Folding side skirt system for a trailer

• US 8,783,758 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wabash National LP (Wabash National Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wabash National LP (Wabash National Corporation)
• Inventors: Baker, Leonard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/847,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20130249241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 294/180.1, 294/180.4, 294/180.5, 296/180.1, 296/180.4, 296/180.5
• US Class Current: 296/180.4
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans

Abstract

A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer includes a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend generally below a storage container of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer. The side skirt wall includes (i) a first wall panel having a first end configured to be pivotably coupled to a rear wheel assembly of the trailer and (ii) a second wall panel having a first end pivotably coupled to a second end of the first wall panel and a second end configured to be pivotably coupled to a rear portion of the trailer. The side skirt wall is movable between a fully-extended position wherein the first and second wall panels cooperate to define a generally planar side skirt wall and a fully-retracted position wherein the first and second wall panels are angled relative to each other.

Claims

1. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising:

a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend generally below a storage container of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer, the side skirt wall including (i) a first wall panel having a first end configured to be pivotably coupled to a rear wheel assembly of the trailer and (ii) a second wall panel having a first end pivotably coupled to a second end of the first wall panel and a second end configured to be pivotably coupled to a rear portion of the trailer,

wherein the side skirt wall is movable between a fully-extended position wherein the first and second wall panels cooperate to define a generally planar side skirt wall and a fully-retracted position wherein the first and second wall panels are angled relative to each other.

2. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein a front end of the front wall panel is spaced a first distance from a rear end of the second wall panel when the side skirt wall is in the fully-extended position, and wherein the front end of the front wall panel is spaced a second, smaller distance away from the rear end of the rear wall panel when the side skirt wall is in the fully-retracted position.

3. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein the side skirt wall is angled relative to a sidewall of the trailer when the side skirt wall is in the fully-extended position.

4. The side skirt system of claim 3, wherein a rear end of the side skirt wall is positioned inwardly of a front end of the side skirt wall.

5. The side skirt system of claim 1, further comprising a mounting bracket configured to be coupled to the rear wheel assembly of the trailer, wherein the first wall panel is pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket.

6. The side skirt system of claim 5, wherein the mounting bracket includes a horizontal bar and a vertical post coupled to one end of the horizontal bar, and wherein the first end of the first wall panel is pivotably coupled to the vertical post.

7. The side skirt system of claim 6, wherein the vertical post of the mounting bracket extends downwardly therefrom to define an axis about which the first wall panel pivots.

8. The side skirt system of claim 1, wherein the first and second wall panels are each made of a composite material including an outer skin, an inner skin, and a core positioned between and coupled to the first and second skins.

9. The side skirt system of claim 8, wherein the inner and outer skins are metal and the core is a polymer.

10. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising:

a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend generally below a storage container of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer, wherein the side skirt wall is movable between a fully-extended position wherein the side skirt wall generally defines a straight line, and a fully-retracted position wherein a first distance between a front end and a rear end of the side skirt wall is less than a second distance between the front end and the rear end of the side skirt wall when the side skirt wall is in the fully-extended position,

wherein the front end of the side skirt wall is configured to be coupled to a rear wheel assembly of the trailer for back-and-forth movement therewith, and wherein the rear end of the side skirt wall is configured to be coupled to a rear portion of the trailer.

11. The side skirt system of claim 10, wherein the side skirt wall includes a plurality of wall panels, and the wall panels are generally aligned with each other when the side skirt wall is in the fully-extended position, and wherein outer surfaces of two adjacent panels are substantially facing each other when the side skirt wall is in the full-retracted position.

12. The side skirt system of claim 11, wherein the side skirt wall includes a first wall panel and a second wall panel pivotably coupled to the first wall panel for pivoting movement relative thereto about a generally vertical axis.

13. The side skirt system of claim 12, wherein the side skirt wall further includes a hinge coupled to and positioned between the first and second wall panels.

14. The side skirt system of claim 12, wherein the vertical axis moves inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the trailer when the side skirt system is moved from the fully-extended position to the fully-retracted position.

15. A trailer and side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer, comprising:

a trailer having sidewalls, a floor assembly, a rear bumper coupled to and extending downwardly from the floor assembly, and a rear wheel assembly coupled to the floor assembly, wherein the wheel assembly is movable relative to the floor assembly between a first, forward position wherein the rear wheel assembly is spaced a first distance away from the rear bumper and a second, rearward position wherein the rear wheel assembly is spaced a second distance smaller than the first distance away from the rear bumper; and

a side skirt system coupled to the trailer and extending downwardly below the floor assembly of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer between the rear wheel assembly and the rear bumper of the trailer, wherein a front end of the side skirt system is configured to move back-and-forth with the rear wheel assembly relative to the floor assembly, and wherein a rear end of the side skirt system is configured to remain generally stationary relative to the floor assembly.

16. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 15, wherein the side skirt system includes a plurality of wall panels pivotably coupled to one another.

17. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of wall panels includes a first wall panel pivotably coupled to the rear wheel assembly and a second wall panel pivotably coupled at a first end to the first wall panel and at a second end to at least one of the rear bumper, a rear end portion of a slide rail, a rear end portion of a rear end wall, and a rear end portion of the sidewall of the trailer.

18. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 15, wherein the side skirt wall defines a plane generally angled relative to a plane defined by the sidewall of the trailer when the side skirt system is in the fully-extended position.

19. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 18, wherein a rear end of the skirt wall is positioned inwardly relative to the trailer from a front end of the skirt wall.

20. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 15, further comprising a mounting bracket coupled to the rear wheel assembly, wherein the front wall panel of the side skirt wall is pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket.

21. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 15, further comprising a rear bumper deflector for reducing drag on the trailer, wherein the rear bumper deflector defines a horizontally planar body coupled to the rear bumper of the trailer at a location spaced apart from the floor assembly of the trailer, and wherein the rear bumper deflector extends forwardly from the rear bumper toward the rear wheel assembly.

22. The trailer and side skirt system of claim 21, wherein the rear bumper deflector is positioned outwardly from the rear end of the side skirt system.