Patent Publication Number: US-2009236478-A1

Title: Universal instrument vehicle mount assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mount assembly for mounting an instrument, such as an engine exhaust emissions analyzer, to a body rail of a vehicle such as a truck, near an exhaust outlet of the truck engine, in a manner where the sensitive instrument is not damaged by vibration and does not interfere with placement of other truck structures proximate thereto, such as the cab of the truck. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Manufacturers of heavy duty diesel engines must now conduct, started as a pilot program in 2005, on-board exhaust emissions tests using customer owned vehicles, typically trucks, under normal routes and routines. 
     No standard or industry accepted assembly presently exists for locating or mounting instruments or exhaust analyzers to a customer vehicle. 
     During emissions test qualification in a laboratory environment, such analyzer is usually placed inside the van body or cab of the vehicle undergoing testing, with holes being drilled through the cab for passage of tubes of the analyzer therethrough to the area of the engine exhaust outlet. 
     Needless to say, such accommodation is not feasible for use on a customer owned vehicle. 
     In some instances the analyzer is simply set on the rear frame overhang of a tractor truck near a fifth wheel gap between the cab and the trailer, which will not work if the vehicle is in motion. The cab of the truck, however, should not be used during now required on-board exhaust emissions tests using customer owned vehicles under normal routes and routines because the analyzer generates heat and minor fumes, and/or because it occupies passenger space. Thus, the need arises for the universal instrument truck mount assembly of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instrument mount assembly of the present invention comprises a pair of spaced apart L shaped brackets having a vertical leg and a horizontal flange extending outwardly from a bottom end thereof in a first direction and a hook at a top end thereof sized and configured to securely engage over a body rail of a truck, extending outwardly from the vertical leg in a direction opposite the flange, each flange being adapted to engage an end edge of an isolation plate sized and configured to support a corresponding instrument thereon, the brackets being engaged to one another by at least one cross rail, with the entire assembly being sized and configured to compactly hold the instrument to the body rail of the truck without interfering with any truck structures proximate thereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the universal instrument truck mount assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of one strap of the assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assembly mounted to a chassis rail of a truck, and shows a PEMS mounted thereon and supported thereby. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As iterated above, manufacturers of heavy duty diesel engines must now conduct on-board exhaust emissions tests using customer owned vehicles under normal routes and routines. 
     An assembly for temporarily mounting a delicate instrument, such as an exhaust emissions analyzer, onto a rail of a truck in order to use the analyzer to conduct in-use emissions tests of vehicles is thus needed. Presently, there is no standardized way of attaching, in a required location, the instrument to a truck chassis or frame. Sensitive instruments, such as an exhaust emission analyzer, are very expensive and sensitive to surrounding ambient conditions. Mounting of an analyzer near the engine exhaust outlet, such as near the tailpipe, is required to allow quick, efficient changeover between the various available configurations when performing emissions tests on vehicles powered by a diesel engine. Such analyzers, equipment and ancillaries are commonly referred to as PEMS—Portable Emissions Measurement System. 
     An assembly comprising essentially a vibration isolation platform, brackets and hangers has now been devised to accommodate such need. 
     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in the Figures the universal instrument truck mount assembly generally identified by the reference numeral  10 . 
     As shown, a prototype of the assembly  10  comprises two basic angle or L shape brackets  12  of a standard production vehicle battery box mount (not shown), hooks or hangers  14 , at a top end  16  of each bracket  12  extending in a direction away from a bottom flange  18  of each angle bracket  12 . Straps  20  for securing the assembly  10  and brackets  21  which accommodate a vibration isolation plate or platform  24  of the assembly  10  are also provided. The vibration isolation plate  24  is a critical element of the assembly  10  that must be used when mounting an instrument  30 , here an exhaust emission analyzer  30 , to prevent damage to its sensitive internal components. 
     The proposed assembly  10  is sized and configured to allow the analyzer  30  to be securely placed onto a longitudinal body rail  32  or chassis frame rail  34  of a typical medium or heavy duty truck at a desired position, in proximity to an exhaust outlet of an engine of the truck, and under a cab  42  thereof, for reasons set forth in detail herein. 
     The assembly  10  may be positioned at any of a number of locations along a fore-aft extension of rail  32  without interference from, or introducing obstacles to, other frame located hardware or truck body components, such as the overlying cab  42 . 
     Installation of the assembly  10  is inherently meant to be temporary. The assembly  10  of the present invention accomplishes this end by being easily set in place, secured by straps  20 , then removed after testing. No body rail  32  or frame rail  34  modification or special tools are required for installation 
     The assembly  10  is configured to fit current and past model year truck frame rails  32 ,  34  of various manufacturers, making it extremely versatile and substantially universal. 
     The prototype further includes additional brackets  21  fitted to the production angle brackets  12  which allow the isolation plate  24  to be attached to the angle brackets  12 . J-shaped hooks or hangers  14 , preferably fashioned from tubular steel, extended vertically from the top end  16  of each angle bracket  12 , allowing the entire mount assembly  10  to be hung on a body rail  32  or chassis frame rail  34  on either side of the chassis. Also, preferably, standard 1.5″×1.5″ angle iron  50  is engaged to and between the horizontal bottom flange  18  and the top end  16  of each angle bracket  12  to act as a load balance offset for the isolation plate  24  and a cross member  51  extends between the brackets  12 . 
     The mount assembly  10  is held securely to the frame rail  34  using ratcheting or spring grip fabric tie down straps  20 . A lower end  52  of each strap  20  is fitted with a U-shaped clasp  54  that is attached to it with a pin  56  and clevis  58 . The clasp  54  is used to grasp a lower lip  59  of rail  32 ,  34  and, when tightened, securely fastens the mount assembly  10  to and against the rail  32 ,  34 . 
     The mount assembly  10  provides flexiblity in placement or location. The physical dimensions of the prototype accommodate a de-facto industry standard emissions analyzer  30 , known as a SEMTECH D, and its corresponding isolation plate  24 . By placing the analyzer  30  along a frame rail  34  under the overhang of the truck body or cab  42  the analyzer  30  is partially protected from excess road spray and the elements of weather during on board testing. Additionally, such positioning reduces the likelihood of the analyzer  30  being struck by objects on the side of the truck  36  or of it striking objects, persons or passersby. 
     Proximity to the exhaust outlet of the engine of the truck is an important consideration when locating the analyzer  30  because a heated sample line  60  used to transport the raw exhaust from the engine to the analyzer  30  must be atttached to the exhaust outlet and then connected to an inlet  62  of the analyzer  30 . The length of the heated sample line  60  is limited to 10′-12′, making positioning of the assembly  10  critical. 
     This assembly  10  accommodates this critical positioning. Physical attributes of overall dimensions, weight and construction are important due to the requirement that the assembly  10  clear the overhead space under the truck body or cab  42  and still be able to support an 80 lb instrument. Thus the instrument  30  engaged on assembly  10  should not be elevated above a top surface  61  of the rail  32 , 34 . Gusseting and reinforcement bars or brackets  50  are incorporated into the design to support the cantilevered weight of the entire assembly  10  but still allow access to front and rear panel connections  64  and  66  of the analyzer  30 . 
     Installing the mount assembly  10  only requires one person to lift and set it in place at a desired location along the rail  32 ,  34 . 
     The prototype embodiment for accomodating the SEMTECH-D has an assembled weight of approximately 70 lbs. and is approximately 26 inches long and wide, and 21 inches high. 
     Some of the basic inherent advantages of the assembly  10  are as follows: Expedient analyzer  30  or instrument  30  installation and removal. Provides flexiblity in frame or undercarriage locations. Multiple uses for a variety of portable instruments  30  or ancillary devices which require only temporary mounting. Does not interfere with proximate chassis components. Negates the need to remove or relocate other chassis parts. Does not require tool driven fasteners to install, e.g., no nuts or bolts to hold in place. 
     Further, it will be understood that the mount assembly  10  is expandable in size because the isolation plate  24  is not fitted to a permanent “floor” on the horizontal expanse of the assembly  10 . By simply adding plates  24  or strips of material  50  of different length between the left and right side support or angle brackets  12 , the assembly  10  can be increased in width or depth to accommodate larger instruments  30 , and similarly, it can be reduced in size by opposite reconfiguration. 
     As described above, the assembly  10  of the present invention provides a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are further inherent in the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.