Patent Application
20240368877
(Not Applicable)
The invention relates to a weldless enclosure and, more particularly, to a weldless enclosure incorporating modular components enabling customized enclosure sizes with the component parts connected via fasteners such as rivets or the like and without welding.
There are countless uses for a box truck secured on a truck chassis. Depending on the intended use for the enclosure, existing box trucks require many welds to secure the walls, floor and roof together and on the chassis. The welding process can be tedious and time-consuming, and in some applications, weld lines on the box truck are undesirable.
The enclosure construction of the described embodiments utilizes modular components to customize enclosure dimensions and eliminates weld lines. A series of modular profiles may be held together with high tensile rivets or other like connectors, all of which are hidden on the inside of the enclosure. The resulting appearance is much smoother and polished without weld lines.
In an exemplary application, the enclosure is described in the context of a commercial box truck, but the invention is not meant to be limited to the described application. With the modular components, any size enclosure could be contemplated for applications to, for example, enclosed cargo trailers, recreational campers, toolboxes, etc.
In an exemplary embodiment, an enclosure incorporating modular components for customizable dimensions includes a top profile, bottom profiles, a floor profile, and a plurality of corner profiles. The top profile includes a topmost surface, a vertical surface, and a bottommost surface, where the topmost surface of the top profile defines. The first bottom profile is on one side of the enclosure, and the second bottom profile is on an opposite side of the enclosure. The floor profile extends between the first bottom profile and the second bottom profile. The corner profiles are connected between the top profile and the first and second bottom profiles via fasteners and without welding.
The floor profile may be connected between the first bottom profile and the second bottom profile via fasteners and without welding.
Each of the first and second bottom profiles may include a two-piece construction including an L-bracket and a compound bracket, where the L-bracket is secured to the compound bracket, and where the compound bracket defines a connecting surface for the corner profiles. The compound bracket may include, in spatial order, a first tab abutting a distal end of the L-bracket, an inverse U-shaped riser including the first tab and defining a linking surface, the connecting surface extending from the inverse U-shaped riser, an exterior panel extending from the connecting surface, and a second tab overlaying an opposite end of the L-bracket. The L-bracket and the first tab may be secured to the floor profile via fasteners and without welding.
The top profile may include, in spatial order, the topmost surface, the vertical surface extending from the topmost surface, and the bottommost surface extending from the vertical surface, where the corner profiles may be connected to the bottommost surface via fasteners without welding. The top profile may further include a vertical flange parallel with the vertical surface and connected to the bottommost surface, where the vertical flange defines an internal chamber in the top profile.
The enclosure may include multiple ones of the top profile, where each of the top profiles may include a bent section parallel with the vertical surface. The bent sections of the multiple ones of the top profile may be connected together via fasteners and without welding. The enclosure may still further include a roof center joining strip joining the topmost surfaces of adjacent top profiles.
In another exemplary embodiment, an enclosure incorporating modular components to customize enclosure dimensions and eliminate weld lines includes a series of modular profiles held together via fasteners and without welding, where the fasteners are hidden on an inside of the enclosure.
The series of modular profiles may include a top profile that defines a top or roof of the enclosure, a bottom profile to which a floor is connected, and a corner profile extending between the top profile and the bottom profile. The top profile may include a topmost surface that defines the top or roof of the enclosure, where a size of the topmost surface is customized according to a desired size of the enclosure. The corner profile may include exterior sides that are customized according to the desired size of the enclosure.
These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the exemplary construction shown in
The modular components include a top profile 20 with a topmost surface 22, a vertical surface 24, and a bottommost surface 26. In spatial order, the top profile 20 includes the topmost surface 22, the vertical surface 24 extending from the topmost surface 22, and the bottommost surface 26 extending from the vertical surface 24. In some embodiments, the top profile 20 may also be provided with a vertical flange 28 that is parallel with the vertical surface 24 and connected to the bottommost surface 26. The vertical flange 28 defines an internal chamber in the top profile 20 that could be used as a wire chase or the like. The topmost surface 22 of the top profile 20 defines the top or roof 12 of the enclosure 10. A distal end of the topmost surface 22 (not shown in
A bottom profile 32 may include a two-piece construction with an L-bracket 34 and a compound bracket 36. The L-bracket 34 is secured to the compound bracket 36. In spatial order, the compound bracket 36 includes a first tab 38 abutting a distal end of the L-bracket 34, an inverse U-shaped riser 40 including the first tab 38 and defining a linking surface, a connecting surface 42 extending from the inverse U-shaped riser 40, an exterior panel 44 extending from the connecting surface 42, and a second tab 46 overlaying an opposite end of the L-bracket 34.
With reference to
A plurality of corner profiles 50 are connected between the top profile 20 and the bottom profile(s) 32. The corner profiles 50 include an upper connecting surface 52 and a lower connecting surface 54 as well as exterior sides 56a, 56b and a connecting tab 58. The upper connecting surface 52 engages the bottommost surface 26 of the top profile 20, and the lower connecting surface 54 engages the connecting surface 42 of the bottom profiles 32. In some embodiments, all of the connections between the various components are effected via fasteners such a rivets or the like and without welding. Rivet holes may be formed by laser cut or the like, with rivets secured in a conventional manner. An adhesive sealant may be applied between all of the connected surfaces.
The topmost surfaces 22 of adjacent top profiles 20 may be joined with a roof center joining strip 62 (
In some embodiments, the material for the various profiles is 3/16 inch aluminum or steel depending on the desired strength of the enclosure. Alternatively, a thinner metal could be used. Each of the profiles is constructed by first cutting the fastener holes. Subsequently, a press brake may be used to form bends in the metal, and the profile parts are subsequently subjected to a powder coat painting process. The profiles can be formed in various sizes with varying structural characteristics to create a custom enclosure. By limiting or eliminating weld connections, the resulting product has a much cleaner and polished appearance.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/463,118, filed May 1, 2023, the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63463118 | May 2023 | US |
