Abstract:
A side skirt mounting apparatus may include a side skirt that may be installed to be supported by a one-touch locker in an upper portion thereof and a hinge in a lower portion thereof, wherein the locker includes an upper bracket, a lower bracket, a skirt frame to which the upper bracket and the lower bracket may be engaged, a shaft installed to slidably penetrate the upper and lower brackets and to be selectively inserted into a hole formed to a side skirt bracket, and an elastic member mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft between the upper and lower brackets to elastically support the shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0082279 filed on Jul. 27, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a side skirt for a truck, and more particularly, to a side skirt installed for protection of various types of tanks installed under a body of a truck. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Various types of tanks including fuel tanks and air tanks are generally installed under a body of a truck, and as a means for protecting the tanks, a side skirt is provided in the truck. For example, the fuel tank of the truck requires body strength enough to retain an internal fuel and tolerate an external force generated in the case of a collision, etc., and also enables to prevent the fuel tank from damage by an external factor such as deformation of the body in the case of a vehicle collision to minimize damage caused therefrom. 
         [0006]    To meet the needs, a side skirt (substantially, the side skirt and a rail assembly) in the shape of a predetermined plate is installed in a body frame side of the truck to protect the tanks from outside influences. 
         [0007]    Moreover, to reduce gas emission from a diesel vehicle, an auxiliary fuel such as urea has been widely used recently and accordingly a tank for storing urea in the truck has been protected using the side skirt. 
         [0008]    An example of a conventional side skirt discloses a slide-type side skirt which is disposed to arrange from a lower end of a side of a body to a position of wheel to prevent a pedestrian or the like from being caught under a body frame. 
         [0009]    Generally, in the case of large trucks, in fuel injection for a tractor, an auxiliary fuel, urea, is also injected, and to secure entry of an injection gun, a side skirt has to be removed, causing use of tools and increasing time for maintenance. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a tank assembly  11  including an air tank, a fuel tank, a urea tank, or the like is installed in a side of a body frame  10 , and a ladder &amp; guard rail assembly  12  serving as a side skirt is installed outwardly from the installed tank assembly  11 . 
         [0010]    Therefore, to inject urea into the urea tank of the tank assembly  11 , front and rear bolt engagement portions  300  of the ladder &amp; guard rail assembly  12  have to be disengaged by using a tool  200 , and after injection of urea, the bolt engagement portions  300  have to be fastened by using the tool  200 , causing inconvenience due to the use of the tool  200  and increasing time for maintenance. 
         [0011]    The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0012]    Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a side skirt for a truck, in which a new installation scheme for a side skirt is implemented by installing the side skirt for protection of various tanks installed in a body frame by using a one-touch locker of an upper portion and a hinge structure of a lower portion, thereby making it easy to remove the side skirt, resulting in operation time related to fuel injection and facilitating maintenance. 
         [0013]    In an aspect of the present invention, a side skirt mounting apparatus may include a side skirt for a truck installed on a side of a body frame to protect a tank assembly, wherein the side skirt is installed to be supported by a one-touch locker in an upper portion thereof and a hinge in a lower portion thereof, wherein the locker may include an upper bracket, a lower bracket, a skirt frame to which the upper bracket and the lower bracket are engaged, a shaft installed to slidably penetrate the upper and lower brackets and to be selectively inserted into a hole formed to a side skirt bracket, and an elastic member mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft between the upper and lower brackets to elastically support the shaft, and wherein the side skirt is removed from or mounted to the side skirt bracket by rotation around the hinge disposed at the lower portion of the side skirt after an upper portion of the side skirt is released from or engaged to the side skirt bracket by a vertical movement of the shaft. 
         [0014]    The locker may further include a stopper formed at the shaft above the upper bracket and stopped downwardly on a stopper bar formed on the upper bracket when the stopper is engaged with the stopper bar. 
         [0015]    The stopper may include a flat portion. 
         [0016]    The stopper is engaged with the stopper bar and the shaft is disengaged from the hole of the side skirt bracket when the stopper is rotated with a predetermined angle such that the flat portion of the stopper is aligned not in parallel to the stopper bar. 
         [0017]    The stopper is disengaged with the stopper bar and the shaft is engaged to the hole of the side skirt bracket when the stopper is rotated with a predetermined angle such that the flat portion of the stopper is aligned in parallel to the stopper bar. 
         [0018]    The locker may further include a stop ring formed on the shaft between the upper bracket and the lower bracket. 
         [0019]    An upper portion of the elastic member is supported on a bottom surface of the upper bracket and a lower portion of the elastic member is supported on a top surface of the stop ring on the shaft, such that the shaft is elastically biased downwardly. 
         [0020]    The hinge is an open-type hinge which uses a lock structure between a groove in the skirt frame and a pin in the side skirt bracket. 
         [0021]    The hinge is a close-type hinge which uses an engagement structure between a pin hole in the skirt frame and a pin in the side skirt bracket. 
         [0022]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Other aspects and preferred embodiments of the invention are discussed infra. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a conventional ladder &amp; guard rail assembly for a truck. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing an installation state of a side skirt according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a locker in a side skirt according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a hinge in a side skirt according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an installation state of a locker and a hinge in a side skirt according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing a process of removing a side skirt according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0030]    It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
         [0031]    In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing an installation state of a side skirt  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the side skirt  100  is a means for protecting a tank assembly  11  installed under a side of a body frame  10  from outside influences, and is installed such that the side skirt  100  is positioned in both side portions of a side skirt bracket  17  installed in the body frame  10  and is supported by a one-touch locker of an upper portion and a hinge of a lower portion. 
         [0035]    Here, the locker and the hinge are installed in each of the sides of the side skirt  100  to support the side skirt  100  having a relatively large area in balance. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 2 , a fuel tank or an air tank is omitted and only a urea tank is shown. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a locker  13  in the side skirt  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the locker  13  can be easily manipulated by a driver&#39;s or operator&#39;s pull by hand, and is of a one-touch type. 
         [0039]    To this end, in a skirt frame  14  standing to a predetermined height on the upper portion of the side skirt  100  are horizontally installed two brackets coupled up and down, that is, an upper bracket  15  having a “⊂”-shape cross-section and a lower bracket  16  in a plate shape, and a shaft  19  having a head portion is installed in the upper and lower brackets  15  and  16  in such a way to vertically penetrate the upper and lower brackets  15  and  16 . 
         [0040]    The shaft  19  is inserted at a lower portion thereof into a hole  18  formed in the side skirt bracket  17  and is locked therein to fix the upper portion of the side skirt ( 100 ) to the side skirt bracket  17 . 
         [0041]    A spring  20  is positioned in a space formed by the upper and lower brackets  15  and  16 , and the spring  20  exerts a force for pulling the shaft  19  downwardly at all times. 
         [0042]    In a body of the shaft  19 , a stopper  22  in the shape of a circular plate, which has a flat portion  27 , and a stop ring  23  in the shape of a ring are concentrically formed up and down with a predetermined interval therebetween, and the stopper  22  may be supported on a top surface of the upper bracket  15  and the stop ring  23  may be supported on a top surface of the lower bracket  16 . 
         [0043]    The shaft  19  supported by the stopper  22  and the stop ring  23  formed up and down extends toward a bottom surface of the lower bracket  16  by a predetermined length, without moving further downwardly, while being inserted into the upper and lower brackets  15  and  16 . 
         [0044]    The spring  20 , which elastically supports the shaft  19  downwardly at all times, is positioned in the space between the upper bracket  15  and the lower bracket  16 , such that an upper end thereof is supported on a bottom surface of the upper bracket  15  and at the same time, a lower end thereof is supported on a top surface of the stop ring  23  on the shaft  19 . 
         [0045]    Thus, as the shaft  19  is pulled up, the stop ring  23  moves up to compress the spring  20 , as the pull of the shaft  19  is released, the shaft  19  moves down by a restoring force of the spring  20 . 
         [0046]    In particular, the locker  13  includes a stopper  22  as a means for fixing the up position of the shaft  19 . 
         [0047]    That is, as described above, the stopper  22  is in the shape of a circular plate having the flat portion  27  and is integrally formed on the shaft  19 . The shaft  19  in its up position may be locked on an upper end of a stopper bar  21  standing vertically on the top surface of the upper bracket  15 . 
         [0048]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the flat portion  27  may be formed in parallel to the stopper bar  21 . 
         [0049]    As the stopper  22  on the shaft  19  is stopped on the stopper bar  21 , downward movement of the shaft  19  is restricted, such that the up position of the shaft  19  can be fixed. 
         [0050]    Eventually, according to upward and downward movement of the shaft  19 , that is, the up position and down position of the shaft  19 , unlocking and locking with the side skirt bracket  17  are made, such that the side skirt  100  can be removed or mounted. 
         [0051]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a hinge  28  in the side skirt  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the hinge  28  is a means for supporting the lower portion of the side skirt  100 , and may be an open-type hinge or a close-type hinge. 
         [0053]    When the hinge  28  is the open-type hinge, a groove  24  in an approximately “U” shape, which is open downwardly, is formed in the lower portion of the skirt frame  14 , such that the hinge  28  has a lock structure in which the groove  24  is rested on a pin  25  in the side skirt bracket  17 . 
         [0054]    Thus, as the locker in the upper portion is unlocked, the side skirt can be easily removed by being leaned outwardly and lifted up, when the side skirt is mounted, the lower portion of the side skirt can be easily supported by resting the groove  24  in the lower portion of the skirt frame  14  on the pin  25 . 
         [0055]    When the hinge  28  is the close-type hinge, a pin hole  26  is formed in the lower portion of the skirt frame  14 , such that the hinge  28  is engaged with the pin  25  in the skirt bracket  17  through the pin hole  26 . 
         [0056]    Thus, if the side skirt is leaned outwardly when the locker in the upper portion is unlocked, the side skirt is rotated with respect to the pin-engaged portion in such a way to move away from the side skirt bracket, when the side skirt is stood by being leaned inwardly so as to be mounted, the side skirt is also rotated with respect to the pin-engaged portion in such a way to be supported in adjacent to the side skirt bracket. 
         [0057]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an installation state of the locker  13  and the hinge  28  in the side skirt  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0058]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the installation state of the locker  13 , which is a means for fixing the upper portion of the side skirt, and the hinge  28 , which is a means for fixing the lower portion of the side skirt, are shown. 
         [0059]    The locker  13  is installed on the upper portion of the skirt frame  14  having a “⊂”-shape cross section installed on an inner side of the side skirt  100 , and the hinge  28  is installed on the lower portion of the skirt frame  14 . 
         [0060]    The hinge  28  is an application example of the close-type hinge. 
         [0061]    Therefore, the upper portion of the side skirt  100  is fixed by the locker  13  in both sides, and the lower portion thereof is supported by the hinge  28  in both sides, thereby maintaining a stable installation state. 
         [0062]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing a process of removing the side skirt  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0063]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , by pulling up the shaft  19  while holding a head portion of the shaft  19 , the shaft  19  moves up and thus leaves the hole  18  of the side skirt bracket  17 . 
         [0064]    By rotating the shaft  19  about 180° while continuing pulling up the shaft  19 , the stopper  22  on the shaft  19  is positioned on the stopper bar  21  on the upper bracket  15 , and in this state, by releasing the pull of the shaft  19 , the stopper  22  is placed on the stopper bar  21 , such that the shaft  19  is fixed in its up position. 
         [0065]    That is, locking between the locker  13  of the side skirt  100  and the side skirt bracket  17  is released. 
         [0066]    Next, as the shaft  19  is fixed in its up position, the upper portion of the side skirt  100  is leaned outwardly (from the body), such that the side skirt  100  is rotated with respect to the hinge  28  and thus is leaned by a predetermined angle (in the case of the close-type hinge) or can be completely removed (in the case of the open-type hinge). Therefore, an entry space for an injection gun for auxiliary-fuel injection can be secured, and a space for maintenance or the like may also be secured. 
         [0067]    The side skirt  100  can be easily mounted in the reverse order of the mounting. 
         [0068]    As such, the present invention adopts the one-touch locker, which can be easily removed and mounted by single manipulation, and the hinge structure, thereby shortening an operation time and improving driver convenience as well as providing convenience in fuel injection and vehicle maintenance. 
         [0069]    The side skirt for a truck according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages: 
         [0070]    first, the side skirt can be easily removed and mounted in a one-touch manner, thus providing convenience in fuel injection and vehicle maintenance, 
         [0071]    second, by employing a one-touch removal structure, a time for injecting an auxiliary fuel can be shortened and convenience can be provided to a driver, and third, through easy removal/mounting of the side skirt, convenience can be provided in maintenance of peripheral parts of the frame. 
         [0072]    For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
         [0073]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.