Flexible truck skirt with floating mount

A vehicle skirt panel assembly includes a skirt panel comprising a thermoplastic material and including a plurality of panel sections each having one or more ribs on its exterior. The skirt panel is mounted to the vehicle so the skirt panel projects below the side of the vehicle and the skirt panel can move relative to the vehicle to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the skirt panel without deforming the skirt panel. One or more struts are mounted between the vehicle and a lower portion of the skirt panel. The strut is adjustable and is deformable to absorb an impact to the exterior of the skirt panel. The strut is bendable by hand to allow the skirt panel to be returned to the original position.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to skirts for a trucks or moving vans. More particularly, it relates to a durable and flexible skirt for a truck or moving van that can deform to absorb impact and be easily returned to its original shape. The skirt is floatably mounted to the truck or van body to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the skirt.

Rental industry trucks or moving vans generally have enclosed bodies positioned behind a cab and are typically used by do-it-yourself renters or transporters. Generally, these trucks include a truck body skirt that extends downward from each side of the truck body to cover the region below the truck body. The truck body skirt reduces turbulent air flow around the truck body, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag and improving fuel efficiency, and also improves the appearance of the truck. Previously, these skirts have comprised laminated panels made of wood-based material, such as laminates of wood or fiberglass reinforced plywood (FRP), covered with an outer gel coat to protect the skirt from the elements. Wood-based skirts used in the past have experienced problems related to impact damage and moisture absorption. While the outer gel-coated surfaces of these panels are reasonably durable, damage and de-lamination of the layered wood interior has been a cause of significant repair expense. Aluminum skirts have also been used, but aluminum skirts are expensive to fabricate and are difficult to repair, such as when the skirt is damaged by an impact, because the aluminum skirt deforms on impact and cannot readily be reformed to its original shape.

There is a need, therefore, for an improved truck body skirt for covering the region below the side of a truck or moving van. It is a general object of the present invention to provide such a skirt.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide a truck body skirt that is relatively inexpensive to fabricate and is durable and easy to repair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a skirt that is deformable to absorb impact and that can be easily reformed to its original shape.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for mounting such a skirt to a truck or moving van.

SUMMARY

To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, there is provided a vehicle skirt panel assembly including a skirt panel and means for mounting the skirt panel to the vehicle such that when the skirt panel is mounted to the vehicle the skirt panel projects below the side of the vehicle and the skirt panel can move relative to the vehicle to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the skirt panel without deforming the skirt panel.

According to one aspect of the invention, the skirt panel comprises a thermoplastic material and includes a plurality of panel sections each having one or more ribs on its exterior.

According to another aspect of the invention, the means for mounting the skirt panel can include a strut mounted between the vehicle and a lower portion of the skirt panel, which is deformable to absorb an impact to the exterior of the skirt panel. The strut is reformable by hand to allow the skirt panel to be returned to the original position. The strut also can be adjustable. In a preferred embodiment, the strut is made of aluminum and is of sufficiently light gauge so that it is bendable by hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in more detail to presently preferred embodiments of our invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While we will describe our invention more fully with reference to these examples and drawings, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Rather, the description which follows is to be understood as a broad, teaching disclosure directed to persons of ordinary skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting upon our invention.

Each ofFIGS. 1 and 2shows the rear portion of a truck10including a cab12and a body14positioned behind the cab12and enclosing a cargo space (not shown). The truck body14has a right side16and a left side (not shown) and front corner posts18and rear corner posts19. The truck body side16typically is made of FRP and the corner posts18,19typically are made of aluminum. The truck body14includes a truck deck34(seeFIG. 5). A rub rail36, typically made of aluminum, is attached to the truck deck34and the truck body side16and generally runs the length of the truck body14. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a skirt panel20comprising a front skirt panel section22, a middle skirt panel section23and a rear skirt panel section24. Each of the skirt panel sections22,23,24is floatably attached to the truck body side16, as described in more detail below. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2, the skirt panel20is shown in three sections, with the portion of the skirt panel forward the rear wheel13being in two sections22,23. In an alternative embodiment, the skirt panel portion forward the rear wheel13could be manufactured as one section. Production and repair of the skirt panel forward the rear wheel13are easier, however, if it is formed in two sections, as shown inFIG. 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the skirt panel sections22,23,24are fabricated of a thermoformed plastic. The plastic thermoformed skirt panels are attractive, flexible and water and impact resistant. Plastic is an advantageous alternative to wood-based skirts because plastic is not subject to moisture damage or de-lamination. Plastic is also colored through rather than surface colored, which helps to hide gouge marks and other damage that would otherwise reveal substrates of a different color.

Referring toFIG. 3, the skirt ofFIG. 2is shown in more detail. Skirt panel sections22,23,24are formed with ribs26that protrude outward from the skirt panel sections22,23,24. The ribs26help to stiffen the skirt panel sections22,23,24and also help to preserve the overall surface and appearance of the skirt panel20by absorbing the initial impact of objects impacting the skirt panel20. The skirt panel sections22,23,24are formed with fastener holes to accommodate fasteners30for mounting the skirt panel sections22,23,24to the rub rail36. The top of each of the skirt panel sections22,23,24is mounted to the rub rail36. The front end of the front skirt panel section22is mounted to the front corner post18, and the rear end of the a middle skirt panel section23is mounted to the rear wheel well extrusion piece21, which typically is made of aluminum. The front end of the rear skirt panel section24also is mounted to the rear wheel well extrusion piece21, and the rear end of the rear skirt panel section24is mounted to the rear corner post19. Because changes in temperature cause the plastic skirt panels22,23,24to expand and contract more than the truck body parts to which they are mounted (e.g., aluminum parts), a mounting system that holds the skirt panels in position on the truck while still allowing for the varying thermal expansion of the skirt and the truck body is desirable. Therefore, fasteners30that produce little or no clamping force are preferred for mounting the skirt panel sections22,23,24. The fastener holes in the skirt panels22,23,24are oversized to allow some “play” between the fasteners30and the skirt panels. In this configuration, the skirt panel sections22,23,24are floatably attached to the truck body14, thereby allowing the skirt panel20to freely expand and contract in response to thermal changes. This reduces buckling or waving of the skirt panel20that can occur due to stresses resulting from restriction of such thermal expansion and contraction.

In one preferred embodiment, shown inFIGS. 4,6and9, the fasteners30are drive rivets that are inserted through the skirt panel fastener holes27and aligned holes28in the rub rail36with the rivet head visible on the exterior of the skirt panel. The fastener hole27in the skirt panel section22,23,24is sized larger than the rivet shank and the rivet is of sufficient length so that the skirt panel section22,23,24is not tightly clamped against the truck body, thereby providing the “play” for the skirt panel thermal expansion and contraction, as described above.FIG. 4shows the exterior view of a drive rivet used to mount a skirt panel section,FIG. 6shows the interior view of the drive rivet andFIG. 9shows a top view of the drive rivet with the skirt panel and truck body in cross-section, according to such an embodiment. Upon reading this disclosure, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that a variety of other suitable fastener types also can be used for mounting the skirt panel sections to the truck body in such a fashion, including pop rivets and threaded fasteners and washers that provide limited clamping of the skirt panel sections against the truck body.

Referring toFIGS. 5,7and8, Stabilizing struts40are used to stabilize and maintain the straightness of the skirt panel sections22,23,24. Each skirt panel section22,23,24includes a bottom flange32disposed along the length of the panel and projecting inwardly and below the truck deck34, as shown inFIG. 5. In a preferred embodiment, the stabilizing strut40is in the form of an angular brace have an upper foot42with a slotted hole44and a lower foot46in the shape of an L-bracket and having a slotted hole52. The strut upper foot42is securely mounted to the bottom of the truck deck34using a bolt48inserted through a hole in the truck deck and through the slotted hole44and secured with a washer and nut50. The strut lower foot46is securely mounted to the skirt panel section flange32using a bolt48inserted through a slotted hole52in the skirt panel section flange32and secured with a washer and nut50. In this configuration, the position of the strut can be adjusted so that the skirt panel can be supported in a straight position.

The struts are bendable so that they will deform to absorb the impact of objects striking the skirt panels and so that they can be bent back into their original position after such an impact. In a preferred embodiment, the stabilizing struts40are made of aluminum of sufficiently light gauge so that they can be bent by hand. Upon reading this specification, those of skill in the art will understand that other materials also may be used for the struts, such as light gauge steel, provided that the struts give way upon impact and also are easily bendable so that they can be readily reformed to their original shape, preferably by hand. In this configuration, if the skirt panels are sufficiently impacted, the struts readily give way, but are easily hand straightened to restore the flexible plastic skirts to proper alignment.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the skirt assembly of the present invention possesses numerous advantages. It is relatively inexpensive to fabricate and is durable. It is not susceptible to moisture damage, delamination or cracking as are previous wood-based skirts and can last for the lifetime of the vehicle. It is easy to install and repair. It is deformable to absorb impact, yet it can be returned to its original shape by hand.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept.