JPS61222876A - Light-weight front side frame assembly for semi-trailer and manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to semi-trailers and more particularly to a front frame and upper hitch assembly therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Due to increased fuel costs resulting from the depletion of natural resources, such as oil, and to increase profit margins in the trucking industry, semi-trailers are becoming lighter in weight.

Lightweight semitrailer not only improves the fuel efficiency of tractor-trailer combinations, but also provides increased payload capacity within the limits of total semitrailer weight.

In the construction of pan semi-trailers, aluminum rams are used extensively, for example, especially in the walls and roof, but in the floor frame,
Robert B, 197 against 3chwartz
U.S. Patent No. 3,990,7 issued November 9, 2006
Until now, as exemplified by No. 20, they have been made of steel. The front frame assembly is largely made of tempered aluminum ("aluminum" is always used herein to include aluminum alloys, particularly the alloy commonly referred to as 6061). It has been found that it can be manufactured with a weight reduction of 32' compared to an equivalent steel product, yet with essentially the same strength.

Tempered aluminum was used to provide the required strength in the assembly, but the use of tempered aluminum is problematic because, for the most part, the parts of the assembly are welded together. Because there is. The problem is,
The weld consists in the fact that all tempering and therefore strength is lost in the weld. Since it is impractical to temper the entire assembly after fabrication in order to reproduce the tempering of the welds, the assembly is improved by using specially constructed tempered aluminum extrusions to fabricate the assembly. It has been found that most of the welds in the volume can be placed substantially along the neutral bending axis to minimize bending stresses in the welds. As a result, by arranging the weld in this manner, its strength is sufficient even though the weld is not tempered. The present invention relates to a lightweight front vehicle frame assembly and an upper 11 coupler assembly, which is a subassembly thereof, both of which are intended to be incorporated into a semi-trailer. Both assemblies are primarily tempered aluminum weldments. The upper coupler assembly includes a tempered aluminum extrusion having a flat base and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending generally perpendicularly from the base. First and second U-shaped tempered aluminum channels are welded to the first and second pairs of flanges, respectively, to form a hollow beam having a generally square cross section. These welds lie substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly, minimizing bending stresses on the welds. A third U-shaped tempered aluminum channel is disposed between the first and second channels and has a pool on their opposing sloped edges. Since it is welded, the weld is oriented toward the neutral bending axis of the assembly to reduce bending stresses on the weld.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing an upper coupler assembly, including providing a folded aluminum extrusion having a substrate and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the substrate; first and second U-shaped tempered aluminum channels; a hollow weld to each of the two pairs of flanges, having a generally rectangular cross section, and having a weld located substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly to minimize bending stresses on the bond; Forms burrs. a third U-shaped tempered aluminum channel is disposed between the first and second channels and welded thereto along opposing sloped edges of the first and second channels; The weld is oriented toward the neutral bending axis of the assembly to reduce bending stresses on the weld.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a lightweight front frame assembly for a semi-trailer. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a fabrication method that properly positions the weld to reduce or minimize bending stresses on the weld. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

<Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments> FIG. 1 will be described. Reference numeral 20 represents a pan semi-trailer supported by a tandem axle wheel assembly 22 and landing gear 24. Here, the present invention will be described as a vehicle frame structure for a semi-trailer 20, and more particularly, a front vehicle frame assembly 2 including a king pin 28 into which the fifth wheel of a tractor is fitted.
6 will be described below.

Now, FIGS. 2 to 5 will be explained. The front frame assembly 26 includes an upper coupler assembly or subassembly 30 having a pair of tempered aluminum end plates 3 welded thereto.
It can be seen that it has 2. There is an elongated U-shaped channel steel riveted to the end plate 32 and serves as a bumper or front frame member 34. The bumper 34 is also riveted to a tempered aluminum floorboard 536, which is welded to the upper hitch assembly 30 at 38. f
36, between the upper coupler assembly 30 and the bumper 34, a U-shaped tempered aluminum channel 40 is welded to the adjacent side of the expansion coupler assembly 30 and to the underside of the floorboard 36. In addition to serving as a reinforcing and reinforcing member, the channel member also acts as a bedding plate when the semi-trailer 20 is placed on the fifth wheel of the tractor. There are a pair of U-shaped tempered aluminum channels extending outwardly from the corner formed by the connection of 40 and upper coupler assembly 30 to opposite corners of the nozzle 34, best shown in FIG. It is shown. Channel 42 is welded to the underside of plate 36 and to channel 40 and upper coupler assembly 30.

Further reinforcement of the channel 400 is provided by a pair of T-bars (FIG. 5) welded to the underside of the channel 40 and to the plate 36.
given by 4.

Figures 4.9 and 10 will now be described. Upper coupler assembly 30 includes a flat base 48 and first and second pairs of parallel flanges 50 and 52, respectively, extending generally perpendicularly from base 48.
It will be apparent that the weldment includes a tempered aluminum extrusion 46 having . A U-shaped tempered aluminum channel 56, which is welded to the flange 50 at 54, together with the extrusion 46 forms a hollow beam having a generally square cross section. Similarly, a U-shaped tempered aluminum channel 58 is welded to flange 52 at 60 to form with extrusion 46 a hollow beam having a generally square cross section. In this regard, it is noted that channels 56 and 58 each have sloped edges 62 and 64, respectively, and are in mutually opposing or adjacent relationship.

Spanning the space between channels 56 and 58 is a shallow U-shaped tempered aluminum channel 66 with sloped edges 62
and 64, along with 68 and 70 (Fig.
) Welded. The welds 68 and 70 are visible below the surface of the upper coupler assembly 300 formed by channels 56, 58 and 66, and within the upper coupler assembly. It is also placed towards the bending axis.

It is worth noting that by providing flanges 50 and 52, it is possible to position weld points 54 and 60 substantially along the neutral bending axis of upper coupler assembly 30.

The upper coupler assembly further includes a plurality of reinforcement plates 72, which are welded to extrusion 46 and channels 56 and 58, as best shown in FIG. , are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the king bin 28.

6.9 and 10, the king pin 28 is secured to the upper coupler assembly 30 by a tempered aluminum block 74, which is located between the beams formed by channels 56 and 58 and by an extruded It is located midway through the body 46 and is welded to the extrusion 46 and the channels 56 and 58 at 76 (FIG. 10). A cylindrical cavity 78 extends from base plate 48 into block 74 and is configured to receive a flange portion 80 of king pin 28 . Block 74 has a plurality of holes or apertures 82 therethrough corresponding to a plurality of openings 84 in flange 80 of king pin 28 for receiving a plurality of bolts 86. The bolts 86 threadably engage a plurality of nuts 88, which are connected to a steel plate 90 placed on top of the block 74.
90 is a flange 9 extending on both sides.
2, so that the steel plate 90 is held on top of the block 74. Further, the film of the dielectric material is preferably the aluminum block 74, the king pin 28, the steel plate 90,
Both are made of steel, and are provided to prevent electrochemical interaction between dissimilar metals.

In order to minimize the number of welds required to fabricate the upper coupler assembly 30 and to locate the majority of welds as close to the neutral bending axis of the upper coupler assembly 30 as possible, the extrusion 46 is Since the extrudate would otherwise be too large for currently available extruders, it is first formed in the folded configuration shown in FIG. After the extrusion molded body 46 is formed into its folded structure, it is opened to form a substrate 48 having a flat structure as shown in FIG. The extrudate 46 is then tempered to T-6°. Following tempering of extrusion 46, welding of channels 56 and 58 to flanges 50 and 52, and other completion of assembly 30 as described above, fabrication of upper coupler assembly 30 proceeds. Complete.

In this regard, the construction and fabrication method of the upper coupler assembly 30 ensures that all major weld points flood the neutral bending axis of the assembly 30 to minimize or reduce bending stresses on the welds. We provide tempered aluminum weldments that are placed facing or towards each other, and the aluminum at the weld point and the weld area is W or unhardened tempered, which means that the aluminum at that point has the lowest strength. This is highly desirable for this reason.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. This should be determined from the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a semi-trailer having a front frame assembly embodying features of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an isometric view taken along line 2--2 showing features of the front frame of a semitrailer. 3 is a bottom view of the front vehicle frame assembly shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG.
- Figure 7 shows a folded aluminum extrusion. FIG. 8 shows the extruded body shown in FIG. 7 after being opened. FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view of the upper coupler subassembly. FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 when assembly has progressed. 20... Pan-shaped semi-trailer 22... Tandem axle wheel assembly 24... Landing device 26... Front car frame assembly 28... King pin 30... Upper coupler introduction body 32... Tempering Aluminum terminal plate 34... Bumper or front vehicle frame member (made of steel) 36.
...Floor plate 38...Welding point 40.
42...U-shaped tempered aluminum channel member 44...
・T-base 46... Tempered aluminum extrusion molded body 48...
Substrate 50... first parallel flange 5
2... Second parallel flange 54... Welding location 5
6.58...U-shaped tempered aluminum channel member 60
...Welding location 62.64...Slanted edge 66...U-shaped tempered aluminum channel 68
．． 70... Welding location 72... Reinforcement, reinforcement plate 74... Tempered aluminum block 76... Welding location 78... Cylindrical cavity 80...
Flange portion 82 of king pin 28...opening
84...Opening 86...Bolt
88...nut 90...steel plate
92...Flange.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A tempered aluminum extrusion having a flat substrate and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the substrate; a first U-shaped tempered aluminum channel forming a hollow beam having a square cross section; and a second U-shaped tempered aluminum channel welded to the second pair of flanges forming a hollow beam having a generally square cross section. a U-shaped tempered aluminum channel, the weld between the flange and the channel being located substantially on the neutral bending axis of the light weight upper coupler assembly; A light weight upper coupler assembly for a semi-trailer, characterized by minimizing bending stress. 2. the first and second channels have opposing slanted edges, and a third channel welded to the first and second channels along the opposing slanted edges; U-shaped tempered aluminum channels with the welds oriented toward the neutral bending axis of the light weight upper coupler assembly to reduce bending stresses on the welds. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in: 3. An assembly according to claim 2, including a kingpin and a device for securing the kingpin to the extrusion. 4. A tempered aluminum block welded to the extrusion and channel and disposed between the first and second pairs of flanges to the fixing device, extending from the substrate into the block. a cavity for receiving the kingpin, a steel plate to which a plurality of nuts are fixed, the plate being disposed between the block and a third channel and engaging opposite sides of the block; a plurality of apertures in the block having a pair of flanges and aligned with the nut; and a plurality of bolts that are fitted into the kingpin and extend into the apertures and threadably engage the nut. An assembly according to claim 3. 5. A light weight upper hitch assembly for a semitrailer, the tempered aluminum extrusion having a flat base and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the base; a first U-shaped tempered aluminum channel welded to the flange of the second pair of flanges; a second U-shaped tempered aluminum channel welded to the second pair of flanges; the weld between the first and second channels is positioned substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly to minimize bending stress on the weld, and the first and second channels have adjacent beveled edges. a tempered aluminum block welded to the extrusion and the channel and disposed between the first and second pairs of flanges; a cavity for accommodating a kingpin extending from the substrate into the block; a kingpin disposed in the cavity; the kingpin having a plurality of openings; a copper plate having a plurality of nuts welded thereto aligned with openings in the block, the steel plate having a pair of flanges disposed on the block and engaging opposite sides of the block; a plurality of bolts extending through the kingpin and the opening in the block and threadably engaging the nut to secure the kingpin in position in the cavity; a third U-shaped tempered aluminum channel disposed above the block and copper plate, the third channel being adjacent to the first and second channels; welded along a sloped edge such that the weld is oriented toward the neutral bending axis of the assembly to reduce bending stresses on the weld;
A light weight upper coupler assembly for a semi-trailer, characterized in that it has. 6. A light and heavy front vehicle frame assembly for a semi-trailer,
a tempered aluminum extrusion having a flat substrate and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending generally perpendicularly from the substrate; a hollow burr having a generally rectangular cross section welded to the first pair of flanges; a first U-shaped tempered aluminum channel forming; a second U-shaped tempered aluminum channel welded to the second pair of flanges to form a hollow beam having a generally square cross section; the weld between the flange and the channel is located substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly, minimizing bending stress on the weld; the channels have opposing beveled edges, and a third U-shaped tempered aluminum channel is welded to the first and second channels along the opposing beveled edges. , the weld is oriented toward the neutral bending axis of the assembly to reduce bending stress on the weld, and the weld is welded to opposite ends of the extrusion and channel. a U-shaped steel bumper riveted to the end plates; a tempered aluminum welded to the first and second channels and riveted to the bumper; a fourth U-shaped tempered aluminum channel disposed between the first channel and the bumper and welded to the first channel and the floorboard; a fourth channel; and a fifth U-shaped tempered aluminum channel extending from a first corner defined by the first channel toward one interior corner of the bumper and welded to the floorboard and the fourth channel. a profile and a second corner defined by the fourth channel and the first channel extending toward the other inner corner of the bumper and welded to the floor plate and the fourth channel; A light weight front frame assembly for a semi-trailer, comprising: a sixth U-shaped tempered aluminum channel member. 7. An assembly according to claim 6, including a kingpin and a device for securing the kingpin to the extrusion. 8. A method of manufacturing a light weight upper coupler assembly for a semitrailer, comprising: manufacturing a folded aluminum extrusion having a substrate and a first and second pair of parallel flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the substrate; opening the extrusion to create a flat substrate, tempering the open extrusion, and welding a first U-shaped tempered aluminum channel to the first pair of flanges to form a generally square substrate; forming a hollow beam having a cross-section and minimizing bending stress on the weld with the weld located substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly; Welding shaped tempered aluminum channels to form a hollow beam having a generally square cross section and bending into the weld with the weld located substantially on the neutral bending axis of the assembly. Minimize stress and
and a third U-shaped tempered aluminum channel is welded to the first and second channels along opposite sloping edges of the second channel to reduce bending stress on the weld. A method of manufacturing a light weight upper hitch assembly for a semi-trailer comprising the steps of oriented the weld toward the neutral bending axis of the assembly to reduce the weight of the weld. 9. Place a tempered aluminum block between the first and second channels, weld the block to the extrusion and the first and second channels, and remove the aluminum from the substrate into the block; 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: forming a kingpin-receiving cavity extending into the kingpin-receiving cavity.