Patents by Inventor Homer Franklin Wright, Jr.

Homer Franklin Wright, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6308411
    Abstract: A sidewall skin is provided having a front edge, rear edge, top edge, and bottom edge, and a first exterior side and a second interior side. An inwardly directed front flange is provided along the front edge, and an inwardly directed flange is also provided along the top edge. The sidewall skin has a inwardly stepped transition region spaced rearwardly of the front edge. A rear corner is formed in the skin at a location forwardly of the rear edge and rearwardly of the transition region. A portion of the skin between the rear edge and rear corner forms part of the back wall of the truck cab. The sidewall skin is preferably adhesively secured to a sidewall framework with fasteners being virtually eliminated during the sidewall assembly process. The adhesive may be heat cured, which may involve a first partial heat curing step to provide the sidewall with handling strength followed by a second heat curing step. The second step is typically accomplished during curing of paint after a truck cab is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Freightliner LLC
    Inventors: Homer Franklin Wright, Jr., Edmond Kalstiantz, James Edward Hill
  • Patent number: 6120089
    Abstract: A truck cab sidewall assembly and method for making the same are disclosed. A sidewall skin is provided having a front edge, rear edge, top edge, and bottom edge, and a first exterior side and a second interior side. An inwardly directed front flange is provided along the front edge, and an inwardly directed flange is also provided along the top edge. The sidewall skin has a inwardly stepped transition region spaced rearwardly of the front edge. A rear corner is formed in the skin at a location forwardly of the rear edge and rearwardly of the transition region. A portion of the skin between the rear edge and rear corner forms part of the back wall of the truck cab. The rear comer is preferably formed by a roll forming technique. The transition region is preferably formed by a die-press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Freightliner Corporation
    Inventors: Edmond Kalstiantz, James Edward Hill, Homer Franklin Wright, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6012765
    Abstract: A truck door frame and door installation assembly and method for making the door frame are disclosed. Specifically, a door frame constructed of a monolithic piece of sheet metal completely bounds a door opening. The door frame is attached to an underlying sidewall frame structure. The door frame has a pilot hole therethrough for receiving a protruding alignment element from a door positioner and supporter. Other truck cab assembly components, such as the roof structure and firewall assembly, are attachable to the door frame. A door installation assembly and method for adjusting and installing a door in the closed position is also provided. In particular, a piano hinge having a first flap is mounted to a fore side edge of a door. The second flap of the hinge is mounted to an exterior hinge receiving surface of the door frame and extends forwardly and substantially perpendicularly to the fore side edge and first flap when the door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Freightliner Corporation
    Inventors: Luis A. Novoa, Homer Franklin Wright, Jr., Edmond Kalstiantz
  • Patent number: 5863093
    Abstract: An opening is provided through the front of a truck cab assembly during the manufacture process for allowing access to the interior of the truck cab for installing components therein. The opening most preferably substantially extends from sidewall to sidewall in the horizontal direction, and substantially from the roof structure to the floor structure in the vertical direction. On an assembly line, the front opening is preferably oriented perpendicularly to the direction of travel of truck cabs along the assembly line during a major portion of the vehicle truck cab assembly process. A firewall-dashboard assembly which facilitates easier installation and assembly of certain components is also disclosed. Specifically, the firewall is pre-assembled and combined with a dashboard sub-assembly prior to mounting these components to the truck cab. The firewall-dashboard assembly preferably contains at least the instrument panel, and the brake, clutch, and accelerator mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Freightliner Corporation
    Inventors: Luis A. Novoa, Edmond Kalstiantz, Homer Franklin Wright, Jr., Ernest Friesen
  • Patent number: 5769486
    Abstract: A reinforced coach joint for joining a roof of a truck to the sidewalls and/or rearwall of the truck involves clamping inwardly projecting flanges of the components to be joined between elongated reinforcing elements. Preferably the reinforcing elements define respective upwardly and downwardly opening channels that extend substantially around the periphery of the sidewalls, at least in a sleeper compartment area of a truck, and the rearwall of the truck. In a specific form, a lower reinforcing element has major sections with an h-shaped construction with an inner leg that projects upwardly above the elevation of the roof flange. This upwardly projecting reinforcing leg may engage a reinforcing leg of a sidewall reinforcing element positioned above the roof flange to further rigidify the construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Freightliner Corporation
    Inventors: Luis A. Novoa, Homer Franklin Wright, Jr.