Logistics post

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9394010-B2
Application number	US-201514819881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2014
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A logistics post for use in a vehicle includes an inner wall and an outer wall. The logistics post is arranged to couple with panels to form a sidewall of a vehicle. At least a portion of the inner wall is spaced apart from the outer wall to form a mount passage therebetween. The inner wall includes a plurality of logistics slots that extend through the inner wall and open into the mount passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A logistics post for use in a vehicle, the logistics post comprising:
an inner wall that includes a first inner-wall end, a second inner-wall end, and a plurality of logistics slots that extend through the inner wall,
an outer wall that includes a first outer-wall end and a second outer-wall end, wherein a portion of the inner wall extends away from the outer wall to form a mount passage therebetween, the logistics slots open into the mount passage, and the outer wall overlaps with the inner wall to close the mount passage, and
a joining member that includes a first joint end that extends from the second inner-wall end and a second joint end that extends from the first outer-wall end and the joining member couples together the inner wall with the outer wall,
wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the joining member are a single monolithic component.

2. The logistics post of claim 1 wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the joining member are integrally formed.

3. The logistics post of claim 1 wherein the inner wall includes an inner surface, an outer surface, and the logistics slots extend through the inner and outer surfaces; and wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the joining member comprise at least one of a metallic, a non-metallic, and a ceramic material.

4. The logistics post of claim 3 wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the joining member are steel.

5. The logistics post of claim 3 wherein the joining member includes an inner coupler segment and an outer coupler segment and the outer coupler segment overlaps with the inner coupler segment; and wherein the inner coupler segment and the second inner-wall end are coupled together.

6. The logistics post of claim 5 wherein the joining member further includes an S-curved segment, the S-curved segment and the outer coupler segment are coupled together and the S-curved segment and the first outer-wall end are coupled together; wherein the joining member further includes an intermediate segment extending between and interconnecting the inner segment and the outer segment; and wherein the joining member is formed to define a gap between the inner and outer segments.

7. The logistics post of claim 6 wherein the inner wall includes a front inner segment, a rear inner segment, and a mount segment extending between and interconnecting the front and rear segments; wherein the front inner segment and the rear inner segments extend along the outer wall; wherein the mount segment extends away from the outer wall to form a first receiver channel therebetween; and wherein the logistics slots extend through the mount segment.

8. The logistics post of claim 7 wherein the logistics slots open into the first receiver channel.

9. The logistics post of claim 8 wherein the logistics slots are aligned vertically; and wherein the mount segment is curved.

10. The logistics post of claim 9 wherein the mount segment includes a first arm coupled to the front segment, a second arm coupled to the rear segment, and a receiver body extending between and interconnecting the first and second arms; wherein the first arm and the front inner segment cooperate to define an angle α therebetween; wherein the second arm and the rear inner segment cooperate to define an angle θ therebetween; and wherein the inner coupler segment and the inner wall lie in a first plane.

11. The logistics post of claim 10 wherein the angle α and the angle θ are about equal.

12. The logistics post of claim 10 wherein the receiver body lies in a second plane parallel to the first plane.

13. The logistics post of claim 12 wherein the outer wall includes a front outer segment, a rear outer segment, and an expanded segment extending between and interconnecting the front and rear outer segments; wherein the expanded segment extends away from the inner wall to form a second receiver channel therebetween; and wherein the second receiver channel opens into the first receiver channel and the first and second receiver channels cooperate to form a mount passage.

14. The logistics post of claim 13 further including an end cap coupled together with the second outer-wall end; wherein the end cap includes a first end coupled together with the second outer-wall end and a second end that abuts the first inner-wall end; wherein the front outer segment of the outer wall overlaps with the front inner segment of the inner wall; and wherein the rear outer segment of the outer wall overlaps with the rear inner segment of the inner wall.

15. The logistics post of claim 14 wherein the first receiver channel is about one fourth of an inch wide to about one-inch wide; and wherein the mount passage is about one-fourth of an inch wide to about one-inch wide.

16. A logistics post for use in a vehicle, the logistics post comprising:
an inner wall that includes a first inner-wall end, a second inner-wall end, and a plurality of logistics slots that extend through the inner wall,
an outer wall that includes a first outer-wall end and a second outer-wall end, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall cooperate to form a mount passage therebetween, the logistics slots open into the mount passage, and the outer wall overlaps with the inner wall to close the mount passage, and
a joining member that includes a first joint end that extends from the second inner-wall end of the inner wall and a second joint end that extends from the first outer-wall end of the outer wall to join together the inner wall, the outer wall, and the joining member to form a single monolithic component.

17. The logistics post of claim 16 wherein the joining member includes an inner coupler segment and an outer coupler segment, the outer coupler segment overlaps with the inner coupler segment, and the inner coupler segment and the second inner-wall end are coupled together.

18. The logistics post of claim 17 wherein the joining member further includes an S-curved segment, the S-curved segment and the outer coupler segment are coupled together, the S-curved segment and the first outer-wall end are coupled together, the joining member further includes an intermediate segment extending between and interconnecting the inner coupler segment and the outer coupler segment, and the joining member is formed to define a gap between the inner and outer coupler segments.

19. The logistics post of claim 16 wherein the inner wall includes a front inner segment, a rear inner segment, and a mount segment extending between and interconnecting the front and rear inner segments, the front inner segment and the rear inner segment extend along the outer wall, the mount segment extends away from the outer wall to form a first receiver channel therebetween, and the logistics slots extend through the mount segment.

Assignees

• Wabash National Lp

Inventors

• Kunkel David P

Classifications

• B60P7/0815

  Attachment rails or trellis · CPC title

• B62D33/046 Primary

  built up with flat self-supporting panels; Fixed connections between panels (B62D29/045, B62D33/048 take precedence) · CPC title