Truck body assembly and methods of making and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604677-B2
Application number	US-201514728307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2015
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/ and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sidepack for a utility truck, comprising:
a unitary, integral sidepack body and at least one storage compartment with a hinge and a door;
wherein the at least one storage compartment is integral with the sidepack body;
wherein the sidepack body includes a sidepack floor;
wherein the sidepack floor comprises an aluminum reinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets of thermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming, and
wherein the sidepack floor deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 0.14 psi is applied to the sidepack floor when the sidepack floor weighs less than 0.015 lbs per square inch.

2. The sidepack of claim 1 , wherein the hinge and door are integral with the sidepack body and wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

3. The sidepack of claim 1 , wherein the properties of the material are selected from the group consisting of: non-slip, flame-resistant, high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistant, recyclable, low cost, solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.

4. The sidepack of claim 1 wherein the material further includes reinforcements selected from the group consisting of metal reinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycomb reinforcement, wood reinforcement and combinations thereof.

5. The sidepack of claim 1 , further including an aerodynamic feature integral with the body.

6. The sidepack of claim 5 , wherein the aerodynamic feature is selected from the group consisting of fairings, turbulence-producing surface textures, at least one curve and combinations thereof.

7. The sidepack of claim 6 , wherein the at least one curve is tapered from just behind the passenger cabin to the rear of the truck bed.

8. The sidepack of claim 6 , wherein the turbulence-producing surface textures further provide a non-slip surface.

9. The sidepack of claim 1 , wherein the twin sheets are plastic welded together at kiss-off locations and the air gap between the two plastic sheets is at least twice the thickness of an individual plastic sheet.

10. The sidepack of claim 1 , wherein the twin sheets are linear polymer chain plastic.

11. A truck bed, comprising:
a reinforcement system;
a floor covering;
wherein the reinforcement system forms at least one extension beyond the boundary of the floor covering;
wherein the truck bed comprises an aluminum reinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets of thermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming, and
wherein the truck bed deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 1.4 psi is applied to the truck bed floor when the truck bed weighs less than 0.030 lbs per square inch.

12. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the material properties of the floor covering are selected from the group consisting of: non-slip, flame-resistant, high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistant, recyclable, low cost, solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.

13. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic is fiber-reinforced.

14. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the reinforcement system is selected from the group consisting of metal reinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycomb reinforcement, wood reinforcement and combinations thereof.

15. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the at least one extension is shaped to support a sidepack.

16. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the twin sheets are plastic welded together at kiss-off locations and the air gap between the two plastic sheets is at least twice the thickness of an individual plastic sheet.

17. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic sheets are linear polymer chain plastic.

18. The truck bed of claim 11 , wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500 lbs. per 2 ft.×3 ft. area.

19. A utility truck body, comprising:
a truck bed and at least one sidepack;
wherein the truck bed comprises a reinforcement system and a floor covering;
wherein the reinforcement system forms at least one extension beyond the boundary of the floor covering;
wherein the at least one sidepack comprises
a unitary, integral sidepack body and at least one storage compartment with a hinge and a door;
wherein the at least one storage compartment is integral with the sidepack body;

wherein the at least one sidepack and the truck bed are integrally constructed; and
wherein the at least one sidepack and the truck bed comprise an aluminum reinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets of thermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming,
wherein the truck bed deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 1.4 psi is applied to the truck bed floor when the truck bed weighs less than 0.030 lbs per square inch;
wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500 lbs per 2 ft.×3 ft. area, and
wherein the at least one sidepack is attached to the truck bed floor with rivnuts.

20. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein material properties of the floor covering are selected from the group consisting of: non-slip, flame-resistant, high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistant, recyclable, low cost, solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.

21. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic is fiber-reinforced.

22. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the thermoset is fiber-reinforced.

23. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the reinforcement system is selected from the group consisting of metal reinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycomb reinforcement, wood reinforcements and combinations thereof.

24. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the at least one extension is shaped to support the at least one sidepack.

25. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the hinge and door are integral with the unitary, integral sidepack body and wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

26. The utility truck body of claim 19 , wherein the at least one sidepack further includes a reinforcement selected from the group consisting of metal and thermoset plastic.

27. The utility truck body of claim 19 wherein the floor covering further includes fiber reinforcement.

28. The utility truck body of claim 19 , further including an aerodynamic feature integral with the truck body.

29. The utility truck body of claim 28 , wherein the aerodynamic feature is selected from the group consisting of fairings, turbulence-producing surface textures, at least one curve and combinations thereof.

30. The utility truck body of claim 29 , wherein the at least one curve is tapered from the front to rear of the truck bed.

31. The utility truck body of claim 29 , wherein the turbulence producing surface texture further provides a non-slip surface.

32. The truck body of claim 19 , wherein the twin sheets are plastic welded together at periodic kiss-off locations and the air gap between the two plastic sheets is at least twice the thickness of an individual plastic sheet.

33. The truck body of claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic sheets are linear polymer chain plastic.

34. The truck body of claim 19 , wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500 lbs. per 2 ft.×3 ft. area.

35. The truck body of claim 19 , wherein the sidepack floor deflec

Assignees

• Mckinney Ryan J
• Hoffmann Kyle E
• Altec Ind Inc

Inventors

• Mckinney Ryan J
• Hoffmann Kyle E

Classifications

• B62D33/023

  Sideboard or tailgate structures {(vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02)} · CPC title

• B60R9/00

  Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like · CPC title

• B62D29/04

  predominantly of synthetic material (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29) · CPC title

• B60R11/06

  for tools or spare parts (for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D) · CPC title

• B62D25/2054

  Load carrying floors for commercial vehicles · CPC title