A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer includes a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer along a length of the trailer. A mounting bracket assembly of the system is coupled to the side skirt wall and is configured to
A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer includes a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer along a length of the trailer. A mounting bracket assembly of the system is coupled to the side skirt wall and is configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer. The mounting bracket assembly is configured to tilt laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer.
대표청구항▼
1. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising: a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer; anda mounting bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and conf
1. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising: a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer; anda mounting bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the mounting bracket assembly and the side skirt wall are configured to move laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer when the trailer is in transit, andwherein the side skirt wall remains generally rigid when the side skirt wall is positioned vertically and when the side skirt wall is moved laterally inwardly and laterally outwardly. 2. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein the side skirt wall is configured to tilt approximately 30 degrees laterally outwardly relative to the vertical axis and approximately 30 degrees laterally inwardly relative to the vertical axis. 3. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a spring configured to be coupled at a first end to the trailer and at a second end to the side skirt wall. 4. The side skirt system of claim 3, wherein the spring is an extension spring, a torsion spring, a compression spring, or a leaf spring. 5. The side skirt system of claim 4, wherein the spring is a leaf spring configured to bend when the side skirt wall is moved laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly. 6. The side skirt system of claim 5, further comprising a spacer coupled to an inside surface of the side skirt wall such that the leaf spring includes an upper end configured to be coupled to the trailer and a lower end coupled to an inside surface of the spacer. 7. The side skirt system of claim 3, wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a channel mount configured to be coupled to the side skirt wall for lateral tilting movement therewith, and wherein the spring is received within a passageway of the channel mount. 8. The side skirt system of claim 7, wherein the mounting bracket assembly further includes a U-shaped bolt having a curved bottom portion received within the passageway of the channel mount, and wherein the spring is coupled to the curved bottom portion of the U-shaped bolt. 9. The side skirt system of claim 1, further comprising a tether assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to the floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the tether assembly is configured to move with the side skirt wall both laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to the generally vertical axis. 10. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising: a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer;a mounting bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the mounting bracket assembly and the side skirt wall are configured to move laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer; anda tether assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to the floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the tether assembly is configured to move with the side skirt wall both laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to the generally vertical axis,wherein the tether assembly includes a lower bracket and an upper bracket configured to be coupled to the floor assembly, and a pivot bracket coupled to the side skirt wall and pivotably coupled to the lower bracket, wherein the pivot bracket includes a flange coupled to the side skirt wall and a planar portion having a generally vertically-extending slot formed therethrough, and further wherein a pivot pin is received through the slot and coupled to the lower bracket to allow the pivot bracket to move with the side skirt wall relative to the upper and lower brackets. 11. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein, when viewed from above, the side skirt wall is angled relative to the side wall of the trailer such that the side skirt wall angles outwardly from the front end of the side skirt wall to the rear end of the side skirt wall. 12. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket assembly further includes an outward stop and an inward stop configured to be rigidly coupled to the floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the outward stop operates to prevent laterally-outward tilting movement of the side skirt wall beyond a predetermined angle and the inward stop operates to prevent laterally-inward tilting movement of the side skirt wall beyond a predetermined angle. 13. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising: a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer; anda bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to a cross member of a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the bracket assembly includes (i) a lower bracket having a planar, horizontal portion configured to be adjacent and engaged with a bottom surface of a lower flange of the cross member, wherein the lower bracket includes the planar portion and a hook portion coupled to one end of the planar portion, and wherein the hook portion is configured to hook onto a side edge of the lower flange, and(ii) an upper bracket coupled to the lower bracket and configured to be positioned adjacent and engaged with an upper surface of the lower flange of the cross member wherein the planar, horizontal portion of the upper bracket includes a first aperture and the lower bracket includes a second aperture, and wherein the bracket assembly further includes a fastener received through the first and second apertures of the upper and lower brackets. 14. The side skirt system of claim 13, wherein the upper bracket includes a planar, horizontal portion and a spacer coupled to the planar, horizontal portion. 15. The side skirt system of claim 13, wherein the fastener is not configured to be received through the cross member of the floor assembly. 16. The side skirt system of claim 13, wherein the planar portion of the lower bracket includes a plurality of apertures aligned along a length of the planar portion of the lower bracket such that the second aperture of the upper bracket may be aligned with any one of the plurality of apertures. 17. The side skirt system of claim 13, wherein the side skirt wall is configured to tilt laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer. 18. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising: a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer, wherein the side skirt wall includes a rigid wall panel made of a composite material and a flexible flap coupled to a bottom portion of the wall panel, wherein the wall panel is tiltable laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly relative to the trailer with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer when the trailer is in transit.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (53)
Ledford, Kimble E.; Gaddis, John A., Adjustable safety bumper.
Fitzgerald James P. (Buena Park CA) Fitzgerald ; deceased Joseph M. (late of Buena Park CA by Ruthann P. Fitzgerald ; executrix), Pair of trailer skirting air deflectors.
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