Method of estimating the volumetric carrying capacity of a truck body
First Claim
1. A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having a pair of side walls, a front wall and a floor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) establishing a truck body side-to-side load profile cross-section by extending a side load line upward and inward at a predetermined angle from an upper edge of each of the truck body side walls to a side-to-side load profile cross-sectional peak;
(b) cutting off the side-to-side load profile cross-sectional peak with a horizontal side-to-side load plateau line of a predetermined length while maintaining the side load lines at the predetermined angle;
(c) establishing a truck body front-to-rear load profile cross-section by extending a front load line upward and rearward from an upper edge of the truck body front wall at the predetermined angle and by extending a rear load line upward and forward at the predetermined angle from at or near a rear edge of the truck body floor to a front-to-rear load profile cross-sectional peak;
(d) cutting off the front-to-rear load profile cross-sectional peak with a horizontal front-to-rear load plateau line of a predetermined length while maintaining the front and rear load lines at the predetermined angle;
(e) adjusting the final height of the side-to side and front-to-rear load plateau lines to the lesser of the height of the side-to-side load plateau line in the side-to-side load profile cross-section as produced in step (b) and the height of the front-to-rear load plateau line in the front-to-rear load profile cross-section as produced in step (d);
(f) creating a top load plateau profile from the side-to-side and front-to-rear load profile cross-sections at the load plateau line height produced in step (e), the top load plateau profile defining a polygonal shape;
(g) adjusting the shape of the top load plateau profile by defining a final outer boundary of the top load plateau profile as a closed curve inscribed in the polygonal shape from step (f);
(h) contouring the side load lines produced in step (a) and the front and rear load lines produced in step (c) around and below the final outer boundary of the top load plateau profile into a generally conically shaped heaped outer surface inclined at the predetermined angle to form a final three-dimensional load model, wherein (i) an upper surface of the final three-dimensional load model is defined by the top load plateau profile from step (g) and by the conically shaped heaped outer surface between the top load plateau profile and where the generally conically shaped heaped outer surface intersects the truck body, (ii) side surfaces of the final three-dimensional load model are generally defined by the truck body side walls, front wall and floor, and (iii) the lower surface of the final three-dimensional load model is generally defined by the truck body floor; and
(i) calculating the volume of the final three-dimensional load model.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for estimating the effective volumetric capacity of a truck body is provided. The method includes the step of establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model. A front-to-rear profile of the generic load model is also established. Load plateau lines having predetermined dimensions are established in the front-to-rear and side-to-side profiles and the height of the plateau lines are determined. A top profile of the generic load is then created and the shape of the load plateau is adjusted into a closed curve shape. The front, rear and side load lines below the final outer boundary of the load plateau are then contoured into a generally conical shaped surface. The final three-dimensional generic load model is formed by where this generally conical shaped surface intersects the sides walls, front and floor of the truck body. The volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model can then be calculated.
34 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having a pair of side walls, a front wall and a floor, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) establishing a truck body side-to-side load profile cross-section by extending a side load line upward and inward at a predetermined angle from an upper edge of each of the truck body side walls to a side-to-side load profile cross-sectional peak; (b) cutting off the side-to-side load profile cross-sectional peak with a horizontal side-to-side load plateau line of a predetermined length while maintaining the side load lines at the predetermined angle; (c) establishing a truck body front-to-rear load profile cross-section by extending a front load line upward and rearward from an upper edge of the truck body front wall at the predetermined angle and by extending a rear load line upward and forward at the predetermined angle from at or near a rear edge of the truck body floor to a front-to-rear load profile cross-sectional peak; (d) cutting off the front-to-rear load profile cross-sectional peak with a horizontal front-to-rear load plateau line of a predetermined length while maintaining the front and rear load lines at the predetermined angle; (e) adjusting the final height of the side-to side and front-to-rear load plateau lines to the lesser of the height of the side-to-side load plateau line in the side-to-side load profile cross-section as produced in step (b) and the height of the front-to-rear load plateau line in the front-to-rear load profile cross-section as produced in step (d); (f) creating a top load plateau profile from the side-to-side and front-to-rear load profile cross-sections at the load plateau line height produced in step (e), the top load plateau profile defining a polygonal shape; (g) adjusting the shape of the top load plateau profile by defining a final outer boundary of the top load plateau profile as a closed curve inscribed in the polygonal shape from step (f); (h) contouring the side load lines produced in step (a) and the front and rear load lines produced in step (c) around and below the final outer boundary of the top load plateau profile into a generally conically shaped heaped outer surface inclined at the predetermined angle to form a final three-dimensional load model, wherein (i) an upper surface of the final three-dimensional load model is defined by the top load plateau profile from step (g) and by the conically shaped heaped outer surface between the top load plateau profile and where the generally conically shaped heaped outer surface intersects the truck body, (ii) side surfaces of the final three-dimensional load model are generally defined by the truck body side walls, front wall and floor, and (iii) the lower surface of the final three-dimensional load model is generally defined by the truck body floor; and (i) calculating the volume of the final three-dimensional load model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having walls and a floor, comprising:
-
establishing a truck body load profile in three dimensions; contouring the load profile around the truck body into a generally conically shaped heap to form a three-dimensional load model, determining a height of a top load plateau profile of the three-dimensional load model based on dimensions of the truck body; creating the top load plateau profile at the determined height below the intersection of the conically shaped heap; wherein an upper surface of a final thee-dimensional load model is defined by the top load plateau profile and by the conically shaped heap between the top load plateau profile and where the generally conically shaped heap intersects the truck body'"'"'s walls and floor; and calculating a volume of the final three-dimensional load model. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having walls and a floor, comprising:
-
establishing a generic three-dimensional load by (1) modeling a heap of generic material in three dimensions held in the truck body, wherein a lower portion of the modeled heap is shaped by the walls and floor of the truck body and an upper portion of the modeled heap extends upwardly from the lower portion in a generally conical shape toward a peak, and (2) forming a plateau in the conical shape below the peak and at a height of the conical shape determined by dimensions of the truck body; and calculating a volume of the generic three-dimensional load. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification