Earl Richard Thompson

Title: Earl Richard Thompson: Mining Truck Design and Protection

Introduction

Earl Richard Thompson is an inventor associated with Oro Valley, Arizona. His patent work addresses practical design challenges in mining and off-road trucks, including protecting satellite-navigation equipment and improving dump-body strength while reducing weight. He is named on 2 patents.

Latest Patents

Rock Guard for GNSS Signal Avoidance. This invention describes a haul truck with a GNSS receiver mounted on a support structure near the front of the truck-bed canopy. A non-metallic protective barrier is coupled to the canopy and positioned to deflect objects that might otherwise strike the receiver.

Dump Body with Faceted Shape. This design uses a floor made from planar plates joined at angles to create a faceted, pseudo-curved surface. The angled joints add rigidity, reducing the need for external stiffeners. The approach aims to preserve strength while lowering the dump body’s weight and manufacturing cost.

Career Highlights

Thompson’s listed company affiliations include Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC and Caterpillar Inc. His patent subjects reflect engineering concerns central to heavy equipment: durability, efficient manufacturing, and protection of components operating in demanding environments.

Collaborations

His listed coworkers include Steven J. Fujan and Nathan R. Wagner. Their names alongside Thompson’s reflect collaborative work connected with mining and off-road truck technologies.

Conclusion

Earl Richard Thompson’s patents focus on practical improvements to mining trucks, combining GNSS receiver protection with a lighter, rigid dump-body design.