Composite floor with integrated conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11358652-B2
Application number	US-201916656109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	Oct 22, 2018
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A cargo vehicle is disclosed having a composite floor assembly with at least one conduit extending along a length of the composite floor assembly. The at least one conduit may include a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity. The first internal cavity may be configured to route at least one vehicle component. The second internal cavity may be configured to receive at least one vehicle component or a plurality of mechanical fasteners. The mechanical fasteners may be used to couple a base rail to the composite floor assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cargo body, comprising:
a composite floor assembly having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end spaced apart from the first longitudinal end along a floor longitudinal axis;
a first composite side wall extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a first conduit coupled to the composite floor assembly and located within a profile of the first composite side wall, the first conduit including a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity, the first and second internal cavities of the first conduit extending along a length of the first conduit parallel to the floor longitudinal axis; and
a first base rail having an upper portion coupled to the first side wall and a lower portion coupled to the first conduit with a plurality of mechanical fasteners that extend into the second internal cavity without extending into the first internal cavity.

2. The cargo body of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second composite side wall extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis; and
a second conduit coupled to the composite floor assembly and located within a profile of the second composite side wall, the second conduit spaced laterally opposite the first conduit and including a first and a second internal cavity, the first and second internal cavities of the second conduit extending along a length of the second conduit parallel to the floor longitudinal axis.

3. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein the composite floor assembly includes a coupler assembly having a king pin proximate the first longitudinal end, and the first and second internal cavities extend along the first conduit from proximate the coupler assembly to the second longitudinal end of the composite floor assembly.

4. The cargo body of claim 3 , wherein the first conduit extends from proximate the coupler assembly to the second longitudinal end of the composite floor assembly.

5. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein the first and second internal cavities extend from a first longitudinal end of the first conduit to a second longitudinal end of the first conduit, the second longitudinal end spaced apart from the first longitudinal end along a conduit longitudinal axis.

6. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein the first internal cavity is sized and shaped to receive at least one of an air hose and an electrical cable.

7. The cargo body of claim 6 , wherein the second internal cavity is sized and configured to receive a fuel line.

8. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein the composite floor assembly includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and the first conduit includes a lower wall extending along at least a portion of the length of the first conduit, the lower wall supporting a portion of the lower surface.

9. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of mechanical fasteners comprises:
a head end positioned laterally outside of the first base rail; and
a terminal end positioned laterally outside of a midwall that separates the first and second internal cavities.

10. The cargo body of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the first base rail is adhered to the first composite side wall.

11. A cargo body, comprising:
a composite floor assembly having a plurality of transverse composite beams oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the composite floor assembly, a first longitudinal end of each of the plurality of transverse composite beams defining a first side of the composite floor assembly and having a first shape; and
a first conduit coupled to the first side of the composite floor assembly and including a first wall having a second shape complementary to the first shape;
wherein the composite floor assembly includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the first shape of the composite floor assembly comprising a first surface angled relative to the upper surface and the lower surface, and the second shape of the first conduit comprising an angled surface complementary to the first surface; and
wherein the upper surface, the lower surface, and the first surface form a triangular shape.

12. The cargo body of claim 11 , wherein a second longitudinal end of each of the plurality of transverse composite beams defines a second side of the composite floor assembly opposite the first side, the second side including a third shape, and a second base rail is coupled to the second side and includes a second wall having a fourth shape complementary to the third shape.

13. The cargo body of claim 11 , wherein the first conduit is a closed conduit.

14. A conduit for a floor assembly of a cargo body, comprising:
an exterior boundary defined by at least a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, the second wall intersecting the first wall and the third wall intersecting at least one of the first and second walls;
a midwall coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third walls, the midwall defining a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity;
wherein each of the first, second, and third walls includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the second wall intersecting the first end of the first wall, a first end of the third wall intersecting the second wall intermediate the first end and the second end of the second wall.

15. The conduit of claim 14 , wherein the second wall perpendicularly intersects the first wall and the third wall obliquely intersects the first and second walls.

16. The conduit of claim 15 , wherein the midwall extends from an intersection between the first and second walls to the third wall.

17. The conduit of 14 , wherein the second end of the third wall intersects the first wall at the second end of the first wall.

18. The conduit of claim 14 , wherein the first internal cavity is sized and shaped to receive at least one of an air hose and an electrical cable and the second internal cavity is sized and shaped to receive a plurality of mechanical fasteners inserted into the first wall.

19. A cargo body having a front end, a rear end, a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end, a left side, and a right side, the cargo body comprising:
a composite floor assembly;
a first composite sidewall extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a first base rail coupling the first composite sidewall to the composite floor assembly;
a first conduit disposed between the first base rail and the composite floor assembly, the first conduit including:
a first internal cavity configured to route at least one vehicle component; and
a second internal cavity configured to receive a plurality of fasteners that couple the first base rail to the first conduit.

20. The cargo body of claim 19 , further comprising:
a second composite sidewall positioned laterally opposite the first composite sidewall;
a second base rail coupling the second composite sidewall to the composite floor assembly; and
a second conduit disposed between the second base rail and the composite floor assembly.

21. The cargo body of claim 19 , wherein the at least one vehicle component is an air hose or an electrical cable.

22. The cargo body of claim 19 , wherein the first conduit is adhered to the composite floor assembly.

Assignees

• Wabash National Lp

Inventors

• Storz Scott A
• Mccloud Travis Smith
• Wylezinski Andrzej
• Ehrlich Mark

Classifications

• B62D25/2054 Primary

  Load carrying floors for commercial vehicles · CPC title

• B62D29/043

  Superstructures (B62D25/161 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D33/04

  Enclosed load compartments {; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains (side curtains per se B60J5/065; tarpaulins per se B60J7/00, B60P7/04)} · CPC title

• B62D63/06

  Trailers (vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32) · CPC title

• B62D53/06

  Semi-trailers · CPC title