Patent Application
20070080557
The present invention relates to an apparatus for, and a method of using, a track and trolley system for a cargo portion of vehicle.
Tarping systems for covering the cargo portion of a vehicle are well-known. Typically, such systems comprise a tarp supported over the cargo portion with a plurality of tarp supports. The tarp supports are fixed to trolleys that move along track rails located along the cargo portion.
There are a variety of known track and trolley systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,484 describes a system where each trolley contains at least two upper wheels and at least two lower wheels, where both sets of wheels ride within a track attached to a cargo portion of a vehicle. The individual trolleys of the system are designed to overlap at least partially within one another when the tarp supports are in the collapsed condition. It is alleged that by overlapping the trolleys, a larger portion of the cargo portion can be opened up for loading and unloading cargo. This is, however, at the cost of requiring a wider track to accommodate the overlapped trolleys. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that adding additional width to the cargo portion may make the vehicle trailer too wide to meet road regulations or undesirably require that the cargo portion itself be narrower so that the trailer is not too wide for the road.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,064, having a common inventor with U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,484, teaches a similar track and trolley system wherein the trolleys roll along an internal portion of the track. This design suffers from the same disadvantage as the patent discussed above in that additional width is required to accommodate two sets of tandem upper wheels placed side-by-side and two sets of tandem lower wheels placed side-by-side on the internal portion of the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,313 teaches a trolley system having tandem wheels designed to ride along the inside portion of a track. A cam device is included on the trolley system to tension a tarp carried by tarp supports attached to the trolley system. Because of the cam device, the system suffers from unnecessary complexity and, because the wheels ride on the inside of the track, it undesirably adds width to the cargo portion of the trailer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,759 depicts and describes a trolley system having two large, vertically oriented wheels, two smaller, vertically oriented wheels and two horizontally oriented wheels. The two large vertically oriented wheels ride along the outer, upper portion of the track while the two smaller, vertically oriented wheels ride along the inner, lower portion of the same track. The horizontally oriented wheels ride along the side of the truck bed. According to the patent, these six wheels are required to limit lateral movement of the trolley. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the invention is unnecessarily complex and the additional components undesirably add to the cost of the trolley.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,796 teaches yet another trolley system comprised of at least two vertically oriented wheels and at least two horizontally oriented wheels. The patent alleges that the two sets of wheels are required to maintain lateral stability of the trolley. The additional wheels, though, disadvantageously add cost, complexity and materials to the trolley.
In light of the disadvantages of the prior art briefly discussed above, it would be advantageous to reduce or prevent lateral motion of the trolleys and of the tarp supports in a cost effective, simple and low cost manner. It would also be advantageous for a trolley to be as thin as possible to avoid extending the cargo portion beyond permissible limits or to avoid removing valuable area from the cargo portion to accommodate the track and trolleys.
The present invention is directed toward a track and trolley system for a cargo portion of a vehicle, and a method for using the same. The system comprises a track secured to the cargo portion of the vehicle. The track has a single, outer, upper portion with a substantially convex wheel receiving surface and a single, outer, lower portion with a substantially convex wheel receiving surface. The lower wheel receiving surface is substantially vertically aligned with the wheel receiving surface of the upper portion.
The trolley comprises a support plate with a first upper tandem axle, at least a second upper tandem axle and at least one lower axle. A wheel is rotatingly attached each of the first upper tandem axle, the second upper tandem and the lower axle. Each of the wheels has a concave outer surface for engaging with the convex wheel receiving surfaces of the track. Preferably, the wheels on the upper tandem axles and the wheel on the lower axle bound the track between them.
The invention also preferably comprises a gasket securing portion attached to the track for securing a first end of a gasket therein. The gasket extends substantially horizontally so that a second end of the gasket contacts the support plate.
The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:
It is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions, directions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
Referring now to
As shown in
A forward panel 26 is shown attached to the forward portion 24 of the trailer 10. The forward panel 26 may be of any height, width or shape and it may be constructed out of any material. By way of example only,
The rear portion 20 of the trailer 10 may be selectively opened and closed via a hinged door or two hinged doors (neither of which is shown) mounted on a frame (not shown) secured to the trailer 10. Other doors, such as roll-away type doors (not shown) are also within the scope of the present invention. It is also within the scope of the present invention for the rear portion 20 of the trailer 10 to have a fixed, rear panel, similar or identical to the forward panel 26 described above and depicted in
As best seen in
A plurality of stake pockets 34 may be located between the rub rail 32 and the cargo portion 12 for receiving one or more stakes (not shown). Once located in the stake pockets 34, the stakes extend substantially vertically from the pockets 34 and the cargo portion 12. Stakes are frequently used in trailers 10 to prevent cargo from shifting or leaving the trailer 10 during transport. The stakes may be used by themselves and/or in combination with other horizontal supports to prevent cargo from shifting or leaving the trailer 10.
As shown in
The track 36 is substantially continuous and extends from the forward portion 24 of the cargo portion 12 to the rear portion 20 of the cargo portion 12 on both the first side 28 and the second side 30. As used above, the word continuous is meant to mean a track 36 extending substantially from the forward portion 24 of the cargo portion 12 to the rear portion 20 of the cargo portion 12, whether that be via a single, monolithic track 36 or a plurality of tracks 36 located together end-to-end.
Of course, it can be appreciated that if a multi-level trailer is used, the track 36 may comprise at least one upper level (not shown) and at least one lower level (not shown) which together may extend from the forward portion 24 of the cargo portion 12 to the rear portion 20 of the cargo portion. Naturally, some trailers, such multi-level trailers, do not require the track and trolley system described herein to extend along the entire length of the trailer. It must be understood, however, that the present invention may be used with any portion of a vehicle and it is in no way limited to applications for the entire length of a trailer.
The track 36 is preferably comprised of a single, outer, upper portion 40 with a substantially convex wheel receiving surface 42 and a single, outer, lower portion 44 with a substantially convex wheel receiving surface 46. Exemplary shapes of the meaning of convex wheel receiving surfaces 42, 46 considered within the scope of the present invention include, but are not limited to, V-shaped and U-shaped.
As used above, the term outer is meant to mean the wheel receiving surfaces 42, 46 are located on the outside of the track 36 as opposed to the inside of the track 36 or within the track 36 itself.
As best seen in
It is also preferred that the upper portion 40 and the lower portion 44 of the track 36 are constructed from a metal material, such as an aluminum alloy. Other metals, as well as other materials, such as polymers like plastic and nylon and/or wood, may be used with the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Regardless of the material used, it is preferred that the upper portion 40 and the lower portion 44 be integrally formed with a support rail 48. The support rail 48 is secured to the rub rail 32, the stake pockets 34 and/or the trailer 10 with a plurality of mechanical fasteners, clips, male/female couplings and/or by welding.
The channel 50 depicted in
An alternative embodiment of the track is depicted in
The invention also comprises a trolley 52 having a support plate 54 with a first upper axle 56 and at least a second upper axle 58. The first upper axle 56 and the second upper axle 58 are in tandem with one another. At least one lower axle 60 is also mounted to the support plate 54. The support plate 54 is located outwardly from the track 36. The above-mentioned axles 56, 58, 60 extend inwardly from the support plate 54 toward the track 36.
At least one wheel is rotatingly mounted on each of the first upper axle 56, the second upper axle 58 and the lower axle 60, reference numbers 62, 64 and 66, respectively. As best seen in
While it is preferred that the wheels 62, 64, 66 have concave outer surfaces 68 and the track 36 has convex wheel receiving surfaces 42, 46, it is within the scope of the present invention to switch these so that the track 36 has a concave wheel receiving surface and the wheels 62, 64, 66 have convex outer surfaces. It is also within the scope of the present invention for the upper portion 40 of the track 36 to have a convex wheel receiving surface 42 and the upper wheels 62, 64 to have concave outer surfaces 68 and for the lower portion 46 of the track 36 to have a concave wheel receiving surface and for the lower wheel 66 to have convex outer surfaces and vice versa.
As seen in
By way of example only, another embodiment of the present invention is depicted in
Looking now at
A first lower wheel 76 is mounted for rotation on the first lower axle 72 and a second lower wheel 78 is mounted for rotation on the second lower axle 74. It is preferred that both the first lower wheel 76 and the second lower wheel 78 have a concave outer surface 68 for engaging with the convex wheel receiving surface 46 of the lower portion 44 of the track 36.
Referring to both
It is a further discovery of the present invention that the concave surfaces 68 of the wheels 62, 64, 66 or 76, 78 engage with the convex wheel receiving surfaces 42, 46 of the track 36 to prevent or eliminate lateral movement of the trolley 52 as it moves along the track 36.
Regardless of whether the wheel orientation of
The wheels of either embodiment may be constructed of any material including, but not limited to, metal, such as stainless steel or an aluminum alloy, or polymers, such as plastic, nylon or rubber.
Referring back to
A tarp support 90, as seen in
Although a single tarp support 90 is shown extending from the trolley 52 in the figures, those skilled in the art will appreciate that two or more tarp supports 90 may extend from the trolley 52 without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. It is also within the scope of the present invention for a single tarp support 90 attached to the trolley 52 to branch into two or more supports above the trolley 52.
Referring back to
Adjacent the other track 36 on the second side 30 of the cargo portion 12, the tarp support 90 turns downwardly where it is connected to another trolley 52. Such tarp supports 90 are well known to those skilled in the art and may be such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,538,313, 5,924,759, 6,065,796, and 6,634,697, which are incorporated by reference herein.
Preferably, a plurality of tarp supports 90, each connected to one or more trolleys 52, is utilized. A single, continuous tarp 94 is located over the plurality of tarp supports 90, as shown in
A method of using the present invention to at least partially, selectively cover the cargo portion 12 of a vehicle, such as a semi-trailer 10, comprises beginning with the above-mentioned plurality of tarp supports 90 and their associated trolleys 52 located adjacent the rear portion 20 or the forward portion 24 of the semi-trailer 10. The embodiment of the trolley 52 depicted in
With the tarp supports 90 and the trolleys 52 located adjacent the rear portion-20, the cargo portion 12 of the semi-trailer 10 is substantially fully exposed on both sides to facilitate loading, unloading and/or maneuvering cargo in the cargo portion 12.
Once the desired cargo is loaded, unloaded and/or maneuvered, a first tarp support 102 and associated trolleys 52 (one on each side of the trailer) are pulled by manual and/or automated means toward the forward portion 24, assuming they were initially located adjacent the rear portion 20, of the trailer 10. The tandem upper wheels 62, 64 and the lower wheel 66, or wheels, of the trolleys 52 on both sides 28, 30 of the cargo portion 12 rotate along their respective tracks 36. The concave surfaces 68 of the wheels 62, 64, 66 engage with the convex wheel receiving surfaces 42, 46 on the track 36 to reduce or eliminate lateral motion of the trolleys 52 and the tarp supports 90 as the wheels 62, 64, 66 roll along the track 36. More preferably, the tandem upper wheels 62, 64 roll on top of the wheel receiving surface 42 of the upper portion 40 and the lower wheel 66, or wheels, roll beneath the wheel receiving surface 46 of the lower portion 44.
It can be appreciated that since a tarp support 90 connects trolleys 52 on tracks 36 on the first side and the second side 28, 30 of the trailer 10, both trolleys 52 associated with the same tarp support 90 move forward down the tracks 36 at substantially the same rate and the same distance.
As the first tarp support 120 moves down the tracks 36, so does the tarp 94 attached to the first tarp support 120. The tarp 94, by virtue of being attached to each tarp support 90, removes the slack between the first tarp support 102 and at least the next adjacent tarp support 90 and its associated trolleys 52 and begins to pull this tarp support 90 and trolleys 52 down the tracks 36.
This process of moving the next adjacent tarp support 90 and trolleys 52, thus pulling the tarp 94 down the tracks 36, is used to position the first tarp support 102 and trolleys 52 adjacent the forward panel 26 of the trailer 10 and to locate the plurality of tarp supports 90 and trolleys 52 along the two tracks 36. When the first tarp support 102 and its associated trolleys 52 are located adjacent the forward panel 26, the plurality of other tarp supports 90 and associated trolleys 52 on each track 36 have positioned themselves substantially equidistant from one another. Thus, in this orientation, the tarp 94 carried by the tarp supports 90 is equally supported along the entire length of the cargo portion 12 of the trailer 10.
A locking means (not shown) is used to secure the first tarp support 102 to the forward panel 26 to ensure it does not undesirably retract toward the rear portion 20 of the trailer 10, particularly while the trailer 10 is attached to a tractor and moving down a road.
Based on the above, it can be appreciated that a tarp can be located over a vehicle using the above-described process and apparatus so as to inexpensively and easily selectively cover the vehicle while not appreciably extending the width of the vehicle.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
