Mack Trucks, Inc.

Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.

David Scott Adams

Linton David Myers

Roland Pierre Moriaux

Bernard Nigay

John M Martin

Martin Luckhaus

Nikolaus G Racz

Donald Michael Reed

James Thomas Wunderlich

A modular cab/sleeper/roof structural assembly for a truck-tractor vehicle according to the present invention provides greater manufacturing flexibility and unrestricted access between a cab/sleeper unit. The structural assembly includes a top-free cab unit having a front wall, opposing side walls, and a bottom portion. A top-free sleeper unit positioned behind the cab unit has a rear wall, opposing side walls, and a bottom portion. Fasteners couple the cab unit and the sleeper unit such that an upwardly opened carriage assembly is formed. A unitary roof member fixedly encloses the opened carriage assembly and forms an integral modular unit. The unitary roof member has a front portion connected to the front wall of the cab unit, a rear portion connected to the rear wall of the sleeper unit, and opposing side portions connected to the opposing side walls of the cab and sleeper units. The cab unit, sleeper unit and roof member are not independent structures; however, when they are assembled, the units constitute a durable cab/sleeper unit.

Modular cab, sleeper and roof structural assembly for a truck-tractor vehicle

Method and arrangement for providing a modular tractor assembly including a driver compartment having a rearward connecting edge configured to slidably receive a complementary forward connecting edge of one of a day compartment module, a sleeper compartment module, or an inter-modular fairing connector assembly. A portion of the rearward connecting edge of the driver compartment has a flange portion disposed at an acute angle relative to a long axis of the tractor for complementarily receiving a forward connecting edge of one of the day compartment module, the sleeper compartment module and the inter-modular fairing connector assembly. The interface between the driver compartment and the day compartment module, a sleeper compartment module, or an inter-modular fairing connector assembly is substantially hidden by the doors of the vehicle to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Modular day/sleeper cab and interface therefor

A conversion kit assembly for converting a sleeper truck cab with a modular sleeper/cab into a day cab includes a sleeper truck cab including a rear sill, two laterally spaced walls, and a roof, with each of the walls having a B-pillar assembly at a rearward end of the sleeper truck cab. The B-pillar assemblies are coupled together at their upper ends by the roof, and at their lower ends by a lower member such as a lower panel or a rear sill such that the rearward end of the sleeper truck cab is substantially square. The sleeper truck cab further has a plurality of attachment points at the rearward end for attaching the modular sleeper. A first plurality of fasteners, which connect the modular sleeper to the sleeper truck cab, are removed. The modular sleeper is removed from the sleeper truck cab thereby creating a rearward opening at rearward end of modular truck cab. A closeoff panel assembly comprising a frame sub-assembly and an outer panel welded to the frame sub-assembly is then attached to the sleeper truck cab by fasteners disposed at locations corresponding to at least some of the plurality of attachment points. The closeoff panel assembly is provided to close the rearward opening created by removal of the modular sleeper from the sleeper truck cab. First and second reinforcement members connect the closeoff panel assembly to the B-pillar assemblies of the sleeper truck cab, and third and fourth reinforcement members connect the closeoff panel assembly to the lower panel or rear sill of the sleeper truck cab, to distribute loads from the closeoff panel to the sleeper truck cab, and thence to the vehicle chassis. A load is distributed from the closeoff panel assembly to the sleeper truck cab with the reinforcement members. A gasket is also used between the sleeper truck cab and the closeoff panel assembly to seal moisture from the cab.

Truck sleeper cab to day cab conversion kit assembly

Growing community of inventors

Macungie, PA, United States of America

David Scott Adams