Tailgate with structurally integrated CNG system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081244-B2
Application number	US-201615393374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 18, 2013
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A refuse vehicle has a tailgate. The tailgate has a framework to secure CNG tanks. A cover overlays the frame work to provide an aesthetic appearance to the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tailgate for a refuse vehicle comprising:
a frame having a portion curving longitudinally between a top and bottom of the tailgate, the frame extending between a top terminal end of the tailgate and a bottom terminal end of the tailgate;
a plurality of compressed natural gas tanks coupled with the frame, the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks are positioned onto the curving portion of the frame from the top of the frame to the bottom of the frame such that the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks are aligned one after the other in a single file pattern so that the single file pattern of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks define a curved line along the frame from the top of the tailgate to the bottom of the tailgate and the plurality of tanks extend from the top of the tailgate to the bottom of the tailgate; and
a cover covering the frame.

2. The tailgate for a refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame has a first portion and a second portion, the second portion is the curving portion.

3. The tailgate for a refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned between a pair of hinges for connecting to the refuse vehicle.

4. The tailgate for a refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned in the first portion.

5. A refuse vehicle comprising:
a vehicle chassis;
a container secured with the vehicle chassis;
a tailgate coupled with the container, the tailgate further comprising:
a frame having a portion curving longitudinally between a top and bottom of the tailgate, the frame extending between a top terminal end of the tailgate and a bottom terminal end of the tailgate;
a plurality of compressed natural gas tanks coupled with the frame, the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks are positioned onto the curving portion of the frame such that the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks are aligned one after the other in a single file pattern so that the single file pattern of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks define a curved line along the frame from the top of the tailgate to the bottom the tailgate; and
a cover covering the frame.

6. The refuse vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the frame has a first portion and a second portion, the second portion is the curving portion.

7. The refuse vehicle of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned between a pair of hinges for connecting to the refuse vehicle.

8. The refuse vehicle of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned in the first portion.

9. The tailgate of claim 1 , further including a plurality of gussets configured to strengthen the frame.

10. The refuse vehicle of claim 5 , further including a vehicle fuel system and a flexible compressed natural gas hi-pressure hose coupling the compressed natural gas tanks with the vehicle fuel system.

11. A tailgate for a refuse vehicle comprising:
a frame, the frame has a pair of beams extending between a top terminal end and a bottom terminal end of the tailgate, the beams include a curved portion with a plurality of members for receiving compressed natural gas tanks along the beams from the top of the tailgate to the bottom of the tailgate with the compressed natural gas tanks positioned between the beams, the plurality of members for receiving the compressed natural gas tanks are positioned on the beams such that the plurality of members are aligned one after the other in a single file pattern so that the single file pattern of the plurality of members for receiving the compressed natural gas tanks define a curved line along the beams from the top of the tailgate to the bottom of the tailgate; and
a cover covering the frame.

12. The tailgate for a refuse vehicle of claim 11 , wherein at least one compressed natural gas tank is positioned between a pair of hinges for connecting to the refuse vehicle.

13. The tailgate for a refuse vehicle of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of compressed natural gas tanks are positioned on the frame.

14. A refuse vehicle comprising:
a vehicle chassis;
a container secured with the vehicle chassis;
a tailgate coupled with the container, the tailgate further comprising:
a frame including a pair of sides, each side including a hinge member coupling the tailgate with the container;
each side has a curved portion extending from a top terminal end of the tailgate to a bottom terminal end of the tailgate, each side includes a plurality of members for receiving compressed natural gas tanks; and
a plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned between the pair of sides, and the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks couple with the plurality of receiving members on the pair of sides, the compressed natural gas tanks positioned along the frame;
a pair of end cross members, one end cross member positioned at an end of the frame at the top of the tailgate and the other end cross member positioned at an end of the frame at the bottom of the tailgate, and at least one third cross member positioned between the tailgate top and bottom end cross members and adjacent at least one of the compressed natural gas tanks; and
a cover covering the frame.

15. The refuse vehicle of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of compressed natural gas tanks is positioned between a pair of hinges for connecting to the refuse vehicle.

16. The tailgate of claim 11 , further including a plurality of gussets configured to strengthen the frame.

17. The refuse vehicle of claim 14 , further including a vehicle fuel system and a flexible compressed natural gas hi-pressure hose coupling the compressed natural gas tanks with the vehicle fuel system.

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Mckinney Bobby Ray

Classifications

• B60Y2200/144

  Garbage trucks, e.g. refuse trucks · CPC title

• B60K15/07 Primary

  of gas tanks · CPC title

• B60Y2410/124

  Welded parts · CPC title

• B60Y2304/03

  Reducing weight · CPC title

• B65F3/00

  Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse (vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10) · CPC title