IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0343288
(2012-01-04)
|
등록번호 |
US-8360510
(2013-01-29)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Smith, Andrew F.
- Horrell, Charles M.
- Grossmann, Jeffrey J.
- Feldman, Jonathan R.
- Bruccoleri, Alexander R.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Advanced Transit Dynamics, Inc.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
17 인용 특허 :
51 |
초록
▼
This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed
This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.
대표청구항
▼
1. An aerodynamic structure for the rear of a cargo body comprising: hingedly mounted on each of a pair of doors, a side panel, an upper panel and a lower panel that hinge between a folded position on the door and a deployed position in which the side panel, the upper panel and the lower panel toget
1. An aerodynamic structure for the rear of a cargo body comprising: hingedly mounted on each of a pair of doors, a side panel, an upper panel and a lower panel that hinge between a folded position on the door and a deployed position in which the side panel, the upper panel and the lower panel together define an aerodynamic assembly with an internal cavity in the deployed position; anda swing arm assembly mounted on each of the pair of doors and interconnected to each of the upper panel and the lower panel so that swinging movement of the swing arm assembly causes the upper panel and the lower panel to move together between the deployed position and the folded position such that, in the folded position each swing arm confronts each of the pair of doors with the side panel overlying the upper panel and the lower panel. 2. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of a pair of doors includes locking rods and locking rod handles and each of the side panel and the lower are constructed and arranged to expose the locking rod handles in the folded position for operation thereof. 3. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower panel comprises a surface substantially constructed from rigid, semi-rigid or flexible sheet material. 4. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side panel is operatively connected to at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel so that movement of the swing arm moves the side panel between the deployed position and the folded position. 5. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel includes a diagonal hinge line thereon that defines a first foldable section and a second foldable section. 6. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an actuator that biases at least one of the upper panel, the lower panel and the side panel into the deployed position. 7. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each side panel has an outer edge opposite an edge hingedly attached to the door and wherein each outer edge is substantially adjacent to the opposing outer edge in the folded position. 8. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel is attached to a respective one of the doors with hinges that are constructed and arranged to cause at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel to fold along an angled hinge line so as to enable angled folding of at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel so as to clear a door lock rod in the folded position. 9. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 8 further comprising at least two hinges, each of the at least two hinges having a hinge axis at a different location with respect to a surface of the respective one of the doors. 10. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel includes a sealing strip in a location between a respective one of the doors and a rear edge of the at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel, the sealing strip constructed and arranged to provide a cutout that provides clearance for a door lock rod in the deployed position. 11. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a medial sealing strip on at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel constructed and arranged to confront and overlap a medial sealing strip on an adjacent upper panel and lower panel, respectively. 12. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the swing arm assembly includes a framework hingedly attached to a respective one of the doors and a pair of tie rods that pivotally interconnect to each of the upper panel and the lower panel. 13. An aerodynamic structure for the rear of a cargo body comprising: hingedly mounted on each of a pair of doors, a side panel and an upper panel that hinge between a folded position on the door and a deployed position in which the side panel and the upper panel together define an aerodynamic assembly with an internal cavity in the deployed position; andwherein the upper panel is attached to a respective one of the doors with hinges that are constructed and arranged to cause the upper panel to fold along an angled hinge line so as to enable angled folding the upper panel so as to clear a door lock rod in the folded position, and the upper panel having an edge adjacent to the hinges that is approximately horizontal and level with a top of the cargo body in the deployed position. 14. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a lower panel that hinges between the folded position and the deployed position and wherein the lower panel is attached to the respective one of the doors with hinges that are constructed and arranged to cause the lower panel to fold along an angled hinge line so as to enable angled folding the lower panel so as to clear a door lock rod in the folded position, and the lower panel having an edge adjacent to the hinges that is approximately horizontal in the deployed position. 15. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 14 further comprising at least two hinges, each of the at least two hinges having a hinge axis at a different location with respect to a surface of the respective one of the doors. 16. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 15 wherein a first hinge of the at least two hinges is located closer to the side panel and a second hinge of the at least two hinges is located more remote from the side panel, the hinge axis of the second hinge being vertically lower on the respective one of the doors than the hinge axis of the first hinge. 17. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 16 wherein the second hinge includes a connecting strap that is longer than a connecting strap of the first hinge. 18. The aerodynamic structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each side panel has a bottom edge that is located above a position of a lock rod so as to enable access to the lock rod in the folded position. 19. An aerodynamic structure for the rear of a cargo body comprising: hingedly mounted on each of a pair of doors, a side panel, an upper panel and a lower panel that hinge between a folded position on the door and a deployed position in which the side panel, the upper panel and the lower panel together define an aerodynamic assembly with an internal cavity in the deployed position; anda linkage assembly interconnected to each of the upper panel and the lower panel so that movement of one of either the upper panel or the lower panel causes concurrent movement of one of the lower panel and the upper panel, respectively between the deployed position and the folded position such that, in the folded position the side panel overlies the upper panel and the lower panel. 20. The aerodynamic assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein the linkage assembly includes at least one of (a) a swing arm assembly hingedly mounted to a respective one of the doors, (b) a cable assembly, and (c) an assembly of folding members.
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