Abstract: Disclosed is a connector between sidewalls, or the top rails of the sidewalls, and roof panels. The connector includes a downwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of the sidewall and an inwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of a roof panel. The connector also includes a base flange that is comparatively sized to, and adapted to be supported by, a roof bow support ledge of the sidewall. The inwardly oriented pocket is located directly above, and offset from, the base flange of the connector. Connectors, such as adhesives or rivets, may be utilized to secure the connector to the sidewall and to secure the connector to the roof panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector between sidewalls, or the top rails of the sidewalls, and roof panels. The connector includes a downwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of the sidewall and an inwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of a roof panel. The connector also includes a base flange that is comparatively sized to, and adapted to be supported by, a roof bow support ledge of the sidewall. The inwardly oriented pocket is located directly above, and offset from, the base flange of the connector. Connectors, such as adhesives or rivets, may be utilized to secure the connector to the sidewall and to secure the connector to the roof panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector between sidewalls, or the top rails of the sidewalls, and roof panels. The connector includes a downwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of the sidewall and an inwardly oriented pocket adapted to receive a portion of a roof panel. The connector also includes a base flange that is comparatively sized to, and adapted to be supported by, a roof bow support ledge of the sidewall. The inwardly oriented pocket is located directly above, and offset from, the base flange of the connector. Connectors, such as adhesives or rivets, may be utilized to secure the connector to the sidewall and to secure the connector to the roof panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a guard for a trailer that utilizes a strap webbing to prevent a vehicle from underriding the trailer. The guard includes one or more straps that span the length of the trailer and may include additional structures to pre-tension the straps before a crash or supplement the tension of the straps as a vehicle crashes into the guard. When two or more straps are utilized on a single guard, the straps may be aligned parallel to each other or may form a cross shape. Additional structures may be incorporated into the guard to direct an impacting vehicle towards or away from specific features of the trailer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a guard for a trailer that utilizes a strap webbing to prevent a vehicle from underriding the trailer. The guard includes one or more straps that span the length of the trailer and may include additional structures to pre-tension the straps before a crash or supplement the tension of the straps as a vehicle crashes into the guard. When two or more straps are utilized on a single guard, the straps may be aligned parallel to each other or may form a cross shape. Additional structures may be incorporated into the guard to direct an impacting vehicle towards or away from specific features of the trailer.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved lightweight rear fairings that automatically retract when the rear doors of the trailer are opened. The fairings preferably each include rearwardly extending arms that stretch back from the hinged trailer doors to sheet rollers. The sheet rollers apply tension to fairing sheets that are secured to both the rollers and the sides of the trailer. The arms are able to rotate relative to the rear doors of the trailer, however rotation limiters restrict the amount that each of the arms may rotate towards the hinge of their respective door. Rotation of the arms away from the door hinges is not limited such that the arms may be rotated away from the hinges until they are flush with their respective doors. The fairing sheets are secured to the sides of the trailer at positions that are substantially forward of the rear doors such that even when the rear doors have been fully opened the rollers are still located rearward of the forward attachment points of the fairing sheets.

Abstract: A flexible trailer fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag on an over the road trailer is disclosed. A fourfold flexible fairing system may be used to reduce drag from both the trailer landing gear and wheel assembly. Numerous systems for keeping the flexible fairing taught while in continued use are also disclosed.

Abstract: A flexible trailer fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag on an over the road trailer is disclosed. A fourfold flexible fairing system may be used to reduce drag from both the trailer landing gear and wheel assembly. Numerous systems for keeping the flexible fairing taught while in continued use are also disclosed.

Abstract: A connector securing a liner to a scuff in a container sidewall is disclosed. The connector is adapted to receive and secure various thicknesses of liners and scuffs. The connector is made of a light weight, high strength flexible material and well suited to secure non-metallic scuffs and non-metallic linings. The connector includes a transition piece that utilizes clamping force (pre-tightening force) to connect two different thicknesses of panels made of continuous glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. The connector includes a thick lower opening adapted to secure the scuff and a thin upper opening adapted to secure the liner. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the width of the lower opening is between 5.0 mm and 5.5 mm while the width of the upper opening is between 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm.

Abstract: Presented is a composite panel container sidewall construction that provides additional interior logistics slots in the sidewalls of the container for securing cargo loaded into the container. The sidewall is constructed from posts, outer sheets, inner liners, and logistics panels. The outer sheets have inward protrusions that are secured into pockets in the posts. The logistic panels may include logistic slots that may be used to secure cargo or tie downs to the sidewall of the trailer.

Abstract: An improved panel and sidewall construction is presented. The sidewall includes a post with a pocket, and in the pocket external liners of the sidewall are secured. Flexible interior panels are secured in the posts with two protrusions that extend laterally and inwardly from the post. The posts also include slots for logistics panel that serve as a tie-down points for securing cargo.

Abstract: A trailer fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag from trailer landing gear and/or wheel assembly is disclosed. The fairing may be directly connected to the forward facing structural supports of the landing gear, and an air tank may be located between the fairing and the cargo storage area. A single fairing may be used to reduce the drag from both the trailer landing gear and wheel assembly. The fairing may include a tapered front section and/or a rear section. The fairing may have rounded, oval, angled, and/or tapered sections. A plurality of fairings may also be used.

Abstract: An aerodynamic underride guard comprising an angled front section located ahead of the trailer landing gear, a crash attenuating middle section located between the trailer landing gear and the trailer wheel assembly, and an angled rear section located in proximity to the trailer wheel assembly. The front angled section deflects air away from the non-aerodynamic features of the trailer landing gear. The rear angled section deflects air away from the non-aerodynamic features of the trailer wheel assembly, and the crash attenuating middle section can prevent vehicles from under riding the trailer.

Abstract: A backup device for limiting the rotation of converter dollies about a trailer hitch is presented. A dolly mounted, laterally extending moveable bar is selectively pressed against the vertical members of the trailer's underride guard in order to prevent rotation of the dolly relative to the trailer. The bar is retracted from the trailer to allow significant rotation of the dolly during normal forward operation. The backup device is operable with many makes and models of trailers because the laterally extending bar provides a large area that the trailer underride guard may contact. In addition to being operable with many models of trailers, the present invention does not require specific features to be added onto a trailer pulling the converter dolly. Additionally, the large contact area of the laterally extending bar allows the device to function with dollies that are significantly rotated about a trailer hitch. The backup device is also robust, aerodynamic, and self contained.

Abstract: A cargo container that includes a U-shaped panel, and/or an L-shaped panel is disclosed. The cargo container has a top, bottom, and two sides, each U-shaped and/or L-shaped panels forms part of the top and a side, or the bottom and a side. The cargo container may further include doors with hinges and/or doors that slide. Landing gear may support the container when not in transit. The U-shaped and/or L-shaped panels may be inhomogeneous in size and thickness to reinforce the areas of highest stress concentration such as the container edges or the attachment location of the landing gear. The cargo container may also have a bottom floor with a greater thickness than each of the significantly parallel sides, or a bottom floor with parallel or interconnected support protrusions. The U-shaped and/or L-shaped panels may include internal support structures. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing U-shaped and/or L-shaped panels.

Abstract: An aerodynamic underride guard comprising an angled front section located ahead of the trailer landing gear, a crash attenuating middle section located between the trailer landing gear and the trailer wheel assembly, and an angled rear section located in proximity to the trailer wheel assembly. The front angled section deflects air away from the non-aerodynamic features of the trailer landing gear. The rear angled section deflects air away from the non-aerodynamic features of the trailer wheel assembly, and the crash attenuating middle section can prevent vehicles from under riding the trailer.

Abstract: A trailer fairing for reducing aerodynamic drag from trailer landing gear and/or wheel assembly is disclosed. The fairing may be directly connected to the forward facing structural supports of the landing gear, and an air tank may be located between the fairing and the cargo storage area. A single fairing may be used to reduce the drag from both the trailer landing gear and wheel assembly. The fairing may include a tapered front section and/or a rear section. The fairing may have rounded, oval, angled, and/or tapered sections. A plurality of fairings may also be used.

Abstract: A tube shaped cargo container and method of manufacture. The cargo container is manufactured by a process that includes pultruding or extruding a seamless container with two sides, a roof, and a floor. Doors, landing gear, structural supports, another side, and a wheel assembly may be added after the pultrusion/extrusion process. The cargo container may include rounded side/floor and side/roof connections. The cargo container may include one or two rounded ends.

Abstract: An aerodynamic cargo container with rounded rear doors is disclosed. The aerodynamic cargo container includes an angled rear area that reduces base drag when the container is transported. The rear sliding door allows for partial opening of the door and allows for operation of the door when the rear of the container is in close proximity to another object. The crash attenuating skirt deflects vehicles away from the cargo container. A pair of cargo doors may define the curved contour of the trailer rear section. These doors may have a plurality of pivoted and segmented sections that assume the curved contour of a stationary edge when the doors are moved to a closed position.