Method and apparatus for mounting a system module to a vehicle

1. A method of installing a trailer/dolly air brake system module on a vehicle comprising:

introducing a trailer/dolly air brake system module;

introducing a mounting element, wherein said mounting element attaches said system module to a mounting surface on the vehicle, the mounting surface having two oppositely extending edges, the mounting element including a pair of oppositely disposed clamping members, each of the clamping members including a clamping portion for receiving one of the edges of the mounting surface and a lug portion extending from the clamping portion, each of the lug portions having a groove extending in from a distal edge of the lug portion; and

connecting the mounting element to the mounting surface and the air brake system module to the mounting element such that a portion of the air brake system module extends through the grooves of the lug portions.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

removing said system module by disengaging said system module from said mounting element;

introducing a second system module; and

engaging said second system module with said mounting element, wherein said second system module allows for continued use of said vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mounting surface is selected from a group consisting of an I-beam or C-channel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mounting element is selected from a group consisting of a fastening device, clamping device, or a combination of both devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of semi-trailers, dolly, semi-trailer trucks, lorry's, side lifters, reefers, vans, flat beds, tanker trailers, dump trailers, road trains, or other commercial and heavy duty vehicles that use a air/hydraulic system.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising servicing said system module and inserting said system module into another vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time to remove and replace said system module with said second system module takes under an hour.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time to remove and replace said system module with said second system module is under 30 minutes.

9. A method of replacing a system module from a vehicle comprising:

introducing a system module;

introducing a mounting element, wherein the mounting element attaches the system module to a mounting surface on the vehicle, the mounting surface having two oppositely extending edges, the mounting element including a pair of oppositely disposed clamping members, each of the clamping members including a clamping portion for receiving one of the edges of the mounting surface and a lug portion extending from the clamping portion, each of the lug portions having a groove extending in from a distal edge of the lug portion; and

connecting the mounting element to the mounting surface and the air brake system module to the mounting element such that a portion of the air brake system module extends through the grooves of the lug portions;

removing said system module by disengaging said system module from said mounting element,

introducing a second system module, and

engaging said second system module with said mounting element, wherein said second system module allows for continued use of said vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mounting surface is selected from a group consisting of an I-beam or C-channel.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mounting element is selected from a group consisting of a fastening device, and/or a clamping device.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of semi-trailers, dolly, semi-trailer trucks, lorry's, side lifters, reefers, vans, flat beds, tanker trailers, dump trailers, road trains, or other commercial and heavy duty vehicles that use a air/hydraulic system.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising servicing said system module and inserting said system module into another vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the time to remove and replace said system module with said second system module takes under an hour.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the time to remove and replace said system module with said second system module is under 30 minutes.

16. An assembly to mount a system module to a vehicle having a mounting surface, the assembly comprising:

a system module including a module panel used to support elements of said system module;

a mounting element; and

a mounting surface having two oppositely extending edges, wherein said mounting element attaches said system module to said mounting surface, and wherein said mounting surface is an element of a vehicle;

said mounting element including a pair of oppositely disposed clamping members, each of the clamping members including a clamping portion for receiving one of the edges of said mounting surface and a lug portion extending from the clamping portion, each of the lug portions having a groove extending in from a distal edge of the lug portion, the grooves receiving the module panel therein.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said mounting element has holes used to support fasteners, such that said module panel can be attached and locked within said mounting element.

18. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said mounting surface is selected from a group consisting of an I-beam or C-channel of a vehicle.

19. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the system module can be detached from the mounting element.

20. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said system module can be repaired without disturbing continued use of said vehicle.

21. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said system module can be replaced by a second system module.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein said second system module allows for continued use of said vehicle.

23. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said vehicle is selected from a group consisting of semi-trailers, dolly, semi-trailer trucks, lorry's, side lifters, reefers, vans, flat beds, tanker trailers, dump trailers, road trains, or other commercial and heavy duty vehicles that use an air/hydraulic system.

24. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein said system module is a trailer/dolly air brake system module.

25. The assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the module panel extends through the grooves in a direction perpendicular to the edges of the mounting surface.