Granted Patent B2

US 12,539,802 · App. 17/989,606 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Inventor: Andrzej Wylezinski (Lafayette, IN)

Assignee: Wabash National, L.P.

B60P3/20B60P7/0807F25D19/003

Abstract

Claims (63)

1 . A mounting unit for supporting a refrigeration unit on a cargo body, comprising:

a first body including a first opening;

a second body including a second opening corresponding with the first opening; and

a mounting bolt configured to be received within the first opening and the second opening;

wherein a length of the mounting bolt extends beyond both of the first body and the second body when the mounting bolt is received within the first opening and the second opening;

wherein the first body and the second body are configured to be supported within a nose of the cargo body; and

wherein an entirety of a longitudinal length of the first body and the second body is positioned entirely within the thickness of the nose.

2 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first body defines a plurality of cavities.

3 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein the second body defines a plurality of cavities.

4 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is a stepped opening within a third opening, the third opening configured to receive a head of the mounting bolt.

5 . The mounting unit of claim 4 , wherein the third opening is hexagon-shaped.

6 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , the first body including at least one pilot hole for receiving a mechanical fastener.

7 . The mounting unit of claim 6 , further comprising an insulation gasket to cover a surface of the first body.

8 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket positioned around the mounting bolt.

9 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first body and the second body abut one another.

10 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first body and the second body is positioned entirely within a thickness of the nose.

11 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the first body and a rear surface of the second body are longitudinally intermediate a front surface and a rear surface of the nose.

12 . The mounting unit of claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the first body is rearward of a front surface of the nose.

13 . A mounting unit for supporting a refrigeration unit on a cargo body, comprising:

a first body including a first opening and at least one pilot hole for receiving a mechanical fastener;

a second body including a second opening corresponding with the first opening; and

a mounting bolt configured to be received within the first opening and the second opening;

an insulation gasket to cover a surface of the first body; and

a cover plate to cover the insulation gasket, the cover plate configured to couple to the first body with the mechanical fastener

wherein a length of the mounting bolt extends beyond both of the first body and the second body when the mounting bolt is received within the first opening and the second opening; and

wherein the first body and the second body are configured to be supported within a nose of the cargo body.

14 . A nose of a cargo body for mounting a large component, the nose formed of a composite material having a foam core, an inner surface, and an outer surface having an outer laminate layer, the nose comprising:

a support plate embedded within the outer laminate layer, the support plate defining a bolt aperture;

a mounting insert positioned within a hole defined by the composite material, the hole extending from the inner surface of the nose through the foam core so that the mounting insert does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose, the mounting insert comprising a mounting bolt positioned within a through hole of the mounting insert so that a portion of the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture of the support plate and beyond the outer surface of the nose; and

a cover plate fastened to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener, wherein the mechanical fastener is spaced apart from the mounting bolt.

15 . A nose of a cargo body for mounting a large component, the nose formed of a composite material having a foam core, an inner surface, and an outer surface having an outer laminate layer, the nose comprising:

a support plate embedded within the outer laminate layer, the support plate defining a bolt aperture;

a mounting insert positioned within a hole defined by the composite material, the hole extending from the inner surface of the nose through the foam core so that the mounting insert does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose, the mounting insert comprising a mounting bolt positioned within a through hole of the mounting insert so that a portion of the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture of the support plate and beyond the outer surface of the nose; and

a cover plate fastened to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener, the cover plate permanently bonded to the inner surface of the nose.

16 . A nose of a cargo body for mounting a large component, the nose formed of a composite material having a foam core, an inner surface, and an outer surface having an outer laminate layer, the nose comprising:

a support plate embedded within the outer laminate layer, the support plate defining a bolt aperture;

a mounting insert positioned within a hole defined by the composite material, the hole extending from the inner surface of the nose through the foam core so that the mounting insert does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose, the mounting insert comprising a mounting bolt positioned within a through hole of the mounting insert so that a portion of the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture of the support plate and beyond the outer surface of the nose; and

a cover plate fastened to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener; and

an insulation gasket disposed between the mounting insert and the cover plate.

17 . The nose of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of mounting inserts.

18 . A nose of a cargo body for mounting a large component, the nose formed of a composite material having a foam core, an inner surface, and an outer surface having an outer laminate layer, the nose comprising:

a support plate embedded within the outer laminate layer, the support plate defining a bolt aperture;

a mounting insert positioned within a hole defined by the composite material, the hole extending from the inner surface of the nose through the foam core so that the mounting insert does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose, the mounting insert comprising a mounting bolt positioned within a through hole of the mounting insert so that a portion of the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture of the support plate and beyond the outer surface of the nose; and

a cover plate fastened to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener;

wherein the mounting bolt does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose.

19 . A nose of a cargo body for mounting a large component, the nose formed of a composite material having a foam core, an inner surface, and an outer surface having an outer laminate layer, the nose comprising:

a support plate embedded within the outer laminate layer, the support plate defining a bolt aperture;

a mounting insert comprised of a first body and a second body, the mounting insert positioned within a hole defined by the composite material, the hole extending from the inner surface of the nose through the foam core so that the mounting insert does not extend beyond the inner surface of the nose, the mounting insert comprising a mounting bolt positioned within a through hole of the mounting insert so that a portion of the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture of the support plate and beyond the outer surface of the nose; and

a cover plate fastened to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener.

20 . A method of manufacturing a wall of a cargo body having embedded inserts, the method comprising:

assembling a plurality of composite beams or composite panels to form the wall;

forming a hole within an inner surface of the wall, the hole extending from an inner surface of the wall to an outer surface of the wall without penetrating the outer surface;

inserting a mounting insert within the hole;

forming a bolt aperture within an outer surface of the wall;

inserting a mounting bolt through the mounting insert so that the mounting bolt extends through the bolt aperture; and

coupling a cover plate to at least one of the mounting insert or the inner surface of the wall, the cover plate covering the mounting insert.

21 . The method of claim 20 , the step of coupling the cover plate further including the step of permanently bonding the cover plate to the inner surface of the wall.

22 . The method of claim 21 , the step of coupling the cover plate further including the step of coupling the cover plate to the mounting insert with a mechanical fastener.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of inserting a mounting insert within the hole includes the steps of:

inserting a first body within the hole, the first body including a first through hole configured to align with the bolt aperture; and

inserting a second body within the hole, the second body including a second through hole configured to align with the first through hole and the bolt aperture.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the mounting bolt extends past only one surface of the mounting insert when inserted within the mounting insert.

25 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of forming a bolt aperture includes using the mounting insert as a guide to form the bolt aperture.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)