CARGO DEFLECTOR PANEL

• US 3,848,920 A
• Filed: 10/03/1972
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Flay D. Crosswell, Gerald W. Galbreath, James T. Linhart
• Original Assignee: Flay D. Crosswell, Gerald W. Galbreath, James T. Linhart
• Inventors: Crosswell, Flay D., Galbreath, Gerald W., Linhart, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US05/294,687
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 296/106,50 160/201,209,113,189
• US Class Current: 296/106
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/14 of roller-blind type made of rigid elements

Abstract

A conventional truck trailer is provided with a sectional door which is rollingly supported in substantially L-shaped tracks mounted on the side wall of the trailer. The door is movable from a closed vertical position wherein it is disposed in vertical track portions, to an open horizontal position wherein it is supported on horizontal track portions disposed adjacent the top wall of the trailer. The present invention provides a false ceiling extending between the side walls of the trailer and disposed directly below the horizontal track portions, which false ceiling extends to a point adjacent to but spaced from the door when same is in its closed position. A substantially rectangular deflector panel has one edge thereof pivotally connected to the top panel of the door, with the other edge thereof being rollingly supported on the guide tracks. The deflector panel is disposed at an angle relative to the door when same is in its closed position, whereby said other edge is positioned adjacent the end of said false ceiling. The deflector panel and false ceiling prevent the cargo from entering into the space between the tracks when the door is closed.

Claims

1. In a truck trailer having a pair of substantially vertical side walls and top and bottom walls connected between said side walls, the rear of said trailer defining an access opening into the interior thereof, a pair of substantially L-shaped guide tracks mounted on the walls of said trailer, said guide tracks including substantially vertical track portions disposed adjacent the opposite sides of said access opening and substantially horizontal track portions extending inwardly into the interior of said trailer adjacent the upper edge of said access opening, said vertical and horizontal track portions being interconnected by arcuate track portions, and a door unit slidably supported on said guide tracks and movable between a closed vertical position wherein said door unit is disposed within said vertical track portions for closing said access opening and an open substantially horizontal position wherein said door unit is supported on said horizontal track portions for uncovering said access opening, said door unit including a plurality of door panels horizontally hinged together to permit relative pivotal movement therebetween as the door moves between its open and closed positions, the improvement comprising:

deflector means associated with said door unit for preventing the cargo contained within said trailer from interfering with the upper edge of said door unit as same is being moved from its closed to its open position, said deflector means including a deflector panel extending laterally across the width of said door, said deflector panel being disposed at an angle relative to said door unit when same is in said closed position, one edge of said deflector panel being disposed adjacent the door unit and means pivotally connecting said one edge of said deflector panel to the upper portion of said door unit, the other edge of said deflector panel being disposed adjacent said horizontal track portions, and means associated with said deflector panel adjacent said other edge for slidably supporting same on said horizontal track portions.

2. A trailer according to claim 1, wherein said one edge of said deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost panel of said door unit.

3. A trailer according to claim 2, wherein said one edge of said deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost door panel at a location spaced downwardly a substantial distance from the uppermost edge thereof.

4. A trailer according to claim 3, wherein said uppermost door panel and said deflector panel partially overlap and partially nest relative to one another when said door is in its open horizontal position.

5. A trailer according to claim 1, wherein the plane of said deflector panel extends upwardly and inwardly relative to said door unit at an angle which lies between 35* and 55* relative to the plane defined by said door unit when same is in said closed vertical position.

6. A trailer according to claim 1, further including false ceiling means extending between said side walls at an elevation directly below said horizontal track portions, the rearward end of said false ceiling means terminating at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of said door unit when same is in said closed vertical position, said other edge of said deflector panel being disposed above and in the vicinity of the rearward edge of said false ceiling means when said door unit is in said closed vertical position.

7. A trailer according to claim 6, wherein said one edge of said deflector panel is pivotally conneCted to the uppermost panel of said door unit at a location spaced upwardly a small distance from the hinge structure which interconnects the two uppermost door panels.

8. In a truck trailer having an access opening therein and a movable door associated with said access openings for closing same, said door being movable from a closed substantially vertical position wherein the door closes said access opening and an open substantially horizontal position wherein said door is disposed substantially horizontally within the interior of said trailer at an elevation adjacent the upper edge of said access opening, the improvement comprising:

partition means associated with said trailer for preventing the cargo disposed within the interior of said trailer from blocking the movement of said door from its closed to its open position, said partition means being inclined at an angle relative to a plane defined by said door when said door is in its closed vertical position, said partition means having a substantial depth with one edge thereof being disposed closely adjacent the inside surface of said door when same is in its closed vertical position, the opposite edge of said partition means being horizontally spaced a substantial distance from the inside surface of said door, said partition means also extending transversely across the width of said trailer and having a width at least approximately equal to the width of said door, said partition means extending inwardly into the interior of said truck trailer from a location adjacent the upper edge of said access opening but being disposed at an elevation below the elevation of said door when same is in its open horizontal position.

9. A trailer according to claim 8, wherein said partition means includes a partition member positioned adjacent the inside surface of said door and means mounting said partition member for substantially vertical swinging movement relative to said trailer, said partition member extending inwardly into the interior of said trailer away from said access opening.

10. A trailer according to claim 9, wherein said partition means includes a further panel member fixedly connected to and extending between the side walls of said trailer at an elevation closely adjacent but slightly below the elevation of said door unit when same is in its open horizontal position, said further panel member being spaced inwardly in the interior of said trailer a substantial distance from said access opening, said first-mentioned panel member being disposed in the space between said further panel member and said access opening at least when said door is in said closed vertical position.

11. In a truck trailer having wall means defining an access opening into the interior thereof, a pair of substantially L-shaped guide tracks mounted on the wall means, said guide tracks including substantially vertical track portions disposed adjacent the opposite sides of said access opening and substantially horizontal track portions extending inwardly into the interior of said trailer adjacent the upper edge of said access opening, said vertical and horizontal track portions being interconnected by arcuate track portions, and a door unit slidably supported on said guide tracks and movable between a closed vertical position wherein said door unit is disposed within said vertical track portions for closing said access opening and an open substantially horizontal position wherein said door unit is supported on said horizontal track portions for uncovering said access opening, said door unit including a plurality of door panels horizontally hinged together to permit relative pivotal movement therebetween as the door moves between its open and closed positions, the improvement comprising:

partition means disposed within the interior of said trailer in the vicinity of the upper edge of said access opening for preventing the cargo located within the interior of said trailer from blocking movement of said door from its closed position to its oPen position;

said partition means including a first partition member having a width at least approximately equal to the width of said door and means mounting said first partition member in the vicinity of the upper edge of said access opening when said door is in said closed vertical position, said first partition member extending at a substantial angle relative to a vertical plane defined by said access opening, said first partition member being disposed below said arcuate track portions for isolating the space defined within said arcuate track portions from the cargo located within the interior of said trailer; and

said partition means including a second partition member having a width at least approximately equal to the width of said door and means fixedly mounting said second partition member relative to said wall means at an elevation closely adjacent but directly below the horizontal track portions, said second partition member being spaced inwardly within said trailer a substantial distance from said access opening.

12. A trailer according to claim 11, wherein said means supporting said first partition member permits same to vertically swing relative to the wall means of said trailer.

13. A vehicle body comprising walls defining an enclosure and providing an access opening into the interior of the enclosure, guide means disposed adjacent the access opening of the vehicle body and extending inwardly from the access opening into the interior of the enclosure, an articulated door disposed for sliding engagement with the guide means between closed and opened positions, and a deflector panel extending across a portion of the access opening, one edge of the deflector panel being pivotally connected to the upper portion of the articulated door, a second edge of the deflector panel being provided with slide means for supporting the deflector panel in sliding engagement with a portion of the guide means whereby the upper portion of the articulated door is shielded from the contents of the enclosure when the door is in closed position and the door and deflector panel are freely movable relative to the access opening when the door is not closed.

14. A vehicle body according to claim 13, wherein the articulated door comprises a plurality of pivotally connected panels and said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost panel of the door unit.

15. A vehicle body according to claim 14, wherein said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost door panel at a position spaced from the uppermost edge thereof.

16. A vehicle body according to claim 14, wherein said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost door panel at a position spaced upwardly from the lowermost edge thereof.

17. A vehicle body according to claim 15, wherein the uppermost door panel and the deflector panel are disposed to partially overlap and partially nest one relative to another when said door is in its open position.

18. A vehicle body according to claim 13, wherein the plane of the deflector panel, when disposed in the closed position, extends upwardly and inwardly relative to the door at an angle which lies between 35* and 55* relative to the plane defined by the door.

19. A vehicle body according to claim 13, further including false ceiling means spaced below the upper walls defining the enclosure and that portion of the guide means extending inwardly from the access opening, one end of the false ceiling means terminating at position spaced from the plane of the access opening and the articulated door when the door is in closed position, the second edge of the deflector panel being disposed above and in close proximity to said one edge of the false ceiling means when the articulated door is in closed position.

20. A vehicle body according to claim 19, wherein the articulated door comprises a plurality of pivotally connected panels and said one edge of the deflector paNel is pivotally connected to the uppermost panel of the door in a position spaced upwardly from the pivotal connection of the two uppermost door panels.

21. A closure for a vehicle body access opening comprising an articulated door, means on the door for co-operative sliding engagement with door guide means provided adjacent a vehicle body access opening, a deflector panel having one edge pivotally connected to the upper portion of the door, and slide means disposed upon a second edge of the deflector panel for supporting the deflector panel in sliding engagement with a guide means provided adjacent a vehicle body accesss opening whereby the upper portion of the articulated door is shielded from the contents of the vehicle body when the door is in closed position and the door and deflector panel are freely movable relative to the access opening when the door is not closed.

22. A closure according to claim 21, wherein the articulated door comprises a plurality of pivotally connected panels and said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost panel of the door.

23. A closure according to claim 22, wherein said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost door panel at a position spaced from the uppermost edge thereof.

24. A closure according to claim 22, wherein said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost door panel at a position spaced upwardly from the lowermost edge thereof.

25. A closure according to claim 23, wherein the uppermost door panel and the deflector panel are disposed to partially overlap and partially nest one relative to another when said door is in its open position.

26. A closure according to claim 21, wherein the plane of the deflector panel, when disposed in the closed position, extends upwardly and inwardly relative to the door unit at an angle which lies between 35* and 55* relative to the plane defined by the door.

27. A closure according to claim 21, further including false ceiling means for disposition within a vehicle body adjacent that portion of the guide means extending inwardly from the access opening and have one end thereof fabricated for termination at position spaced from the plane of the access opening and the articulated door when the door is in closed position, the second edge of the deflector panel being constructed for disposition above and in close proximity to said one edge of the false ceiling means when the articulated door is in closed position.

28. A closure according to claim 27, wherein the articulated door comprises a plurality of pivotally connected panels and said one edge of the deflector panel is pivotally connected to the uppermost panel of the door in a position spaced upwardly from the pivotal connection of the two uppermost door panels.

29. A trailer according to claim 12, wherein said first partition member has one edge thereof pivotally connected to an upper portion of said door, the other edge of said first partition member being pivotally and slidably supported on said horizontal track portions.