Cargo unloader for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384286-B2
Application number	US-202318163993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2023
Priority date	Feb 3, 2023
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A tension-loaded drive mechanism (“mechanism”) is provided for a cargo unloader. The drive mechanism includes a compressor for increasing the pressure of a fluid. The drive mechanism further includes multiple bladders fluidly connected to the compressor to receive the fluid from the compressor and expand in a rearward direction along a longitudinal axis of a cargo bed. The mechanism further includes a strap system having multiple straps attached to each bladder. The strap system further includes multiple spools configured to apply a compression counter force via the straps to the associated bladders, such that the compression counter force increases the pressure of the fluid in the associated bladders to a predetermined drive pressure threshold. The spools are further configured to dispense an associated one of the straps at a predetermined stepped payout rate such that the associated bladders apply a drive force associated with the predetermined drive pressure threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cargo unloader of a vehicle, the cargo unloader comprising:
a tension-loaded drive mechanism comprising:
a compressor for increasing the pressure of a fluid;
a plurality of bladders fluidly connected to the compressor and configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the compressor, with each of the bladders configured to expand in a rearward direction along a longitudinal axis of a cargo bed in response to the associated bladder receiving the fluid from the compressor; and
a strap system including:
a plurality of straps attached to each of the bladders; and
a plurality of spools configured to apply a compression counter force via the straps to the associated bladders in a forward direction opposite to the rearward direction, such that the compression counter force increases the pressure of the fluid in the associated bladders to a predetermined drive pressure threshold, and the spools are further configured to dispense an associated one of the straps at a predetermined stepped payout rate such that the associated bladders expand in the rearward direction to transmit a drive force associated with the predetermined drive pressure threshold; and

a plow attached to the plurality of bladders and configured to transmit the drive force from the bladders to a cargo positioned in a cargo bed of the vehicle, such that the plow moves the cargo in the rearward direction in response to the bladders expanding in the rearward direction.

2. The cargo unloader of claim 1 further comprising a forward panel assembly for mounting the tension-loaded drive mechanism to a forward end of the cargo bed.

3. The cargo unloader of claim 2 wherein the plow is not attached directly to the cargo bed, and the cargo bed does not have an associated fastener that is capable of being fouled by the cargo.

4. The cargo unloader of claim 1 wherein the plow comprises:
a primary panel having a forward face attached to the bladders and a rearward face capable of contacting the cargo and moving the cargo in the rearward direction in response to the bladders expanding in the rearward direction; and
a pair of sub-panels slidably attached to the primary panel and configured to move between a lower position and an upper position to clear a pair of wheel wells when the plow moves in the rearward direction.

5. The cargo unloader of claim 1 further comprising a dead man switch electrically connecting a power supply to the compressor.

6. A tension-loaded drive mechanism for a cargo unloader, the tension-loaded drive mechanism comprising:
a compressor for increasing the pressure of a fluid;
a plurality of bladders fluidly connected to the compressor and configured to receive a fluid from the compressor, with each of the bladders configured to expand in a rearward direction along a longitudinal axis of a cargo bed in response to the associated bladder receiving the fluid from the compressor; and
a strap system including:
a plurality of straps attached to each of the bladders; and
a plurality of spools configured to apply a compression counter force via the straps to the associated bladders in a forward direction opposite to the rearward direction, such that the compression counter force increases the pressure of the fluid in the associated bladders to a predetermined drive pressure threshold, and the spools are further configured to dispense an associated one of the straps at a predetermined stepped payout rate such that the associated bladders expand in the rearward direction to transmit a drive force associated with the predetermined drive pressure threshold, with a plow transmitting the drive force from the bladders to a cargo positioned in a cargo bed, such that the plow moves the cargo in the rearward direction in response to the bladders expanding in the rearward direction.

7. The tension-loaded drive mechanism of claim 6 wherein each of the bladders comprises:
an accordion bellows having a forward end attached to a forward panel assembly mounted to a forward end of the cargo bed, a rear end opposite to the forward end, and a pair of sides extending between the forward and rear ends; and
a cap having a forward surface attached to the rear end of the accordion bellows, a rear surface attached to a plow for moving a cargo in the rearward direction, and a pair of opposing lateral ends; and
where at least one of the straps is attached to each of the opposing lateral ends of the cap to transmit the compression counter force to the associated accordion bellows and further to transmit a lateral force to the sides of the accordion bellows in a lateral direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bed.

8. The tension-loaded drive mechanism of claim 6 wherein each of the bladders further comprises a plurality of guide rings attached to the sides of the accordion bellows and spaced from one another, with each of the guide rings configured to receive the associated strap to block movement of the associated bellows in the lateral direction and apply the compression counter force to the accordion bellows.

9. The tension-loaded drive mechanism of claim 6 wherein each of the spools comprises:
a spindle for carrying the associated strap; and
a detent mechanism for applying the compression counter force to the associated strap that in turn applies the compression counter force to the accordion bellows.

10. The tension-loaded drive mechanism of claim 9 wherein the plurality of bladders include at least first and second bladders disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, and the tension-loaded drive mechanism further comprises:
a manifold having an inlet fluidly connected to the compressor to receive pressurized fluid from the compressor, the manifold further having first and second outlets fluidly connected to an associated one of the first and second bladders, with the manifold further having first and second solenoid valves attached to an associated one of the first and second outlets, with each of the first and second solenoid valves being movable between an open position to permit a flow of pressurized air to the associated first and second bladders and a closed position to block the flow.

11. The tension-loaded drive mechanism of claim 10 further comprising:
at least two sensors coupled to the spools for the first and second bladders, with the at least two sensors generating first and second input signals associated with data indicating an angular rotation of the spools and a payout of the associated straps attached to the first and second bladders; and
a computer having at least one processor electrically communicating with the two sensors, the compressor, and the first and second solenoid valves, and the computer further having a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, such that the at least one processor is programmed to:
determine first and second payout lengths of the straps dispensed by the spools for an associated one of first and second bladders in response to the at least one processor receiving the first and second input signals from an associated one of the two sensors;
compare the first and second payout lengths to one another;
transmit a first open actuation signal to the first solenoid valve in response to the at least one processor determining that the second payout length is longer than the first payout length, where the first solenoid valve moves to the open position in response to the first solenoid valve receiving the first open actuation signal from the at least one processor, and where the fluid flows from the first outlet to the first bladder such that the first bladder moves a first side portion of the plow in the

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Alexander Paul W
• Bernal Jesus Anthony
• Bontrager Eric James

Classifications

• B60P1/006 Primary

  charge and discharge with pusher plates (plates fixed to endless chains or belts B60P1/365) · CPC title

• B60P1/00

  Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading (vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G) · CPC title

• B60P1/60 Primary

  using fluids, e.g. having direct contact between fluid and load {(for railway wagons B61D5/004)} · CPC title