IP Library Granted Patent US 12,709,311
Granted Patent B2
US 12,709,311 · App. 18/310,146 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Railroad car

Inventors: Peter L. Jones (Southlake, TX); Caglar Ozerdim (Dallas, TX); Xiaoyan Lu (Arlington, TX)
Assignee: Gunderson LLC
B61D19/001B61D17/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,709,311
App. No.
18/310,146
Filed
May 1, 2023
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3615
USPC
105/404
Abstract

A box railroad car with one or more door assemblies having doors that are more elastic than known boxcar doors, and that after being engaged in a potentially damaging manner, return or substantially return to their natural or original configurations.

Claims (42)

1 . A railroad car comprising:

a frame; and

a first side wall supported by the frame, the first side wall including a door assembly including first and second doors, at least one of the first and second doors including:

a door frame assembly formed from advanced high strength steel,

a plurality of panels connected to the door frame assembly and formed from advanced high strength steel, each of the plurality of panels having a first shape configuration, and

a locking assembly connected to the door frame assembly, the locking assembly formed from a high strength steel,

wherein a force incurred by an interior of one or more of the plurality of panels causes the one or more of the plurality of panels to be changed to a second shape configuration different from the first shape configuration, and wherein the force is transferred to and absorbed by the door frame assembly such that the one or more of the plurality of panels is returned from the second shape configuration to the first shape configuration.

2 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein the advanced high strength steel has a yield strength of 80 ksi (550 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 90 ksi (620 MPa) or higher.

3 . The railroad car of claim 2 , wherein the high strength steel has a yield strength between 30-80 ksi (210-550 MPa) and a tensile strength between 40-100 ksi (270 to 700 MPa).

4 . The railroad car of claim 1 , which includes first and second connection pipe assemblies connected to the door frame assembly, wherein the first and second connection pipe assemblies include first and second lock rods formed from advanced high strength steel.

5 . The railroad car of claim 4 , wherein the advanced high strength steel has a yield strength of 80 ksi (550 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 90 ksi (620 MPa) or higher.

6 . The railroad car of claim 5 , wherein the high strength steel has a yield strength between 30-80 ksi (210-550 MPa) and a tensile strength between 40-100 ksi (270 to 700 MPa).

7 . A railroad car comprising:

a frame; and

a first side wall supported by the frame, the first side wall including a door assembly including first and second doors, at least one of the first and second doors including:

a door frame assembly formed from advanced high strength steel,

a plurality of panels connected to the door frame assembly and formed from advanced high strength steel, each of the plurality of panels having a first shape configuration,

first and second connection pipe assemblies including first and second lock rods formed from advanced high strength steel, and

a locking assembly connected to the door frame assembly and formed from a high strength steel,

wherein a force incurred by an interior of one or more of the plurality of panels causes the one or more of the plurality of panels to be changed to a second shape configuration different from the first shape configuration, and wherein the force is transferred to and absorbed by one or more of the door frame assembly and the first and second connection pipe assemblies such that the one or more of the plurality of panels is returned from the second shape configuration to the first shape configuration,

wherein the advanced high strength steel has a yield strength of 80 ksi (550 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 90 ksi (620 MPa) or higher.

8 . A railroad car comprising:

a frame; and

a first side wall supported by the frame, the first side wall including a door assembly including first and second doors, at least one of the first and second doors including:

a door frame assembly formed from ultra high strength steel,

a plurality of panels connected to the door frame assembly and formed from ultra high strength steel, each of the plurality of panels having a first shape configuration, and

a locking assembly connected to the door frame assembly, the locking assembly formed from a high strength steel,

wherein a force incurred by an interior of one or more of the plurality of panels causes the one or more of the plurality of panels to be changed to a second shape configuration different from the first shape configuration, and wherein the force is transferred to and absorbed by the door frame assembly such that the one or more of the plurality of panels is returned from the second shape configuration to the first shape configuration.

9 . The railroad car of claim 8 , wherein the ultra high strength steel has a yield strength of 140 ksi (965 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 170 ksi (1170 MPa) or higher.

10 . The railroad car of claim 9 , wherein the high strength steel has a yield strength between 30-80 ksi (210-550 MPa) and a tensile strength between 40-100 ksi (270 to 700 MPa).

11 . The railroad car of claim 8 , which includes first and second connection pipe assemblies connected to the door frame assembly, wherein the first and second connection pipe assemblies include first and second lock rods formed from ultra high strength steel.

12 . The railroad car of claim 11 , wherein the ultra high strength steel has a yield strength of 140 ksi (965 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 170 ksi (1170 MPa) or higher.

13 . The railroad car of claim 12 , wherein the high strength steel has a yield strength between 30-80 ksi (210-550 MPa) and a tensile strength between 40-100 ksi (270 to 700 MPa).

14 . A railroad car comprising:

a frame; and

a first side wall supported by the frame, the first side wall including a door assembly including first and second doors, at least one of the first and second doors including:

a door frame assembly formed from ultra high strength steel,

a plurality of panels connected to the door frame assembly and formed from ultra high strength steel, each of the plurality of panels having a first shape configuration,

first and second connection pipe assemblies including first and second lock rods formed from ultra high strength steel, and

a locking assembly connected to the door frame assembly and formed from a high strength steel,

wherein a force incurred by an interior of one or more of the plurality of panels causes the one or more of the plurality of panels to be changed to a second shape configuration different from the first shape configuration, and wherein the force is transferred to and absorbed by one or more of the door frame assembly and the first and second connection pipe assemblies such that the one or more of the plurality of panels is returned from the second shape configuration to the first shape configuration,

wherein the ultra high strength steel has a yield strength of 140 ksi (965 MPa) or higher and a tensile strength of 170 ksi (1170 MPa) or higher.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2025
From: GUNDERSON LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 071186/0114 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2023
From: JONES, PETER L.; OZERDIM, CAGLAR; LU, XIAOYAN
To: GUNDERSON LLC
Reel/Frame 063689/0460 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240367698A1 · Nov 7, 2024
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