ANGLED CLAMP ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING PANELS TO I-BEAMS

• US 20190152541A1
• Filed: 01/17/2019
• Published: 05/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Composites North America Limited
• Original Assignee: Laydon Composites Limited (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Haws, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 11,208,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/56 Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers; Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/565 on vehicle sides
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/008 Side spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/02 Streamlining the undersurfaces B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/02 by aerodynamic means
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/06 external, i.e. with contracting action F16B2/14 - F16B2/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/12 using sliding jaws
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/14 using wedges
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0685 Joining sheets or plates to strips or bars F16B5/0692 takes precedence

Abstract

A clamp assembly is provided for securing a panel or fairing to an I-beam, and comprises a pair of side blocks and a damping block having a central body and a flat surface at at least one end of the central body. The side blocks and the damping block are secured together using a single bolt. The flat surface at the end of the central body is positioned at an angle to the central body, so as to provide an angled surface for mounting of a fairing.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A clamp assembly for securing a panel to an I-beam, the clamp assembly including a clamping block comprising:

a central body including a first end opposite a second end and defining a longitudinal axis therebetween;

a first flat surface joined to the first end of the central body as a point of attachment for the I-beam, the first flat surface extending across the central body;

a second flat surface joined to the second end of the central body as a point of attachment for the panel, the second flat surface extending across the central body;

wherein at least one of the first and second flat surfaces are angled at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the central body; and

wherein the first and second flat surfaces are non-parallel and are disposed at an angle relative to each other.

20. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the first and second flat surfaces are each horizontally angled at non-perpendicular angles, in opposite directions, of between 5°

and 75°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

21. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the first and second flat surfaces are each horizontally angled at non-perpendicular angles, in opposite directions, of between 7.5°

and 60°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

22. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the first and second flat surfaces are each horizontally angled at non-perpendicular angles, in opposite directions, of between 10°

and 45°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

23. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the first flat surface is disposed at a non-horizontal angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body, and wherein the second flat surface is disposed at an angle of between 5°

and 75°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

24. The clamp assembly of claim 23 wherein the second flat surface is disposed at an angle of between 7.5°

and 60°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

25. The clamp assembly of claim 23 wherein the second flat surface is disposed at an angle of between 10°

and 45°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the central body.

26. The clamp assembly of claim 19 further including first and second side blocks on opposing sides of the clamping block.

27. The clamp assembly of claim 26 wherein the first and second side blocks include corrugations to aid in securing the first and second side blocks to the I-beam.

28. The clamp assembly of claim 26 wherein the central body includes opposing sloped side surfaces extending between the first end and the second end.

29. The clamp assembly of claim 28 wherein each of the first and second side blocks are “

L”

shaped for engaging the opposing sloped side surfaces of the central body therebetween.

30. The clamp assembly of claim 26 wherein the first and second side blocks and the central body define a plurality of aligned openings extending therethrough.

31. The clamp assembly of claim 30 further including a plurality of bolts extending through the plurality of aligned openings.

32. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the first flat surface extends laterally beyond the central body.

33. The clamp assembly of claim 19 further including an attachment surface which can be attached to the first or second flat surfaces.

34. The clamp assembly of claim 19 wherein the panel is a fairing.

35. The clamp assembly of claim 19 further comprising a resiliently flexible strut as a panel support device.

36. A fairing mounting system comprising the clamp assembly of claim 19 mounted to an I-beam on a cargo trailer.