Trailer having utility line raceway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330714-B2
Application number	US-202117542885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 6, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A cargo trailer includes a plurality of walls defining a cargo area, the walls including a front wall facing a rear of a tractor when the cargo trailer is coupled to the tractor. A recessed cavity is provided at a forward side of the front wall. A plurality of utility line connectors are positioned at least partially within the recessed cavity for establishing connections between at least one utility source of the tractor and at least one utility component of the cargo trailer. The plurality of utility line connectors are spaced vertically above a bottom wall of the recessed cavity. A raceway has an upper end situated on the bottom wall and a lower end situated at a height below the cargo area. The raceway defines an interior tunnel receiving a plurality of utility lines connected to the plurality of utility line connectors, the interior tunnel sealed from cargo area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cargo trailer comprising:
a plurality of walls defining a cargo area, the plurality of walls including a front wall configured to face a rear of a tractor when the cargo trailer is coupled to the tractor;
a cavity recessed into a forward side of the front wall;
a plurality of utility line connectors positioned at least partially within the recessed cavity for establishing connections between at least one utility source of the tractor and at least one utility component of the cargo trailer, wherein the plurality of utility line connectors are spaced vertically above a bottom wall of the recessed cavity; and
a raceway having an upper end situated on the bottom wall and a lower end situated at a height below the cargo area,
wherein the raceway defines an interior tunnel configured for receiving a plurality of utility lines connected to the plurality of utility line connectors, the interior tunnel extending through an interior portion of the cargo trailer and being sealed from the cargo area.

2. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors include air and electrical connectors.

3. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors include first and second gladhand connectors coupled to brakes of the cargo trailer.

4. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors includes a multi-pin electrical connector coupled to a plurality of lamps of the cargo trailer.

5. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the raceway includes a sealing flange sealed to the bottom wall of the recessed cavity.

6. The cargo trailer of claim 5 , wherein the sealing flange is sealed to the bottom wall with a foam gasket.

7. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the raceway is entirely closed along a length extending between the upper and lower ends, both of which are open ends.

8. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , wherein the raceway is of an integral molded plastic construction.

9. The cargo trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a coupler positioned at an underside of the cargo trailer adjacent the front wall, the coupler including an upper coupler plate,
a lower coupler plate spaced below the upper coupler plate, and
a kingpin projecting downwardly from the lower coupler plate and configured for coupling with a tractor,
wherein the lower end of the raceway is sealed to an opening in the upper coupler plate.

10. The cargo trailer of claim 9 , wherein the lower end of the raceway is sealed to the opening in the upper coupler plate with a foam gasket.

11. The cargo trailer of claim 9 , wherein the opening in the upper coupler plate is surrounded by a dam sealed to and extending upwardly from the upper coupler plate.

12. A cargo trailer comprising:
a rear end configured for loading and unloading cargo;
a coupler including a kingpin adjacent a front end of the cargo trailer and configured for facilitating attachment with a tractor;
a cargo area defined between the front and rear ends;
a cavity recessed into a forward-facing side of a front wall of the cargo trailer at the front end thereof; and
a raceway coupled to the cavity,
wherein a plurality of utility line connectors are positioned within the recessed cavity and configured for connection with a plurality of external utility lines,
wherein the raceway defines a sealed tunnel extending between the recessed cavity and the coupler, the sealed tunnel jointly accommodating a plurality of trailer utility lines that are connected with the plurality of utility line connectors in the recessed cavity.

13. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the raceway has an upper end open to the recessed cavity and sealed to a bottom wall thereof.

14. The cargo trailer of claim 13 , wherein the raceway upper end includes a sealing flange fastened to the bottom wall of the recessed cavity with a gasket therebetween.

15. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the raceway has a lower end sealed to an upper plate of the coupler, the lower end being exposed to an internal coupler cavity between the upper plate and a lower plate of the coupler.

16. The cargo trailer of claim 15 , wherein the raceway lower end is sealed with a gasket into an opening in the upper plate of the coupler.

17. The cargo trailer of claim 16 , wherein the opening in the upper coupler plate is surrounded by a dam sealed to and extending upwardly from the upper coupler plate.

18. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the raceway is of an integral molded plastic construction.

19. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors include air and electrical connectors.

20. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors include first and second gladhand connectors coupled to brakes of the cargo trailer.

21. The cargo trailer of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of utility line connectors includes a multi-pin electrical connector coupled to a plurality of lamps of the cargo trailer.

Assignees

• Sti Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Moore Steven Paul
• Dybevik Gregory Michael
• Tachon Taylor John Nathan

Classifications

• B62D53/0857

  Auxiliary semi-trailer handling or loading equipment, e.g. ramps, rigs, coupling supports · CPC title

• B62D53/125

  with simultaneous coupling of the service lines · CPC title

• B62D53/0842

  King pins · CPC title

• B62D53/06

  Semi-trailers · CPC title

• B60D1/64

  Couplings or joints therefor · CPC title