Reinforced payload container

• US 6,935,678 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Laban, Christopher Scott, Bushong, Stephan, Coins, Terry Allen, Bromenshenkel, Timothy James, Ormiston, Edward Patrick, Fennell, Thomas Edmund, Franklin, Howard Roy, Miller, Clifford Eugene, Dahl, Kristofor Lee, Cusack, Christopher Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): MORROW, JASON S
• Application Number:
  US10/846,633
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 296/183.1, 296/183.2, 296/184.1
• US Class Current: 296/183.2
• 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

A reinforced payload container may include a panel forming at least one of a floor, a sidewall, and a front wall. A first plurality of ribs may be attached to the panel and may include a first free edge and a first panel edge. A second plurality of ribs may also be attached to the panel and may intersect with the first plurality of ribs. The second plurality of ribs may include a second free edge and a second panel edge. The first plurality of ribs may include first rib slots along the first free edge, and the second plurality of ribs may include second rib slots along the second panel edge. The first rib slots and the second rib slots may be aligned so that the first rib slots receive the second ribs and the second rib slots receive the first ribs.

Claims

1. A reinforced payload container for a vehicle having a maximum gross vehicular weight (GVW), comprising:

a panel forming at least one of a floor, a sidewall, and a front wall;

a first plurality of ribs attached to the panel, the first plurality of ribs including a first free edge and a first panel edge; and

a second plurality of ribs attached to the panel and intersecting with the first plurality of ribs, the second plurality of ribs including a second free edge and a second panel edge,

wherein the first plurality of ribs include first rib slots along the first free edge, and the second plurality of ribs include second rib slots along the second panel edge,

and wherein the first rib slots and the second rib slots are aligned so that the first rib slots receive the second ribs and the second rib slots receive the first ribs,

and wherein the panel and the ribs together are configured to carry the weight of a payload that increases a vehicle weight to the maximum GVW.

2. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of ribs are formed of a flat plate and are attached to the panel along their respective panel edge.

3. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the payload container has a front end and a rear end, and the first plurality of ribs extends longitudinally along the panel between the front and rear ends of the payload container, and wherein the second plurality of ribs extends along the panel between a first side and a second side of the payload container.

4. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of ribs are formed of AR400 steel.

5. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of ribs have a height greater than the first plurality of ribs.

6. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein a height of at least one of the first and second plurality of ribs varies along its length.

7. The reinforced payload container of claim 6, wherein the varying height of said at least one first and second plurality of ribs increases as the distance increases from an intersection of the first and second plurality of ribs.

8. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of ribs are in the shape of one of an I-beam, a T-beam, and a flat plate.

26. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality of ribs includes a wave along at least one of the first and second free edges.

27. The reinforced payload container of claim 26, wherein the wave varies along its length in a manner to have a peak height in a location along the rib that substantially corresponds to a location of highest stress from a payload in the payload container.

28. The reinforced payload container of claim 1, wherein the reinforced payload container includes a floor, first and second sidewalls at opposite sides of the floor, and a front wall adjacent the first and second sidewalls.

9. A reinforced payload container, comprising:

a panel forming at least one of a floor, a sidewall, and a front wall;

a first plurality of ribs having a first free edge and a first panel edge, the first panel edge being attached to the panel; and

a second plurality of ribs having a second free edge and a second panel edge, the second panel edge being attached the panel, the second plurality of ribs intersecting with the first plurality of ribs,

wherein at least one of the first and second plurality of ribs includes a wave along at least one of the first and second free edges.

10. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the wave includes a peak height in a location along the rib that corresponds to a location of highest stress from a payload in the payload container.

11. The reinforced payload container of claim 10, wherein the peak height of the wave is located at a center point between two adjacent intersections.

12. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the wave includes a valley between the peak height and an intersection between the first and second plurality of ribs.

13. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the wave is stepped.

14. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the wave is formed by one of a smooth curve and adjacent steps having increasing or decreasing heights.

15. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of ribs include first rib slots along the first free edge, and the second plurality of ribs include second rib slots along the second panel edge,

and wherein the first rib slots and the second rib slots are aligned so that the first rib slots receive the second ribs and the second rib slots receive the first ribs.

16. The reinforced payload container of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of ribs is formed of ribs spanning the distance between adjacent ribs of the second plurality of ribs.

17. A work machine having a maximum gross vehicular weight (GVW), comprising:

a frame;

a payload container including

a floor panel attached to the frame; and

a support structure attached to the floor panel, the support structure including

a first plurality of ribs having a first free edge and a first panel edge, the first panel edge being attached to the floor panel; and

a second plurality of ribs having a second free edge and a second panel edge, the second panel edge being attached to the floor panel, the second plurality of ribs intersecting the first plurality of ribs, wherein the first plurality of ribs include first rib slots along the first free edge, and the second plurality of ribs include second rib slots along the second-panel edge, and

wherein the first rib slots and the second rib slots are aligned so that the first rib slots receive the second ribs and the second rib slots receive the first ribs,

and wherein the panel and the ribs together are configured to carry the weight of a payload that increases a work machine weight to the maximum GVW.

18. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the payload container includes:

sidewalls at opposing sides of the floor panel; and

a sidewall support structure attached to each of the sidewalls, the sidewall support structure including

a first plurality of ribs having a first free edge and a first panel edge, the first panel edge being attached to the sidewall; and

a second plurality of ribs having a second free edge and a second panel edge, the second panel edge being attached the sidewall, the second plurality of ribs intersecting the first plurality of ribs, wherein the first plurality of ribs include first rib slots along the first free edge, and the second plurality of ribs include second rib slots along the second panel edge, and

wherein the first rib slots and the second rib slots are aligned so that the first rib slots receive the second ribs and the second rib slots receive the first ribs.

19. The work machine of claim 17, wherein the second plurality of ribs have a height greater than the first plurality of ribs.

20. The work machine of claim 17, wherein a height of at least one of the first and second plurality of ribs varies along its length.

21. The work machine of claim 20, wherein the varying height includes a minimum height, and wherein the minimum height occurs at intersections of the first and second plurality of ribs.

29. The work machine of claim 20, wherein the varying height includes a minimum height, and wherein the minimum height occurs adjacent to intersections of the first and second plurality of ribs.

30. The work machine of claim 20, wherein payload container includes sidewalls at opposing sides of the floor panel and is configured to be carried on the work machine.

22. A method for reinforcing a panel for a payload container comprising:

placing a first rib on a panel, the first rib having a first free edge and a first panel edge, the first free edge having a first slot formed therein;

placing a second rib on the panel, the second rib having a second free edge and a second panel edge, the second panel edge having a second slot formed therein, wherein at least one of the first and second ribs includes a wave forming peaks and valleys along at least one of the first and second free edges;

aligning the first slot of the first rib with the second slot of the second rib, such that the first slot receives the second rib and the second slot receives the first rib, thereby forming an intersection;

securing the first rib to the panel to reinforce the panel; and

securing the second rib to the panel to reinforce the panel.

23. The method of claim 22, including permanently joining the first rib to the second rib at the intersection.

24. The method of claim 22, including attaching the reinforced panel to additional panels to form the payload container.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein placing a first rib includes placing a plurality of the first ribs on the panel, and

wherein placing a second rib includes placing a plurality of the second ribs on the panel, the plurality of first and second ribs forming a grid of interconnecting first and second ribs;

and

securing the grid to the panel to reinforce the panel.