternate embodiment, serrations may not be used, and lever 1603 may be formed as a high-leverage lockable cam to clamp down on the surface of bar 1605 and hold it firmly in place.
During assembly, sleeve 2204 is slid back as described above, and spacer 2205 is inserted and/or adjusted. Then the outer ends of bars 2208 and 2201 are inserted into sockets affixed to or formed into the rack and the truck frame or body, respectively. Next, face 2206 of spacer 2205 is aligned with face 2207 of bar 2208, and sleeve 2204 is slid into the position shown in
In an alternate embodiment, the torsion brace of
In one customizable preferred embodiment, beveled alignment nubs 1301 are formed as part of a plastic strip 1307, which is supplied with alignment nub 1301 on one side and adhesive 1306 on the other side, where the adhesive is covered with a protective non-stick peelable sheet 1305. In this preferred embodiment, prior to placing the rack on the truck for the first time, alignment nubs 1301 are placed with beveled surfaces 1302 and alignment surfaces 1303 inside truck stake holes 1201, and peelable sheet 1305 is folded along line 1304. Then the rack is placed on the truck and aligned, and a tension force F as shown in
As an anti-theft measure and a safety measure against the rack sliding forward during hard braking into the cab of the truck if the rack is not properly clamped down, a preferred embodiment both aligns the position of the rack using the truck bed rail stake holes, and locks the rack down to the truck bed walls using hardware mounted in the truck bed wall stake holes.
In an alternate preferred embodiment shown in
The foregoing discussion should be understood as illustrative and should not be considered to be limiting in any sense. While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
