System and method for partitioning cargo areas

Abstract

An improved bulkhead and partition system in which at least two panels are independently attached to mounting members such that each panel can be moved independently. In a preferred embodiment, two bulkheads or panels are slidably attached to separate pairs of ceiling-mounted rails in a refrigerated trailer such that each bulkhead or panel can be independently slid toward the front of a trailer or toward the rear of a trailer to define, in cooperation with a removable center partition wall, a plurality of different cargo areas to be maintained at different temperatures. Alternatively, two bulkheads or panels may advantageously operate without a partition wall such that the panels may be placed side-by-side and fastened together to make a full-width bulkhead.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

32, 34, 36 24 can optionally be replaced with any known mounting mechanism that cooperates with the rails. The mounting means may comprise a post or flange integrally molded into the panel 18 and adapted to be received into the rails 22. As further examples, the mounting means may include i) a flat slidable member that engages an interior surface of the rail member and is hingedly attached to the bulkhead, ii) an integral, one piece, arcuate tab attached to the top of the bulkhead that can be inserted into one of a plurality of longitudinally arranged receiving means at a predetermined angle such that the tab locks the bulkhead into place as the bulkhead is lowered into a vertical position, iii) a hinge member that releasably locks into one of a plurality of longitudinally disposed receiving means, or iv) any other known mounting mechanism suitable for such mechanical attachment. Likewise, rails 22, 23 can be replaced with other mechanisms that cooperate with the selected mounting mechanism. For example, the rails 22, 23 may be replaced with a continuous rail having a plurality of axially disposed apertures for receiving cooperatively configured mounting means or a series of independently mounted receiving members for receiving cooperatively configured mounting means. As noted above, the rail members can optionally be mounted on a vertical surface, such as a trailer wall. Mounting members can thus be selected to enable the bulkheads to swing open like a door, slide in the axial direction in which the rail members are mounted, or be readily removed and reinstalled in another set of receiving members. The foregoing modifications are illustrative only and are not intended to comprise a comprehensive list of all modifications that can be made to the instant apparatus without departing from the invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the strap 38 and cooperating locking mechanism shown in FIG. 4. The strap 38 is positioned over guide pins 44, 46. Flange 48 is rigidly attached to cam 50. In use, the left portion 52 of the strap 38 is attached to the base 42 of the panel 18 either directly or through a suitable cooperating attachment means such as a hook and a mateable receptacle. The right portion 54 of the strap 38 is pulled downward until the panel 18 is in the desired stowage position. Then the flange 48 is forced upward by action of a spring (not shown), thereby forcing cam 50 against strap 38 and locking the strap in place. To lower the bulkhead 18, the right portion 54 of the strap 38 is pulled downward, which in turn forces flange 48 downward to the depicted, open position. The strap is then free to travel over guide pins 44, 46 as long as the right portion of the strap is maintained in the depicted, vertical position in substantial tension, which holds flange 48 in the open position. When the end of the strap portion 54 is raised upwards and to the rear of the trailer, spring force causes the flange and cam assembly to rotate counterclockwise, causing the cam 50 to lock the strap 38 in place. Accordingly, the base 42 of the bulkhead 18 is lowered toward the floor of the trailer by holding the strap portion 54 in a vertical position as the strap is pulled over pins 44, 46 by the weight of the bulkhead.

The panels 18 and 20 may be advantageously used without center partition panels 16, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The panels 18 and 20 may be placed side-by-side and fastened together to make a full-width bulkhead. The panels 18 and 20 may be secured relative to one another with a variety of known means. In this implementation, the panels 18 and 20 are secured by straps 62, 64, 66, and 68, and buckles 70 and 72. Alternatively, the panels can be secured with cooperating channels, grooves, flanges, polymeric seals, locking pins, or the like. The panels 18 and 20 may also be equipped with coated nylon seals 74 along the peripheral edges to enhance the seal between the panels 18 and 20 when fastened together.

FIG. 7 illustrates how a user can advantageously separate the panels 18 and 20 by releasing straps 66 and 68 from buckles 70 and 72. The top one of either panel 18 or 20 can be slid forward as the bottom is raised rearwardly (indicated by the arrows) permitting the panel to be lifted and stowed even when pallets and cargo are stacked close to the panel.

A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various additional modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating spaces in a cargo trailer, comprising:

first and second half-width bulkhead panels that are mountable in an interior space of the trailer, wherein when the panels are mounted in the trailer, the first and second half-width bulkhead panels are releasably securable together in a side-by-side abutting configuration to form a full-width bulkhead that extends between opposing sidewalls of the trailer;

a plurality of straps and buckles arranged on rearward faces of the first and second half-width bulkhead panels so as to releasably secure the first and second panels together in the side-by-side abutting configuration when the panels are mounted in the trailer, the plurality of straps and buckles including at least one upper strap that engages an upper buckle and at least one lower strap that engages a lower buckle; and

a mounting system to movably support the first and second half-width bulkhead panels in the trailer, the mounting system attachable to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the trailer, wherein when the panels are mounted in the trailer, the mounting system provides each of the first and second half-width bulkhead panels with a first degree of freedom to convey the panels in a longitudinal direction independently of one another and that provides each of the first and second panels with a second degree of freedom to raise the panels independently.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the first and second half-width bulkhead panels are releasably secured together in the side-by-side abutting configuration, the panels seal together along adjacent peripheral edges of the panels to define the full-width bulkhead.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second panels comprise seal members arranged along the adjacent peripheral edges so that the first and second panels seal together along the adjacent peripheral edges when the first and second panels are releasably secured together in the side-by-side abutting configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system permits the each of the first and second panels to be hingedly raised independently.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer in a first operative position, the first and second panels extend in a substantially vertical direction in the trailer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein when the panels are mounted in the trailer in a second operative position, at least one of the panels is hingedly raised to extend in a substantially non-vertical direction in the trailer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system further comprises:

a first trolley assembly engageable with a first set of two longitudinal rails mountable in the trailer, wherein the first panel is attachable to the first set of two longitudinal rails by the first trolley assembly,

a second trolley assembly engageable with a second set of two longitudinal rails mountable in the trailer, wherein the second panel is attachable to the second set of two longitudinal rails by the second trolley assembly, and

an end rail mountable proximate to rear ends of the first and second sets of longitudinal rails along the ceiling of the trailer to extend generally laterally between opposing sidewalls of the trailer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a first lift mechanism to raise a lower edge of the first panel toward the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, at least a portion of the first lift mechanism being mountable to the end rail when the end rail is mounted along the ceiling of the trailer, the first lift mechanism being engageable with a first strap or rope that is coupled proximate to the lower edge of the first panel so as to raise the lower edge of the first panel when the first strap or rope is manually pulled, and

a second lift mechanism to raise a lower edge of the second panel toward the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, at least a portion of the second lift mechanism being mountable to the end rail when the end rail is mounted along the ceiling of the trailer, the second lift mechanism being engageable with a second strap or rope that is coupled proximate to the lower edge of the second panel so as to raise the lower edge of the second panel when the second strap or rope is manually pulled.

9. The apparatus of claim 7:

wherein the first trolley assembly comprises two trolleys movably mountable to the first set of two longitudinal rails, a hinge rod extending between the two trolleys, and hinge plates that engage the hinge rod and are attachable to the first panel, and

wherein the second trolley assembly comprises two trolleys movably mountable to the second set of two longitudinal rails, a hinge rod extending between the two trolleys of the second trolley assembly, and hinge plates that engage the hinge rod of the second trolley assembly and are attachable to the second panel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first lift mechanism to raise the first panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the first lift mechanism comprising a movable cam to engage a first strap or rope coupled to the first panel, and

a second lift mechanism to raise the second panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the second lift mechanism comprising a movable cam to engage a second strap or rope coupled to the second panel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a first safety restraint attachable between the mounting system and the first panel to secure the first panel is in its stowed position when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the first safety restraint being different from the first lift mechanism.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first safety restraint comprises a safety chain mountable to at least one rail of the mounting system.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second safety restraint attachable between the mounting system and the second panel to secure the second panel is in its stowed position when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the second safety restraint being different from the second lift mechanism.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second safety restraint comprises a safety chain mountable to at least one rail of the mounting system.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the movable cam of the first lift mechanism is adjustable to lock the first strap or rope in a fixed position to thereby secure the first panel in its stowed position when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the first and second half-width bulkhead panels are mounted in the trailer, an upper edge of the first half-width bulkhead panel is movable forwardly in the trailer as a lower edge of the first half-width bulkhead panel is hingedly moved rearwardly in the trailer.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first safety restraint attachable between the mounting system and the first panel to secure the first panel is in a stowed position proximate to the end rail when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the first safety restraint being different from the first lift mechanism.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first safety restraint comprises a safety chain mountable to at least one rail of the mounting system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a second safely restraint attachable between the mounting system and the second panel to secure the second panel is in a stowed position proximate to the end rail when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the second safety restraint being different from the second lift mechanism.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second safety restraint comprises a safety chain mountable to at least one rail of the mounting system.

21. An apparatus for separating spaces in a cargo trailer, comprising:

first and second panels for separating a cargo space, each of the first and second panels extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cargo trailer and being positionable laterally to one another when in a first operative position inside the cargo space, wherein when the first and second panels are in the first operative position, the first and second panels abut one another along adjacent peripheral edges;

means for fastening the first and second panels together when the first and second panels are in the first operative position; and

a mounting system for mounting the first and second panels, the mounting system being attached to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the cargo space, wherein the mounting system provides each of the first and second panels with a first degree of freedom to be moved independently in a longitudinal direction and provides each of the first and second panels with a second degree of freedom to be raised independently, the mounting system comprising

a first longitudinal mounting means,

a second longitudinal mounting means parallel to the first longitudinal mounting means, and

a latitudinal mounting means perpendicular and proximate to the first and second longitudinal mounting means, the latitudinal mounting means extending substantially across a width the cargo trailer; and

a first lift means to raise a lower edge of the first panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, at least a portion of the first lift means being mounted to the latitudinal mounting means when the latitudinal mounting means is mounted along the ceiling of the trailer, and a second lift means to raise a lower edge of the second panel to a stowed position proximate the ceiling when the first and second panels are mounted in the cargo trailer, at least a portion of the second means being mounted to the latitudinal mounting means when the latitudinal mounting means is mounted along the ceiling of the cargo trailer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the means for fastening comprises one or more straps that releasably secure the first and second panels together in a side-by-side configuration to provide a full-width bulkhead that extends between opposing sidewalls of the cargo space; and

the first longitudinal mounting means comprises a first set of two trolleys and two longitudinal rails to guide movement of the first panel and the second longitudinal mounting means comprises a second set of two trolleys and two longitudinal rails to guide movement of the second panel, wherein the mounting system provides each of the first and second panels with the second degree of freedom to independently raise lower edges of the first and second panels into stowed positions proximate the ceiling of the cargo space.

23. An apparatus for separating cargo areas in a trailer, comprising:

first and second panels that are mountable in an interior space of the trailer, wherein when the first and second panels are mounted in the trailer, the first and second panels extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, and when the first and second panels are in a first operative position, the first and second panels abut one another along adjacent peripheral edges;

means for fastening the first and second panels together when the first and second panels are in the first operative position; and

a mounting system to movably support the first and second panels in the trailer, the mounting system attachable to at least one of a wall or a ceiling of the trailer, wherein when the panels are mounted in the trailer, the mounting system provides each of the first and second panels with a first degree of freedom to convey the panels in a longitudinal direction independently of one another and that provides each of the first and second panels with a second degree of freedom to raise the first and second panels independently, the mounting system comprising

a first set of two longitudinal rails to guide movement of the first panel, the first set of two longitudinal rails being mounted to at least one of a first sidewall or the ceiling of the interior space of the trailer,

a second set of two longitudinal rails to guide movement of the second panel, the second set of two longitudinal rails being mounted to at least one of a second sidewall or the ceiling of the interior space of the trailer,

an end rail extending along the ceiling of the interior space of the trailer and generally perpendicular to the first and second sets of two longitudinal rails proximate to rear ends of the first set of two longitudinal rails and the second set of two longitudinal rails to extend generally laterally between opposing sidewalls of the interior space of the trailer, and

a first lift device to raise the first panel into a stowed position proximate the ceiling of the trailer, at least a portion of the first lift device being mounted to the end rail; and

a second lift device to raise the second panel into a stowed position proximate the ceiling of the trailer, at least a portion of the second lift device being mounted to the end rail.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mounting system further comprises:

a first trolley assembly engageable with the first set of two longitudinal rails, wherein the first panel is attachable to the first set of two longitudinal rails by the first trolley assembly; and

a second trolley assembly engageable with the second set of two longitudinal rails mountable in the trailer, wherein the second panel is attachable to the second set of two longitudinal rails by the second trolley assembly.