Removable side fairing for a vehicle
First Claim
1. A vehicle, comprising:
- (a) a frame defining an axis that extends between a front and a rear of the vehicle, the frame supported on rotatably mounted wheels;
(b) a plurality of fairing support brackets fixedly mounted to the frame;
(c) a cab body mounted to the frame; and
(d) a side fairing including a fixed portion fixedly attached to at least one support bracket and a removable portion removably attached to at least one support bracket and to the fixed portion, the fixed portion located lower than the cab body and having at least one step for assisting a vehicle operator to access the cab, the step comprising an elongate, substantially horizontal surface longitudinally extending along a direction substantially parallel to the axis, the removable portion located rearwardly of the fixed portion and having at least one step located contiguous with the at least one step of the fixed portion, the removable portion further including at least one latch for coupling the removable portion to the vehicle, whereby the latch can be manually latched and the removable portion separated from the brackets thereby providing access to the frame located behind the cab.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle having a side-mounted fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag in which a portion of the fairing is easily removable to allow access to vehicle components is disclosed. The removable fairing includes a convolute sheet of substantially rigid material in which planar surfaces are formed for providing steps. Support rails are mounted to an inner surface of the fairing just below the steps to connect the fairing to the vehicle and to support weight placed on the steps. The rails include mortise and tenon connections for connecting the removable fairing portion to a fixed portion of the fairing. In addition, support brackets are fixedly attached to the vehicle and extend outward to provide support for the removable fairing. Fasteners are provided for securing the removable fairing to the vehicle and to the fixed portion of the fairing.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a frame defining an axis that extends between a front and a rear of the vehicle, the frame supported on rotatably mounted wheels; (b) a plurality of fairing support brackets fixedly mounted to the frame; (c) a cab body mounted to the frame; and (d) a side fairing including a fixed portion fixedly attached to at least one support bracket and a removable portion removably attached to at least one support bracket and to the fixed portion, the fixed portion located lower than the cab body and having at least one step for assisting a vehicle operator to access the cab, the step comprising an elongate, substantially horizontal surface longitudinally extending along a direction substantially parallel to the axis, the removable portion located rearwardly of the fixed portion and having at least one step located contiguous with the at least one step of the fixed portion, the removable portion further including at least one latch for coupling the removable portion to the vehicle, whereby the latch can be manually latched and the removable portion separated from the brackets thereby providing access to the frame located behind the cab.
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2. A vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a frame defining an axis that extends between a front and a rear of the vehicle, the frame supported on rotatably mounted wheels; (b) a plurality of fairing support brackets fixedly mounted to the frame; (c) a cab body mounted to the frame; and (d) a side fairing including a fixed portion fixedly attached to at least one support bracket and a removable portion removably attached to at least one support bracket and to the fixed portion, the fixed portion located lower than the cab body and having at least one step for assisting a vehicle operator to access the cab, the step comprising an elongate, substantially horizontal surface longitudinally extending along a direction substantially parallel to the axis, the removable portion located rearwardly of the fixed portion and having at least one step, the removable portion further including at least one latch for coupling the removable portion to the vehicle, whereby the latch can be manually latched and the removable portion separated from the brackets thereby providing access to the frame located behind the cab; and wherein the removable portion of the fairing is a convolute sheet having an inner surface and an outer surface and wherein the at least one step is located along the outer surface and further including at least one rail coupled to the sheet and located along the inner surface below the step to support weight placed on the step and at least one mortis and tenon coupling interconnecting the at least one rail to the fixed portion. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a frame defining an axis that extends between a front and a rear of the vehicle, the frame supported on rotatably mounted wheels; (b) a plurality of fairing support brackets fixedly mounted to the frame; (c) a cab body mounted to the frame; (d) a side fairing including a fixed portion fixedly attached to at least one support bracket and a removable portion removably attached to at least one support bracket and to the fixed portion, the fixed portion located lower than the cab body and having at least one step for assisting a vehicle operator to access the cab, the step comprising an elongate, substantially horizontal surface longitudinally extending along a direction substantially parallel to the axis, the removable portion located rearwardly of the fixed portion and having at least one step located contiguous with the at least one step of the fixed portion, the removable portion further including at least one latch for coupling the removable portion to the vehicle, whereby the latch can be manually latched and the removable portion separated from the brackets thereby providing access to the frame located behind the cab; and wherein the at least one latch comprises an elastic strap and a hook wherein the elastic strap includes an aperture for receiving the hook.
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- 9. A side mounted removable fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag on a vehicle, comprising a convolute sheet having top and bottom margins, and front and rear margins, the sheet also defining an outer surface and an inner surface, on the outer surface is at least one substantially planar surface for providing a step when the fairing is mounted onto a vehicle to assist a vehicle operator to access portions of the vehicle, the outer surface also including a recess sized to accommodate a hand to facilitate gripping and holding the fairing, the fairing further comprising at least one support rail coupled to the sheet along the inner surface and opposed to the substantially planar surface to provide support for the planar surface when the planar surface is used as said step, the at least one rail having a tongue at one end thereof to couple the rail to a contiguously located fixed fairing, the removable fairing further comprising at least one fastener for fastening the removable fairing onto the vehicle.
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19. A vehicle comprising:
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(a) an elongated vehicle frame having at least one frame rail extending between a front and a rear of the vehicle; (b) a cab supported by the frame; (c) wheels rotatably coupled to the frame including wheels supported by a first axle spaced rearwardly of the vehicle cab with no axles between said first axle and a rear of the vehicle cab; (d) a side fairing located substantially between the rear of the cab and the first axle; (e) spaced apart side fairing supports projecting outwardly from the frame rail and defining a frame rail access space therebetween; (f) the side fairing being removably coupled to at least one of the side fairing supports such that when in a first position the side fairing is supported by at least one side fairing support and when in a second position the side fairing does not block access to the access space; and (g) and at least one manually actuated resilient latch operable when latched to retain the side fairing in the first position and when released to permit movement of the side fairing to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A vehicle comprising:
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(a) an elongated vehicle frame having at least one frame rail extending between a front and a rear of the vehicle; (b) a cab supported by the frame; (c) wheels rotatably coupled to the frame including wheels supported by a first axle spaced rearwardly of the vehicle cab with no axles between said first axle and a rear of the vehicle cab; (d) a side fairing located substantially between the rear of the cab and the first axle; (e) spaced apart side fairing supports projecting outwardly from the frame rail and defining a frame rail access space therebetween; (f) the side fairing being removably coupled to at least one of the side fairing supports such that when in a first position the side fairing is supported by at least one side fairing support and when in a second position the side fairing does not block access to the access space; (g) and at least one manually actuated latch operable when latched to retain the side fairing in the first position and when released to permit movement of the side fairing to the second position; and in which the side fairing includes first and second elongated reinforcing members extending longitudinally from front to rear of the side fairing, end portions of said first and second reinforcing members being supported by said at least one side fairing support. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A vehicle comprising:
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(a) an elongated vehicle frame having at least one frame rail extending between a front and a rear of the vehicle; (b) a cab supported by the frame; (c) wheels rotatably coupled to the frame including wheels supported by a first axle spaced rearwardly of the vehicle cab with no axles between said first axle and a rear of the vehicle cab; (d) a side fairing located substantially between the rear of the cab and the first axle; (e) spaced apart side fairing supports protecting outwardly from the frame rail and defining a frame rail access space therebetween; (f) the side fairing being movably coupled to at least one of the side fairing supports such that when in a first position the side fairing is supported by at least one side fairing support and when in a second position the side fairing does not block access to the access space; and (g) and at least one manually actuated latch operable when latched to retain the side fairing in the first position and when released to permit movement of the side fairing to the second position; the side fairing includes first and second reinforcing members extending longitudinally from front to rear of the side fairing, end portions of said first and second reinforcing members being supported by said at least one side fairing support; and in which a first of said side fairing supports is positioned adjacent to one end of the side fairing and a second of said side fairing supports is positioned adjacent to an end of a contiguous fixedly mounted side fairing, the access space being bracing free and extending between the first and second side fairing supports.
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24. A vehicle comprising:
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(a) an elongated vehicle frame having at least one frame rail extending between a front and a rear of the vehicle; (b) a cab supported by the frame; (c) wheels rotatably coupled to the frame including wheels supported by a first axle spaced rearwardly of the vehicle cab with no axles between said first axle and the rear of the vehicle cab; (d) a side fairing located substantially between the rear of the cab and the first axle, elongated structural rails mounted to the side fairing such that the side fairing and elongated structural rails form a removable unit; and (e) first and second spaced apart fairing supports projecting outwardly from the frame rail and defining an access space between the first and second supports, the access space having no structural members or fuel tanks positioned therein; (f) the side fairing and elongated structural rails being detachably coupled to the frame rail and detachably supported by the fairing supports, wherein removal of the fairing and elongated structural rails as a unit provides access to the access space by a vehicle operator located beside the vehicle.
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Specification