Patent ID: 7267393
Filing Date: 2007-09-11
Classification: B21C,B62D,B65D

Abstract:
1. A method of constructing a load-carrying floor for a wheeled truck or trailer, said method comprising: providing a plurality of extruded aluminum hollow floor panels wherein each hollow floor panel comprises: (i) spaced apart inside and outside walls connected to each other by spaced apart first and second end walls, said inside wall of each panel being planar; and, (ii) a primary cross-member located between and extending parallel to said first end wall and said second end wall, said primary cross-member interconnecting said inside wall and said outside wall; abutting each of said plurality of hollow floor panels with at least another one of said plurality of hollow floor panels so that said plurality of abutted hollow floor panels define a floor section, said floor section comprising: (i) an inner load-carrying surface defined by the planar inside walls of said abutted hollow floor panels; (ii) an outer surface defined by the outside walls of the abutted hollow floor panels; (iii) a plurality of seams defined respectively where each of said hollow floor panels is abutted with an adjacent one of said hollow floor panels, each seam comprising a weld groove located adjacent and separating said planar inside walls of adjacent abutted floor panels; and, (iv) opposite left and right edge regions, wherein each seam extends between the left and right edge regions; affixing adjacent abutted floor panels to each other by filling each weld groove with a weld or adhesive so that said inner load-carrying surface defined by said planar inside walls is uninterrupted by each weld groove; connecting a one-piece extruded aluminum left rail to said left edge region of said floor section by abutting said left edge region of said floor section with said left rail and welding said left edge region of said floor section to said left rail; connecting a one-piece extruded aluminum right rail to said right edge region of said floor section by abutting said right edge region of said floor section with said right rail and welding said right edge region of said floor section to said right rail; arranging said floor section horizontally as a floor of a wheeled truck or trailer with said inner load-carrying surface oriented upward and said left and right rails spaced-apart from each other and with each of said hollow floor panels and each of said seams and filled weld grooves extending horizontally between said left and right bottom rails.