System and method for partitioning cargo areas
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B60P-007/14
B60P-007/06
출원번호
US-0938124
(2007-11-09)
등록번호
US-7445412
(2008-11-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Nelson,Roger
Nelson,Chad
출원인 / 주소
FG Products, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Fish & Richardson P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
8인용 특허 :
19
초록▼
An improved bulkhead and partition system in which at least two panels are independently attached to mounting members such that each panel can be moved independently. In a preferred embodiment, two bulkheads or panels are slidably attached to separate pairs of ceiling-mounted rails in a refrigerated
An improved bulkhead and partition system in which at least two panels are independently attached to mounting members such that each panel can be moved independently. In a preferred embodiment, two bulkheads or panels are slidably attached to separate pairs of ceiling-mounted rails in a refrigerated trailer such that each bulkhead or panel can be independently slid toward the front of a trailer or toward the rear of a trailer to define, in cooperation with a removable center partition wall, a plurality of different cargo areas to be maintained at different temperatures. Alternatively, two bulkheads or panels may advantageously operate without a partition wall such that the panels may be placed side-by-side and fastened together to make a full-width bulkhead.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for separating cargo areas in a trailer, comprising: first and second panels, each panel extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the first and second panels being releasably securable together in a side-by-side conf
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for separating cargo areas in a trailer, comprising: first and second panels, each panel extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the first and second panels being releasably securable together in a side-by-side configuration to form a full-width bulkhead in the trailer, wherein when in the side-by-side configuration the first and second panels abut one another along adjacent peripheral edges of the panels; and a mounting system that provides each of the first and second panels with a first degree of freedom to convey the panels in a longitudinal direction independently of one another and that provides each of the first and second panels with a second degree of freedom to raise the panels independently, the mounting system being attached to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the trailer. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lift mechanism to raise the first panel into a stowed position proximate the ceiling of the trailer, wherein the lift mechanism comprises a locking cam to engage at least one of a strap or a rope. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the strap or the rope is coupled to the first panel proximate a lower edge of the first panel, the lift mechanism being operable to raise the lower edge of the first panel toward the ceiling of the trailer when the strap or the rope is pulled. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the lift mechanism retains the strap or the rope when the first panel is raised toward the ceiling of the trailer. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the locking cam of the lift mechanism adjusts to retain the strap or the rope in a fixed position when the first panel is raised toward the ceiling of the trailer. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a second lift mechanism to raise the second panel into a stowed position independently of the first panel, wherein the second lift mechanism comprises a second locking cam to engage at least one of a second strap or a second rope. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second panels are releasably securable together with one or more straps coupled to the first and second panels. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the first and second panels are releasably secured together in the side-by-side configuration, the first and second panels seal together along adjacent peripheral edges of the panels to form the full-width bulkhead. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first panel comprises a half-width bulkhead panel and the second panel comprises a half-width bulkhead panel. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system permits the each of the first and second panels to be hingedly raised independently. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when the first and second panels are in a first operative position, the first and second panels extend in a substantially vertical direction in the trailer. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when the panels are in a second operative position at least one of the panels is hingedly raised to extend in a substantially non-vertical direction in the trailer. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises at least one trolley and at least one rail. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises at least one hinge mechanism. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises members integrally molded into the panels and adapted to be engaged by cooperating components of the mounting system. 16. An apparatus for separating cargo areas in a trailer, comprising: first and second half-width bulkhead panels, the first and second half-width bulkhead panels being releasably securable together in a side-by-side configuration to form a full-width bulkhead in the trailer; a mounting system that provides each of the first and second half-width bulkhead panels with a first degree of freedom to convey the panels in a longitudinal direction independently of one another and that provides each of the first and second half-width bulkhead panels with a second degree of freedom to raise the panels independently, the mounting system being attached to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the trailer, wherein an upper edge of the first half-width bulkhead panel is movable forwardly in the trailer as a lower edge of the first half-width bulkhead panel is hingedly moved rearwardly in the trailer; a first lift mechanism to raise the first half-width bulkhead panel into a stowed position proximate the ceiling of the trailer, wherein the lift mechanism comprises a first locking member to engage at least one of a first strap or a first rope coupled to the first panel proximate a lower edge of the first panel; and a second lift mechanism to raise the second half-width bulkhead panel into a stowed position independently of the first panel, wherein the second lift mechanism comprises a second locking member to engage at least one of a second strap or a second rope coupled to the second panel proximate a lower edge of the second panel. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first lift mechanism retains the first strap or the first rope when the first panel is raised toward the ceiling of the trailer. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first locking member of the first lift mechanism comprises a movable cam that adjusts to retain the first strap or the first rope in a fixed position when the first panel is raised toward the ceiling of the trailer. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second half-width bulkhead panels are releasably securable together with one or more straps coupled to the first and second half-width bulkhead panels. 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein when the first and second half-width bulkhead panels are releasably secured together in the side-by-side configuration, the first and second half-width bulkhead panels seal together along adjacent peripheral edges of the panels to form the full-width bulkhead. 21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the upper edge of the first half-width bulkhead panel is movable forwardly in the trailer as the lower edge is hingedly moved rearwardly in the trailer such that the first half-width bulkhead panel is operable to be lifted and stowed even when cargo is arranged longitudinally adjacent to the first half-width bulkhead panel. 22. An apparatus for separating cargo areas in a trailer, comprising: first and second panels, each panel extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, the first and second panels being releasably securable together in a side-by-side configuration to form a full-width bulkhead that extends between opposing sidewalls of the trailer, wherein when in the side-by-side configuration, the first and second panels abut one another substantially entirely along adjacent peripheral edges of the panels; and a mounting system that provides each of the first and second panels with a first degree of freedom to convey the panels in a longitudinal direction independently of one another and that provides each of the first and second panels with a second degree of freedom to raise the panels independently, the mounting system being attached to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the trailer, wherein when in the side-by-side configuration, the first and second panels abut one another along upper portions of the peripheral edges that are proximate the ceiling of the trailer. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mounting system further comprises: a first trolley assembly engaged with a first set of longitudinal rails, wherein the first panel is attached to the first set of longitudinal rails by the first trolley assembly, and a second trolley assembly engaged with a second set of longitudinal rails, wherein the second panel is attached to the second set of longitudinal rails by the second trolley assembly, wherein when in the side-by-side configuration, the first and second panels abut one another along the upper portions of the peripheral edges that are positioned directly lateral of and between the first and second trolley assemblies. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mounting system further comprises an end rail mounted proximate to a longitudinal end of at least one of the longitudinal rails, the end rail extending along the ceiling of the trailer and generally perpendicular to the first and second sets of longitudinal rails. 25. The apparatus of claim 24: wherein at least a portion of a first lift mechanism is mounted to the end rail that extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal rails, the first lift mechanism engaging a first strap or rope that is coupled proximate to a lower edge of the first panel so as to raise the lower edge of the first panel toward the ceiling of the trailer when the first strap or rope is manually pulled, and at least a portion of a second lift mechanism is mounted to the end rail that extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal rails, the second lift mechanism engaging a second strap or rope that is coupled proximate to a lower edge of the second panel so as to raise the lower edge of the second panel toward the ceiling of the trailer when the second strap or rope is manually pulled. 26. The apparatus of claim 23: wherein the first trolley assembly comprises two trolleys movably mounted to the first set of longitudinal rails, a hinge rod extending between the two trolleys, and hinge plates that engage the hinge rod and are fixedly secured to the first panel, and wherein the second trolley assembly comprises two trolleys movably mounted to the second set of two longitudinal rails, a hinge rod extending between the two trolleys of the second trolley assembly, and hinge plates that engage the hinge rod of the second trolley assembly and are fixedly secured to the second panel. 27. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising fastening straps that releasably secure the first and second panels together in the side-by-side configuration to form the full-width bulkhead. 28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second panels comprise seal members arranged along the adjacent peripheral edges so that the first and second panels seal together along the adjacent peripheral edges when the first and second panels are releasably secured together in the side-by-side configuration. 29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second panels each comprise a half-width bulkhead panel so that the first and second panels define the full-width bulkhead when arranged in the side-by-side configuration. 30. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising: a first lift mechanism to raise the first panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling, the first lift mechanism comprising a movable cam to engage a first strap or rope coupled to the first panel, and a second lift mechanism to raise the second panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling, the second lift mechanism comprising a movable cam to engage a second strap or rope coupled to the second panel. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising: a first safety restraint extending from the mounting system to releasably attach to the first panel when the first panel is in the stowed position, the first safety restraint being different from the first lift mechanism, and a second safety restraint extending from the mounting system to releasably attach to the second panel when the second panel is in the stowed position, the second safety restraint being different from the second lift mechanism.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Lee Earnest M. (Shawnee Mission KS) Clyma Grady L. (Kansas City MO), Bulkhead assembly and counterbalance mechanism therefor.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.