TUBE-STYLE TRUCK BODY

• US 20070182208A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Think Rite Intellectual Properties LLC
• Original Assignee: Mine Rite Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: D'Amico, John, Frank, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/183.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/286 Loading buckets
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/02 Platforms; Open load compartments flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08

Abstract

An off-highway truck body comprising a plurality of tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or two pieces of square or rectangular tubing, wherein the truck body comprises two sidewalls, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, and wherein one side of each tube-style support member is welded to the outside of the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy. The pieces of tubing are preferably comprised of steel. The present invention optionally comprises a forward wedged front wall and a side-sloped canopy. The present invention also encompasses a tube-style tailgate, an alternate embodiment in which I-beams are used in lieu of square tubing, and an alternate embodiment in which a gusset is used in lieu of a cover plate for the double-size support members.

Claims

1. An off-highway truck body comprising a plurality of tube-style support members,

wherein each tube-style support member comprises at least two pieces of rectangular tubing,

wherein each piece of rectangular tubing comprises a top side and a bottom side,

wherein each tube-style support member further comprises a cover plate that extends across the top sides of the pieces of rectangular tubing,

wherein the cover plate is welded to the top sides of the pieces of rectangular tubing,

wherein the truck body comprises at least one sidewall, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, and

wherein the bottom side of each tube-style support member is welded to the outside of the sidewall floor, front wall or canopy.

2. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a forward wedged front wall, wherein the front wall is wedged forward such that the angle between the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall and floor and the line formed by the juncture of the forward wedged front wall and floor is greater than ninety (90) degrees and less than one hundred eighty (180) degrees.

3. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a front wall, wherein the entire front wall is tilted forward, and wherein the top approximate one-third (⅓

) of the front wall is tilted forward at a greater angle than the rest of the front wall.

4. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a side-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises two sides that are angled downward and a center section that is flat.

5. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a side-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises a peaked center and four sloped sides, wherein two of the sloped sides are on either side of the peaked center, wherein all of the sloped sides are angled downward, and wherein the two sloped sides farthest from the peaked center are sloped at a greater angle than the two sloped sides closest to the peaked center.

6. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, further comprising a tailgate, wherein the tailgate is comprised of one or more tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or more pieces of rectangular tubing, and wherein the rectangular tubing is comprised of steel.

7. The off-highway truck body of claim 6, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel and two side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panels comprises at least one tube-style support member.

8. A tailgate comprised of one or more tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or more pieces of rectangular tubing, and wherein the rectangular tubing is comprised of steel.

9. The tailgate of claim 8, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel and two side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panels comprises at least one tube-style support member.

10. An off-highway truck body comprising a plurality of tube-style support members,

wherein each tube-style support member comprises at least two pieces of square or rectangular tubing,

wherein each piece of tubing comprises a top side and a bottom side,

wherein each tube-style support member further comprises one or more gussets,

wherein each gusset is situated between two pieces of tubing and is perpendicular to each piece of adjacent tubing,

wherein each gusset is welded to each adjacent piece of tubing,

wherein the truck body comprises at least one sidewall, a floor, a front wall and a canopy,

wherein each gusset and the bottom side of each tube-style support member are welded to the outside of the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy.

11. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a forward wedged front wall, wherein the front wall is wedged forward such that the angle between the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall and floor and the line formed by the juncture of the forward wedged front wall and floor is greater than ninety (90) degrees and less than one hundred eighty (180) degrees.

12. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a front wall, wherein the entire front wall is tilted forward, and wherein the top approximate one-third (⅓

) of the front wall is tilted forward at a greater angle than the rest of the front wall.

13. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a side-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises two sides that are angled downward and a center section that is flat.

14. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a side-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises a peaked center and four sloped sides, wherein two of the sloped sides are on either side of the peaked center, wherein all of the sloped sides are angled downward, and wherein the two sloped sides farthest from the peaked center are sloped at a greater angle than the two sloped sides closest to the peaked center.

15. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14, further comprising a tailgate, wherein the tailgate is comprised of one or more tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or more pieces of square or rectangular tubing, and wherein the square or rectangular tubing is comprised of steel.

16. The off-highway truck body of claim 15, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel and two side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panels comprises at least one tube-style support member.

17. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, wherein the gussets are evenly spaced between the pieces of tubing.

18. A tailgate comprised of one or more tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or more pieces of square or rectangular tubing, and wherein the square or rectangular tubing is comprised of steel.

19. The tailgate of claim 18, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel and two side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panels comprises at least one tube-style support member.