Abstract:
A storage compartment for a vehicle capable of being coupled to a trailer via a coupling. When in a coupled state, a space is defined between the trailer and the vehicle. The space includes a swing clearance area for the trailer. The swing clearance area is bounded by a front portion of the trailer, and an arc traversed by the front portion of the trailer, about the coupling, within the space when the vehicle and the trailer are combined and in transition between a straight configuration and a turning configuration. The storage compartment is adapted to attach to the vehicle within the space such that at least a portion of the storage compartment extends rearward beyond a forwardmost point on the arc, but without extending into the swing clearance area.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to storage compartments for use on vehicles designed for hauling trailers. In particular, the present invention relates to storage structures that are located within a space between a vehicle and a trailer when in a coupled state, but which do not interfere with the turning operation of the vehicle-trailer combination. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known to provide vehicles, including trucks, designed for hauling trailers with storage compartments for storing tools, tie-downs, tarps, supplies, personal possessions, and other items which are to be secured (e.g., secure against loss or theft) and/or protected from the weather. A storage compartment may be an integral, i.e., built-in feature of the truck&#39;s operator compartment, or it may be an accessory item which is mounted to the exterior of the operator compartment or onto the frame of the truck. 
     Generally speaking, the more storage compartments on a truck the better, as this gives the operator more room for storing items in a secure and/or weather-resistant manner. Current truck manufacturers seek to maximize the volume of storage compartments on current vehicles, consistent with the other uses of the operator compartment, such as sleeping. However, the amount of storage compartments on trucks designed for hauling semi-trailers is currently limited by several factors, for example: space limitations inside the operator compartment, swing clearance requirements behind the operator compartment, and overall vehicle length restrictions. Each of these factors is further discussed below. 
     Trucks used for hauling semi-trailers in a tractor-trailer combination are typically equipped with a semi-trailer attachment apparatus known as a fifth wheel. Mounted on the rear frame of the truck, the fifth wheel receives and secures a kingpin mounted on the underside of the semi-trailer to provide a pivotal connection between the truck and semi-trailer. This pivotal articulation allows the tractor-trailer combination to be much more maneuverable than a non-articulated vehicle of similar length. However, when the tractor-trailer combination is in a turning configuration, front corners of the semi-trailer, for a typical rectangular-shaped trailer, pivot about the kingpin center, causing one or the other of the corners, depending on a turning direction, to move forward along an arc toward the back of the truck operator compartment (i.e., day cab without a sleeper or cab with sleeper). 
     It is known to designate the generally D-shaped area defined by an arc, traveled by a front corner of the semi-trailer when the tractor-trailer combination turns, and the flat leading edge of the semi-trailer as a “swing clearance area.” The permanent mounting of equipment or truck components within the swing-clearance area is generally prohibited to avoid interference between the operator compartment and the trailer during turns. 
     For a tractor-trailer combination, there is typically a volume of free space between the operator compartment and the forward boundary of the swing clearance area. It is known to locate items such as exhaust pipes, air intake pipes, and hose or chain racks in this free space. However, those items do not provide secure, weatherproof storage of articles within this free space. It is also known to position flat rectangular containers against the back of the operator compartment. But such containers do not extend rearward beyond the swing clearance area to use the previously underutilized free space being rearwardly beyond a forwardmost point of the swing clearance area. 
     Hence, a need exists for a storage cabinet that better uses the free space between the operator compartment and the semi-trailer, but without compromising the swing clearance area. 
     Some states and countries have laws or regulations that restrict the overall length of a vehicle, which may limit the length of a tractor-trailer combination intended to operate in such states or countries. Because the primary purpose of a tractor-trailer combination is to haul large loads of goods, it may be desirable to maximize the size of the semi-trailer to accommodate larger loads. But, maximization of a trailer length results in a corresponding decrease in the length of the operator compartment under such length restrictions. Reducing the size of the operator compartment adversely affects the effective amount of secure, weatherproof storage volume enclosed within the operator compartment. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a storage compartment that provides all-purpose storage aft of the operator compartment of a vehicle without interfering with the swing clearance area needed when the vehicle is operably combined with a trailer and without increasing the overall length of a vehicle-trailer combination. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Many of the needs outlined above are addressed by the present invention hereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide a secure and/or weatherproof storage compartment in a free space between the operator compartment and the semi-trailer without compromising the swing clearance area. 
     It is another object of the present invention to meet both objectives of maximizing the semi-trailer size and maximizing the operator compartment storage without increasing the overall length of a tractor-trailer combination. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a storage compartment for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle is adapted to be coupled to a trailer via a coupling such that when in a coupled state, a space is defined between the trailer and the vehicle. The space includes a swing clearance area for the trailer. The swing clearance area is bounded by a front portion of the trailer, and an arc traversed by the front portion of the trailer, about the coupling, within the space when the vehicle and the trailer are combined and in transition between a straight configuration and a turning configuration. The storage compartment is adapted to attach to or integrally extend from the vehicle within the space such that at least a portion of the storage compartment extends rearward beyond a forwardmost point on the arc, but without extending into the swing clearance area. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a tractor-trailer combination that includes a first embodiment of the present invention installed thereupon; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a tractor-trailer combination that includes a second embodiment of the present invention installed on a truck that already has aerodynamic extensions; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a tractor-trailer combination that includes a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of a tractor-trailer combination that includes a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a storage compartment in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tractor having storage compartments with replaceable crush zones in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used to designate like elements throughout the various views, several embodiments of the present invention are further described. FIG. 1 shows a truck  20  connected to a semi-trailer  21  by a coupling  22  to form a tractor-trailer combination  24 . The coupling  22  shown here is a fifth-wheel coupling, but the present invention also applies to vehicles with other possible couplings (e.g., light duty truck with a goose-neck coupling). A rear panel  25  defines the back of the truck operator compartment  26 . Storage cabinets  30 ,  31  according to a first embodiment of the present invention are attached to the rear panel  25  of the operator compartment  26 . The operator compartment  26  in FIG. 1 is a truck cab having a sleeper extending rearward therefrom. In other possible embodiments the truck operator compartment may be a cab only, which is also called a day cab. For purposes of this description, the term “operator compartment” is used to refer to the sleeper for a truck having a sleeper connected to the cab, or to refer to the cab for a truck having only a cab (no sleeper). 
     FIG. 1 also shows the swing clearance area  50  required by a typical tractor-trailer combination  24  using a fifth wheel  22 . The swing clearance area  50  is typically defined by an arc  52  traveled by the front corners  54  of the semi-trailer  21  about the fifth wheel  22  (i.e., as when the tractor-trailer combination  24  is in a turning configuration, which is illustrated in part by the broken line showing of semi-trailer  21  in FIG.  1 ). Often the swing clearance area  50  will be D-shaped because most conventional semi-trailers are rectangular having a flat leading edge  56  and two front corners  54  at an equal radial distance  58  from the fifth wheel  22 . When a tractor-trailer combination  24  is in motion, the swing clearance area  50  typically must be kept clear of obstructions to allow the tractor-trailer combination to turn a corner without having interference between the semi-trailer  21  and the operator compartment  26 . Hence, there must be enough free space (denoted by reference number  60 ) between the semi-trailer  21  and the operator compartment  26  to provide the swing clearance area  50 . 
     It is known to locate miscellaneous items such as exhaust pipes, air intake pipes, and hose or chain racks in the free space  60  between the operator compartment  26  and the semi-trailer  21 . It is also known to position flat rectangular racks against the back of the operator compartment  26 . However, those items do not provide effective and efficient storage of items within an underutilized free space (denoted by dashed area  64 ) being rearward of the operator compartment  26  and rearward of a forwardmost point  62  of the swing clearance area  50 , but being outside of the swing clearance area. An important aspect of the present invention is to make use of this previously underutilized free space  64  to increase the effective storage capacity of the truck  20 . 
     To illustrate more details of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment showing the operator compartment  26  (a sleeper in this embodiment) detached from the truck  20  and having storage cabinets  30 ,  31  attached thereto. The view in FIG. 3 best illustrates the generally prism shape of the storage cabinets  30 ,  31  selected for better use of the available free space  64  while not occupying the swing clearance area  50 . 
     The storage compartment shape is defined by a three-dimensional polygonal body  70  having a first side  72 , a second side  74 , and a third side  76 . The body  70  has a generally triangular cross-section  78  at every horizontal plane along the vertical axis of the body. However, the size and angles of the generally triangular cross-sections  78  may vary along the vertical axis. In other words, slicing the body  70  perpendicular to the vertical axis near the bottom may provide a different triangular cross-section shape and size than slicing the body near the middle or top. But, the generally triangular cross-sections  70  may also be the same size and shape along the entire vertical axis of the body  70 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first side  72  is generally parallel to the contour of the rear panel  25 . The first side  72  has a first edge  73  that is located proximate to and generally parallel with an outer edge  80  of the rear panel  25 . The first side  72  is completely flush with the rear panel  25 . The rear panel contour may vary depending on the year, make, and model of the truck  20 . Hence, the rear panel  25  may not be flat nor vertical. The rear panel  25  may have a curved or sloped contour, which the first side  72  may follow. In other embodiments, the first side  72  may not be completely flush with the rear panel  25 , and the first side may not be parallel with the contour the rear panel. But rather, the first side  72  may be merely proximate to the rear panel  25 . 
     The second side  74  joins the first side  72  along the first edge  73 . The second side  74  extends generally rearward to a second edge  75 . The second edge  75  is located rearward beyond the forwardmost point  62  of the swing clearance area  50 . Another important aspect of the present invention is that the second edge  75  extends beyond the forwardmost point  62  such that a storage compartment ( 30  or  31 ) resides within the previously underutilized free space  64  to provide additional storage for articles therein. 
     The second side  74  is substantially aligned with a side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26 . In other words, the second side  74  follows the contour of the side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26  providing an aesthetically desirable appearance, as well as enhanced aerodynamics. In other embodiments (see FIG.  5 ), the second side  74  may not be aligned with the side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26 . 
     The third side  76  joins the second side  74  along the second edge  75 . Also, the third side  76  joins the first side  72  at a third edge  77  to complete the generally triangular cross-section  78  of the polygonal body  70 . The third edge  77  is proximate to and generally parallel to the rear panel  25  because the first side  72  is completely flush with the rear panel  25 . In other embodiments, the third edge  77  may not be parallel with the contour the rear panel  25 , but rather the third edge may be merely proximate to the rear panel. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the third side  76  is substantially parallel to a tangent  84  on the arc  52  that defines the forward boundary of the swing clearance area  50 . However, the third side  76  may be a generally curved surface. Specifically, the third side  76  may follow the contour of the arc  52  that defines the forward boundary of the swing clearance area  50  (see FIG. 6) to maximize the use of the previously underutilized free space  64 . 
     An embodiment of the storage cabinets  30  and  31  may be adapted to attach to an existing truck operator compartment  26  by a variety of means, including but not limited to: adhesive, screws, bolts, rivets, hinge and latch combination, or welded brackets. Also, the storage cabinets  30  and  31  may be formed from various materials, including but not limited to: plastic, fiberglass composite, carbon-fiber composite, kevlar composite, wood, water-resistant fabric, steel, and aluminum. Moreover, the storage cabinets  30  and  31  may be formed as a single, integral unit or individual, separate components. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 also show multiple storage compartments  86 ,  87 ,  88 ,  89  and access doors  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98  in storage cabinets  30 ,  31 . An access door may be in any side (i.e., top, bottom, first  72 , second  74 , or third side  76 ). The access doors  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 , respectively, provide access openings  91 ,  93 ,  95 ,  97 ,  99  to the storage compartments  86 ,  87 ,  88 ,  89 . FIG. 2 shows an access door  90  located on the first side  72  being accessible from within the sleeper  26  and providing an access opening  91  to the storage compartment  86 , which effectively increases the useful volume within the sleeper  26  by using the previously underutilized free space  64 . FIG. 3 shows another access door  92  located on the third side  76  being flush mounted along the same surface as the third side. This access door  92  provides an access opening  93  to the storage compartment  86 , and thus making the storage compartment  86  further accessible from outside the truck  20 . Also shown in FIG. 3, yet another storage compartment  87  is located within the driver-side storage cabinet  30  and below the upper storage compartment  86 . Access door  94  (also located on the third side  76 ) provides an access opening  95  to the lower storage compartment  87 . The upper and lower storage compartments  86 ,  87  are separate, enclosed volumes within the storage cabinet  30 . However, the upper and lower storage compartments  86 ,  87  may be open and contiguous. FIG. 3 further shows a storage compartment  88  located in the lower portion of the passenger-side storage compartment  31 . An access door  96  located on the second side  74  is flush mounted along the same plane as the second side and the sleeper side panel  82 . The access door  96  covers an access opening  97  to the storage compartment  88 , and thus allows accessibility from the side of the truck  20 . 
     Despite the illustrated examples, each storage cabinet  30 ,  31  may have one storage compartment, one access door, and one access opening. As discussed above, however, other possible embodiments may have the storage compartment divided into multiple storage compartments having multiple access doors and access openings. Such multiple access doors may be located on various sides of the storage compartment (i.e., first  72 , second  74 , and third  76  sides) and in any combination thereof. Also, an embodiment may have multiple access doors for a single storage compartment. For example, FIGS. 2 and 3 show an embodiment having a storage cabinet  30  with access doors  90 ,  92  on both the first  72  and third  76  sides making the storage compartment  86  accessible from inside or outside the operator compartment  26 . 
     An access door may be formed from various materials, including but not limited to: plastic, fiberglass composite, carbon-fiber composite, kevlar composite, wood, water-resistant fabric, steel, and aluminum. An access door also may have various shapes and sizes, including but not limited to having a generally: flat face, curved face, face following the contour of a side, rectangular shape, square shape, triangular shape, and oval shape. Furthermore, an access door may have various opening and fastening means, including but not limited to a: hinge, sliding door, rotating door, hook and latch fastener, magnetic, spring bias, door knob, lock, and latch. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a truck  20  having aerodynamic extensions  100  protruding rearward therefrom. A second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has storage compartments  30 ,  31  adapted to fit on the rear panel  25  of a sleeper  26  that has aerodynamic extensions  100  installed thereon. Hence, the storage compartments  30 ,  31  may be adapted for installation on a truck  20  within the previously underutilized free space  64  between the rear panel  25  and the swing clearance area  50 , while also allowing the existing aerodynamic extensions  100  to remain useful. If a truck  20  does not already have aerodynamic extensions  100 , an embodiment of the present invention may have the second side  74  of a storage compartment shaped like and also acting as aerodynamic extensions  100 , as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and  5 . 
     The second edge  75  of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 is substantially aligned with the front corners  54  of the attached semi-trailer  21 . But the semi-trailer  21  may not be the same width as operator compartment  26 , which may result in the need for a third embodiment having the second edge  75  aligned with a front corner  54  of the trailer  21  without the second side  74  being aligned with the side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26 . FIG. 5 provides an example of such embodiment. The direction from the first edge  73  to the second edge  75  is a generally outward direction  102  away from the operator compartment  26 . The second side  74  need not be a flat plane because it may have a variety of shapes and contours for aesthetic design or for enhanced aerodynamics. Hence, there may be embodiments where it is preferable that the second side  74  is not aligned with the side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of a tractor-trailer combination  24  having storage compartments  104 ,  105  integrally formed in the operator compartment  26  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The rear panel  25  of the operator compartment  26  has a forwardmost extent  108  located forward of the swing clearance area  50 . The side panel  82  of the operator compartment  26  has a side portion  110  that extends longitudinally aft of the forwardmost extent  108  of the rear panel  25  to an edge  112 . The side portion  110  and the rear panel  25  join at the edge  112 , which is located longitudinally aft of the forwardmost point  62  of the swing clearance area  50 , but not within the swing clearance area. The storage compartments  104 ,  105  are defined by the rear panel  25  and the side portions  110 . At least part of the storage compartments  104 ,  105  is longitudinally aft of the forwardmost point  62  of the swing clearance area  50 , but not extending within the swing clearance area  50 . In other words a storage compartment ( 104  or  105 ) is a volume defined by the rear panel  25  and the side portion  110  that extends into the previously underutilized free space, but without occupying the swing clearance area  50 . 
     The storage compartment  104  (on driver side in FIG. 6) is open and accessible from within the operator compartment  26 , but not accessible from outside the truck  20 . A shelf  114  is attached to the operator compartment  26  and within the storage compartment  104 . In other embodiments there may be multiple shelves within the storage compartment  104 . The storage compartment  105  (on passenger side in FIG. 6) has a wall  116  enclosing and separating the storage compartment from the remaining inside volume of the operator compartment  26 . An access door  118  in the side portion  110  provides an access opening  119  to the storage compartment  105  from outside the truck  20 . Hence, the storage compartment  105  is only accessible from outside the truck  20 . In other embodiments, the storage compartment  105  may be accessible from outside of the truck  20  as well as from within the operator compartment  26  by having multiple access doors. Another embodiment may have only part of the storage compartment  105  enclosed and separated from the remaining inside volume of the operator compartment  26 , while having the remainder of the storage compartment open to the operator compartment. Yet another embodiment may have the storage compartment  105  divided into multiple compartments. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the rear panel  25 , and hence the storage compartments  104 ,  105 , follows the contour of the arc  52  that forms the forward boundary of the swing clearance area  50 . Hence, the FIG. 6 embodiment maximizes the secure, weatherproof storage capacity of the operator compartment  26  within the previously underutilized free space between the operator compartment and the swing clearance area  50 . Other embodiments of the integral storage compartments  104 ,  105  may have a portion of the rear panel  25  parallel to a tangent of the arc  52 . Still another embodiment may have the side portion  110  extending in an outward direction away from the operator compartment  26 , and not aligned with the sleeper side panel  82 , to accommodate a semi-trailer  21  being wider than the operator compartment. Also, the side portion  110  may have various contours for aesthetic or aerodynamic purposes. 
     FIG. 7 shows a storage compartment  120  according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The storage compartment  120  has first and second major sides  122 ,  124 , and an open side  126 . The storage compartment is adapted to attach on a rear panel of a vehicle operator compartment (not shown) using the flanges  128 . Other means of attachment may be used as well (see discussion above). When operably installed, the rear panel of the vehicle covers the open side  126  so that the storage compartment  120  is substantially enclosed. The storage compartment  120  has access doors  130  and  132  to provide accessibility to interior compartments  134  and  136 , respectively, formed within the storage compartment  120 . Other access openings or access doors also may be formed in the rear panel of the vehicle corresponding to the open side  126 , and thus providing access to interior compartments  134 ,  136  from inside the vehicle. The location and size of the open side  126  formed in the storage compartment  120  may vary. 
     FIG. 8 a tractor  20  with storage compartments  30 ,  31  according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The storage compartments  30 ,  31  have a replaceable crush zone  140 . The crush zone  140  shown in this example comprises a rubber fin extending rearward from the storage cabinets  30 ,  31 . If a trailer jackknifes, the trailer may contact one of the storage compartments  30  or  31 . The crush zones  140  can be a flexible member, such as the rubber crush zone shown in FIG. 8, that can deflect and absorb some of the impact of a trailer during a jackknife and then substantially spring back to its original shape after deflection. Another variation of the crush zone may be a replaceable member (e.g., urethane with a foam insert) that will crush and absorb some or all of the impact force during a jackknife. Hence, the crush zone can be replaced when damaged rather than replacing the entire storage compartment. Thus, one purpose of the crush zone  140  is to protect the storage compartments  30 ,  31  and the sleeper  26  from damage during minor jackknifes. Another possible purpose of the crush zone  140  is to provide an aerodynamic extension of the storage compartments  30 ,  31 . The crush zones described here also can be applied to any embodiment of the present invention. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention provides a storage compartment for using the previously underutilized free space between the rear panel of a truck operator compartment and a swing clearance area for a trailer attached by a fifth wheel. To this end, the present invention is not limited to the tractor/semi-trailer combinations shown in the example embodiments. Rather, the present invention has equal applicability to any vehicle-trailer relationship, wherein the trailer of such relationship moves within a swing clearance area relative to the vehicle. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, the invention includes any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments.