WO2015042113A1

WO2015042113A1 - Hinged load panel for vehicles and trailers

Info

Publication number: WO2015042113A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/056028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Charles Evans
Original assignee: Globe Composite Solutions, Ltd.
Priority date: 2013-09-17
Filing date: 2014-09-17
Publication date: 2015-03-26

Abstract

An exemplary system for use in a package delivery vehicle is provided that may include a hinge member that includes a first opening and a hinge body that includes a second opening that is pivotally coupled to the first opening so that the hinge body can pivot with respect to the hinge member. The hinge body also includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion that extends from the first protrusion. The first and second protrusions are slideable within a key structure that extends at least partway along a longitudinal axis of an edge railing of the package delivery vehicle.

Description

HINGED LOAD PANEL FOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates in general to mechanisms for storing and transporting packages, parcels and other objects in a delivery vehicle, and, in particular, but not by way of limitation, to a hinged load panel which provides for improved structural strength, durability and functionality.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In the package/parcel shipping and distribution industry, trucks, trailers and other vehicles are some of the primary mechanisms used to transport goods. In order to cost- effectively transport goods using such vehicles, the volume of the truck and/or trailer is often filed to the maximum extent possible. Unfortunately, filling the volume of a truck and/or trailer to a maximum capacity often results in disorganized packing and damage to packages, as well as creating difficulties while loading and unloading packages.

[0003] To facilitate more efficient loading and unloading, as well as to provide for more organized and safe transport of goods, trailers and/or trucks are sometimes equipped with organizational systems to subdivide the truck/trailer. Unfortunately, many of these organizational systems are ineffective and/or require frequent maintenance and repair.

[0004] One known organizational system utilizes flip down load panels mounted in some manner to the sides of the truck/trailer. Packages may be loaded into the truck/trailer at a level below the mounting location of the panels. The panels are then flipped down into a horizontal position and loading of packages continues. These load panels are made of various materials including plywood and metal and more recently composite fabrications such as foam core panels with metal edges. This has made the panels lighter in weight, but the panels nonetheless suffer from concerns with durability and safety. Splintering of wood, cracking, bending puncturing, etc. remain concerns with conventional panel designs and installations.

[0005] As an example, a prior art composite fabrication nay comprise an outer perimeter metal (such as aluminum) frame that supports a foam core board made of plastic skins sandwiching a foam filler. Another example of a prior art composite fabrication may comprise a laminated structure comprised of alternating sheets of metal and filler material. In each of these constructions, a hinge member is typically attached by riveting. Durability concerns with these panels include: degradation of the filler material when the skin or other protector breaks resulting in an uneven working surface, trip points and structural weakness. Other durability concerns center on the hinge because the rivet attachment is a common failure point which is quite difficult and expensive to repair.

[0006] There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved load panel design that addresses the problems encountered with prior art configurations.

SUMMARY

[0007] In an embodiment, a system for use in a package delivery vehicle comprises: an edge railing; a panel comprising a hinged edge and a free edge located opposite from the hinged edge; a panel hinge member located at the hinged edge of the panel; and a hinge body pivotally coupled to the panel hinge member to allow the panel hinge member and the panel to pivot with respect to the hinge body, wherein the hinge body is mounted to the edge railing; wherein the panel and the panel hinge member are formed as a unitary monolithic body. [0008] In an embodiment, a panel for use in a package delivery vehicle comprises a unitary monolithic body including a hinged edge and a free edge located opposite from the hinged edge, with a panel hinge member located at the hinged edge of the panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0009] The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments.

[0010] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary package delivery vehicle including a roller conveyor assembly and a plurality of panels in the load bearing position;

[0011] FIGURES 2 is a perspective view of the exemplary package delivery vehicle of FIGURE 1 in which the panels are in the stored position;

[0012] FIGURES 3A and 3B are perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a panel;

[0013] FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a panel, hinge body and railing in which the panel is rotatably coupled to the hinge body and the hinge body is coupled to the railing;

[0014] FIGURE 5 is a close up view of the hinge body of FIGURE 4; and

[0015] FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a panel, hinge body and railing and the hinge body is secured to the railing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Reference is now made to FIGURE 1 showing a perspective view of an exemplary package delivery vehicle 100 including a plurality of panels 102 and a roller conveyor assembly 104. The vehicle 100 may be a trailer vehicle, a panel van type vehicle, a container vehicle, or any other vehicle suitable for carrying packages, parcels or other objects. The vehicle 100 includes side walls 106 and a rear wall 108. Not shown is a front wall generally formed by or including one or more latchable doors or a sliding or rolling door. Extending along the length of the vehicle 100 in a position generally centered between the side walls 106 is a roller conveyor assembly 104. The roller conveyor assembly 104 is generally a non-motorized system formed by a plurality of freely rotating rollers 110 supported at either end by a pair of opposed side rails 112.

[0017] With reference to FIGURE 2, the vehicle 100 further includes a floor 124. The roller conveyor assembly 104 is supported by a support frame system in an elevated position above the vehicle floor 124.

[0018] With continued reference to FIGURE 1, the vehicle 100 further includes a set of panels 102 which extend between the side wall 106 and the side rail 112 on either side of the roller conveyor assembly 104. To support the panels 102 at each side wall 106 in a same elevated position as the rollers 110, each side wall 106 is fitted with an edge railing 116. Thus, each panel 102 is suspended (when in the lowered position) between the edge railing 116 and the side rail 112 when in the load bearing position, as shown in FIGURE 1. Although not shown in FIGURE 1, but shown in FIGURE 2, the edge of each load panel 102 is pivotally connected to the edge railing 116. This permits the panels 102 to be moved between a load bearing position, as shown in FIGURE 1, and a stored position adjacent the side walls 106 of the vehicle 100, as shown in FIGURE 2.

[0019] Each panel 102 may include one or more finger openings 118 to permit an operator to grab the load panel 102 near the free edge of the panel 102 at the side rail 112 and raise the panel 102 to the stored position adjacent the side walls 106 of the vehicle 100. In some embodiments, a clip mechanism 120 is also provided on the side walls 106 of the vehicle 100 to retain the load panels 102 in the stored and upright position. Of course, other securing mechanisms in addition to clip mechanisms 120 or besides clip mechanisms 120 may be used to hold the panels 102 in the stored and upright position.

[0020] As discussed above, FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the exemplary package delivery vehicle 100 of FIGURE 1 in which the panels 102 are in the upright locked and stored position. Packages 122 and other objects can be stored below the panels 102 while the panels 102 are in the stored position. The stored position thus permits user access to the floor 124 of the vehicle 100 allowing for the storage of packages 122 and/or parcels below the level of the panels 102 (when in the load bearing position) and the conveyor assembly 104. Then, the panels 102 can be moved to the load bearing position as shown in FIGURE 1 and further packages 122 or other objects can be placed on top of the panels 102.

[0021] FIGURES 3A and 3B are top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of an embodiment of a panel 102. The panel 102 is rectangular in shape and includes two finger openings 118 near a proximal end 126 of the panel 102. The panel 102 also includes two panel hinge members 130 at the distal end 128 of the panel 102 which are rotatably coupleable to hinge bodies (not shown), as will be explained in more detail below. A top surface 132 of the panel 102 may include an anti-skid texture 134 to increase the frictional coefficient of the top surface 132. In some embodiments, an anti-skid material (not shown) may be applied to or incorporated into the top surface 132 of the panel 102, for example, by using one or more of a variety of application methods, such as, spraying, gluing, painting, rolling, embedding or overmolding the anti-skid material. In some embodiments, an anti-skid material may be incorporated into the material of the panel 102. [0022] The panel 102 may be made of any suitable material. In some embodiments, for example, the panel 102 is made of a thermoplastic, thermosetting plastic and/or an epoxy. In some embodiments, the panel 102 is reinforced with another material, such as glass or other types of reinforcing fibers, microspheres or other fillers to create the appropriate combination of weight, strength, impact resistance and resilience for a particular application. The panel material may also contain injected foams or gas as used for injection molding technologies, where these additives are configured to reduce weight and improve stiffness of the panel (while reducing molding distortion). The panel 102, underside support structures in the form of ribbing 103 and panel hinge members 130 may be one unitary monolithic piece and may be formed by any suitable forming process, such as, for example, liquid casting or injection molding. In areas of the panel which require added strength and durability, inserts made of metal or other material may be molded into the panel itself. The areas of the panel which could utilize molded-in inserts include ribbing 103 of the panel, the hinge and perimeter rib of the panel at the hinge location, and at the lift openings.

[0023] FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a panel 102, a plurality of hinge bodies 136 and a railing 138. The panel 102 is rotatably coupled to the hinge bodies 136 and the hinge bodies 136 are mounted (for example, slideably coupled) to the railing 138. The panel 102 includes a plurality of support structures in the form of ribs 103 that form part of the bottom surface 142 of the panel 102. The support structures 103 may provide increased structural strength to the panel 102 while allowing the panel 102 to be light weight. Any suitable number and pattern of support structures 140 may be used. Additional ribs 103, or perhaps thicker ribs and peripheral edge, at the location of the hinge 130 may be provided to improve the durability of the hinge structure. [0024] The panel hinge members 130 are coupled to a peripheral support structure 144 that extends near a perimeter of the panel 102. The peripheral support structure 144 may, as shown in FIGURE 4, extend along the entire perimeter of the panel 102. The panel hinge members 130 extend from the peripheral support structure 144 away from the panel 102 along an edge of the panel 102 that is located adjacent to the railing 138. The panel 102 may include any suitable number of panel hinge members 130. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, for example, the panel 102 includes two panel hinge members 130. In a preferred embodiment, the panel hinge members 130 are integrally formed with the panel 102 at the structure 144.

[0025] FIGURE 5 is a close up view of a panel hinge member 130 and two of the hinge bodies 136 of FIGURE 4. The panel hinge member 130 is rotatably coupled to the hinge bodies 136 by a rod 146 that extends through openings (not shown) in the panel hinge member 130 and the hinge bodies 136. The hinge bodies 136 are located on the outer edges of the panel hinge member 130 so that the panel hinge member 130 is located between the hinge bodies 136.

[0026] The rod 146, which may be formed, for example, by a bolt and nut, passes through aligned openings made in the panel hinge member 130 and the hinge bodies 136 and may hold the hinge bodies 136 in place with respect to the panel hinge member 130 by applying an inward force from a head 148 of the rod 146 and a threaded nut 150 coupled to the rod 146. The panel hinge member 130 may have sloped side walls 152 to provide structural strength to the panel hinge member 130.

[0027] FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a panel 102 with a different embodiment for the hinge bodies 202 which in this case are secured by mounting directly to the railing 204.

[0028] In the foregoing description of certain embodiments, specific terminology has been resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes other technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as "left" and right", "front" and "rear", "above" and "below," "top" and "bottom" and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

[0029] In this specification, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its "open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear.

[0030] In addition, the foregoing describes only some embodiments of the invention(s), and alterations, modifications, additions and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.

[0031] Furthermore, invention(s) have been described in connection with what are 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 invention(s). Also, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments, e.g., aspects of one embodiment may be combined with aspects of another embodiment to realize yet other embodiments. Further, each independent feature or component of any given assembly may constitute an additional embodiment.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for use in a package delivery vehicle, comprising:

an edge railing;

a panel comprising a hinged edge and a free edge located opposite from the hinged edge; a panel hinge member located at the hinged edge of the panel; and

a hinge body pivotally coupled to the panel hinge member to allow the panel hinge member and the panel to pivot with respect to the hinge body, wherein the hinge body is mounted to the edge railing;

wherein the panel and the panel hinge member are formed as a unitary monolithic body.

2. The system according to Claim 1, wherein unitary monolithic body is a liquid cast body.

3. The system according to Claim 2, wherein the liquid cast body is formed of one or more of a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material and an epoxy material.

4. The system according to Claim 3, wherein the liquid cast body includes a reinforcing material.

5. The system according to Claim 4, wherein the reinforcing material is selected from the group consisting of: reinforcing fibers, microspheres and filler materials.

6. The system according to Claim 1, wherein unitary monolithic body is an injection molded body.

7. The system according to Claim 6, wherein the injection molded body is formed of one or more of a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material and an epoxy material.

8. The system according to Claim 7, wherein the injection molded body includes a reinforcing material.

9. The system according to Claim 8, wherein the reinforcing material is selected from the group consisting of: reinforcing fibers, microspheres and filler materials.

10. The system according to Claim 7, wherein the injection molded body includes one or more of an injected foam or gas.

11. The system according to Claim 1, wherein the panel includes a plurality of structural support ribs.

12. A panel for use in a package delivery vehicle, comprising a unitary monolithic body including a hinged edge and a free edge located opposite from the hinged edge, with a panel hinge member located at the hinged edge of the panel.

13. The panel of claim 12, comprising a flat top member, a plurality of ribs extending from a bottom surface of the flat top member and a peripheral edge surrounding the flat top member, wherein the flat top member, plurality of ribs and peripheral edge are parts of said unitary monolithic body.

14. The panel of claim 12, wherein unitary monolithic body is one of a liquid cast body or an injection molded body.

15. The panel of claim 12, wherein the unitary monolithic body is formed of one or more of a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material and an epoxy material.

16. The panel of claim 15, wherein the unitary monolithic body includes a reinforcing material.

17. The panel of claim 16, wherein the reinforcing material is selected from the group consisting of: reinforcing fibers, microspheres and filler materials.

18. The panel of claim 12, wherein the unitary monolithic body includes one or more of an injected foam or gas.