Sting Trailer

• US 20110187143A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Foster, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/24.3
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/042 divided into compartments movable bulk heads B60P7/14; cattle transport B60P3/04; bottled liquids B60P3/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making

Abstract

A sting trailer has a front end-wall located at a first standard trailer length from a rear end of the sting trailer, a false end-wall located at a second standard trailer length from the rear end of the sting trailer, and a hidden compartment located between the front end-wall and the false end-wall.

Claims

1. A sting trailer, comprising:

a front end-wall located at a first standard trailer length from a rear end of the sting trailer;

a false end-wall located at a second standard trailer length from the rear end of the sting trailer; and

a hidden compartment located between the front end-wall and the false end-wall,

wherein the first and second standard trailer lengths are different lengths defined according to established industry-standard lengths.

2. The sting trailer of claim 1, further comprising solar panels disposed on a roof of the sting trailer so that the solar panels overlie the hidden compartment and are located between the front end-wall and the false end-wall.

3. The sting trailer of claim 1, further comprising one or more braces interposed between the front end-wall and the false end-wall.

4. The sting trailer of claim 1, wherein the false end-wall comprises panels overlying a frame that is fixed to the trailer.

5. The sting trailer of claim 4, wherein the frame comprises:

a header fixed to a roof of the sting trailer;

a base fixed to a floor of the sting trailer; and

sides connected to the header and the base and fixed to sidewalls of the sting trailer.

6. The sting trailer of claim 5, wherein the frame further comprises a central support column connected between the header and the base.

7. The sting trailer of claim 6, wherein the frame further comprises one or more studs located on either side of the central support column and connected between the header and base.

8. The sting trailer of claim 7, wherein the frame further comprises one or more braces located on either side of the central support column and connected between the sides and the central support column.

9. The sting trailer of claim 1, wherein the first standard trailer length is 53 feet and the second standard trailer length is 48 feet.

10. A sting trailer, comprising:

sidewalls including vertical joints spaced a preset distance from one another and observable from an interior of the trailer;

a hidden compartment containing surveillance equipment;

a cargo-carrying compartment; and

a false end-wall interposed between the hidden compartment and the cargo-carrying compartment, wherein the false end-wall includes vertical joints spaced the preset distance from one another and observable from the interior of the trailer.

11. The sting trailer of claim 10, wherein the overall length of the first standard semi-trailer is 53 feet and the overall length of the second standard semi-trailer is 48 feet.

12. The sting trailer of claim 10, wherein an exterior length of the sting trailer is an overall length of a first standard semi-trailer and a length of the cargo carrying compartment is an overall length of a second standard semi-trailer, the overall length of the first standard semi-trailer being different than the overall length of the second standard semi-trailer, and wherein the overall length of the first standard semi-trailer and the overall length of the second standard semi-trailer are defined according to established industry-standard lengths.

13. The sting trailer of claim 10, further comprising solar panels disposed on a roof of the sting trailer and directly overlying the hidden compartment.

14. The sting trailer of claim 13, wherein the solar panels are configured to supply power to the surveillance equipment.

15. A method of constructing a sting trailer, comprising:

providing a semi-trailer having a front end-wall;

positioning a false end-wall in an interior of the semi-trailer between the front end-wall and a rear end of the semi-trailer to form a hidden compartment between the front end-wall and the false end-wall, the false end-wall having an appearance of and being positioned to appear as a true end wall such that the hidden compartment is less detectable; and

disposing surveillance equipment in the hidden compartment.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising disposing solar panels on a roof of the semi-trailer directly overlying the hidden compartment for supplying power to the surveillance equipment.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the false end-wall further comprises aligning the false end-wall with an existing joint in each of a pair of sidewalls of the semi-trailer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the front end-wall is located at a first standard semi-trailer length from the rear end of the semi-trailer, wherein positioning the false end-wall comprises positioning the false end-wall between the front end-wall and the rear end at a second standard semi-trailer length from the rear end, wherein the first standard semi-trailer length is different from the second standard semi-trailer length, and wherein the first and second standard semi-trailer lengths are defined according to established industry-standard lengths.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the false end-wall further comprises interposing one or more braces between the false end-wall and the front end-wall of the semi-trailer.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the false end-wall further comprises disposing panels on a frame and securing the frame to the interior of the semi-trailer.