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:
- (a) establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model by extending a load side line upward at one or more predetermined material angles of repose from the the side walls of the truck body to a peak;
(b) establishing a front-to-rear profile of a generic load model by extending a front load line upward from the front wall of the truck body at the one or more predetermined material angles of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body to a peak;
(c) fitting the side load lines produced in step (a) and the front and rear load lines produced in step (b) into a generally conically shaped surface in which the profiles of the conical shaped surface are maintained at the one or more predetermined material angles of repose to form a final three-dimensional generic load model where the generally conical shaped surface intersects the side walls, front wall and floor of the truck body; and
(d) calculating the volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model.
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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 by extending load side lines upward at a predetermined material angle of repose from the upper edge of each of the side walls of the truck body. A front-to-rear profile of the generic load model is also established by extending a front load line upward from the upper edge of the front wall of the truck body at the predetermined material angle of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body at the predetermined material angle of repose. 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 from the side-to-side and front-to-rear profiles 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 in which the sides of the surface are still inclined at the predetermined material angle of repose. 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.
23 Citations
7 Claims
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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:
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(a) establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model by extending a load side line upward at one or more predetermined material angles of repose from the the side walls of the truck body to a peak; (b) establishing a front-to-rear profile of a generic load model by extending a front load line upward from the front wall of the truck body at the one or more predetermined material angles of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body to a peak; (c) fitting the side load lines produced in step (a) and the front and rear load lines produced in step (b) into a generally conically shaped surface in which the profiles of the conical shaped surface are maintained at the one or more predetermined material angles of repose to form a final three-dimensional generic load model where the generally conical shaped surface intersects the side walls, front wall and floor of the truck body; and (d) calculating the volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having walls and a floor, comprising:
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establishing a model of the truck body, establishing material angles of repose for the volumetric capacity, establishing a model of a generic three-dimensional load to be carried by the truck body, where the load has a generally conical shape, adjusting the model of the generic three-dimensional load with respect to the truck body so that the generally conical shape intersects the walls at a highest point of each of the walls and intersects the floor at a point closest to a rear edge of the floor, and calculating a volume of the generic three-dimensional load based on a volume of the generally conical shape contained within the model of the truck body. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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Specification