Search

US-20260125126-A1 - Adjustable Height Vehicle Trailer

US20260125126A1US 20260125126 A1US20260125126 A1US 20260125126A1US-20260125126-A1

Abstract

An adjustable height vehicle trailer includes a flatbed attachable to a vehicle, a cover assembly, a door assembly, and a lifting assembly. The cover assembly is designed to cover items transported on the flatbed and includes a top panel, a front panel, a pair of side panels. The pair of side panels and the front panel each includes an upper section attached to the top panel and a lower section attached to the flatbed. The door assembly is retractably mounted to a rear portion of the top panel to cover a rear opening in the cover assembly. The lifting assembly is mounted on the flatbed and supports the top panel. The lifting assembly is designed to selectively move the top panel up and down to extend and collapse the side panels and the front panel and move the upper section into an overlapping position with respect to the lower section.

Inventors

  • Daniel Zierden

Assignees

  • Daniel Zierden

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241107

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . An adjustable height vehicle trailer comprising: a flatbed; a cover assembly being mounted on said flatbed, said cover assembly including a top panel, a front panel, and a pair of side panels, each of said pair of side panels and said front panel including an upper section attached to said top panel and a lower section attached to said flatbed; a door assembly being retractably mounted to a rear portion of said top panel to cover a rear opening in said cover assembly; and a lifting assembly being mounted on said flatbed and coupled to said top panel, said lifting assembly being configured to selectively move said top panel up and down to extend and collapse said side panels and said front panel and move said upper section into an overlapping position with respect to said lower section.
  2. 2 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 1 , wherein each of said top panel, said front panel, and said pair of side panels comprises metal or hard plastic, and said upper section and said lower section are arranged in a telescoping manner.
  3. 3 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 2 , wherein said pair of side panels and said front panel each further comprises at least one middle section disposed in a telescoping manner between said upper section and said lower section.
  4. 4 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 2 , wherein said upper section is configured to fit over said lower section.
  5. 5 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 2 , wherein said upper section and said lower section comprise a guide track assembly to guide relative movement of said upper section with respect to said lower section.
  6. 6 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 1 , wherein each of said front panel and said pair of side panels comprises a flexible material.
  7. 7 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 1 , wherein said flatbed comprises wheels and a pivotable connection to connect said flatbed to a tow portion of an automobile or semi-truck.
  8. 8 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 1 , wherein said door assembly comprises a spring-loaded spool and a flexible door panel configured to be extended from said top panel to said flatbed.
  9. 9 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 1 , wherein said lifting assembly comprises a plurality of lifting units.
  10. 10 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 9 , wherein each of four of said plurality of lifting units is disposed adjacent and connected to a corresponding corner portion of said top panel.
  11. 11 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 9 , wherein each of said lifting units comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic piston.
  12. 12 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 9 , wherein each of said lifting rods comprises an electric drive and spindle.
  13. 13 . An adjustable height vehicle trailer comprising: a flatbed including wheels and a pivotable connection to connect said flatbed to a tow portion of an automobile or semi-truck; a cover assembly being mounted on said flatbed, said cover assembly including a top panel, a front panel, and a pair of side panels, each of said pair of side panels and said front panel including an upper section attached to said top panel and a lower section attached to said flatbed; a door assembly being retractably mounted to a rear portion of said top panel to cover a rear opening in said cover assembly, said door assembly including a spring-loaded spool and a flexible door panel configured to be extended from said top panel to said flatbed; and a lifting assembly being mounted on said flatbed and coupled to said top panel, said lifting assembly being configured to selectively move said top panel up and down to extend and collapse said side panels and said front panel and move said upper section into an overlapping position with respect to said lower section, said lifting assembly including a plurality of lifting units, wherein four of said lifting units are disposed adjacent and connected to a respective corner portion of said top panel, each of said lifting units including one of: a pneumatic piston, a hydraulic piston, or an electric drive and spindle.
  14. 14 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 13 , wherein each of said top panel, said front panel, and said pair of side panels comprises metal or hard plastic, and said upper section and said lower section are arranged in a telescoping manner.
  15. 15 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 14 , wherein said pair of side panels and said front panel each further comprises at least one middle section disposed in a telescoping manner between said upper section and said lower section.
  16. 16 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 15 , wherein said upper section is configured to fit over said lower section.
  17. 17 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 16 , wherein said upper section and said lower section comprise a guide track assembly to guide relative movement of said upper section with respect to said lower section.
  18. 18 . The adjustable height vehicle trailer of claim 13 , wherein each of said front panel and said pair of side panels comprises a flexible material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not Applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT Not Applicable INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM. Not Applicable STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The disclosure relates to vehicle trailers and more particularly pertains to a new adjustable height vehicle trailer for use with tractor trailers, cars, trucks, and box trucks with permanent trailers. The adjustable height vehicle trailer can be adjusted to be taller or shorter based on the total or highest height of the items carried on the flatbed of the trailer in order to improve reduce drag and wind resistance and thereby improve aerodynamics and fuel consumption and efficiency. Hard-walled trailers, such as tractor trailers, box truck trailers, and automobile trailers are not adjustable in height due to the hard walls made of metal or hard plastic or reinforced plastic like fiberglass, whereas the adjustable height vehicle trailer is adjustable as disclosed herein. (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 The prior art relates to vehicle trailers that have air deflector pieces and devices that are added onto the trailer body for better aerodynamics, but do not disclose a vehicle trailer that can be made shorter in height to improve aerodynamics. The prior art, as best understood, does not disclose an adjustable height vehicle trailer that includes a flatbed attachable to a vehicle, a cover assembly, a door assembly, and a lifting assembly, wherein the lifting assembly is mounted on the flatbed and supports a top panel of the cover assembly, and wherein the lifting assembly is designed to selectively move the top panel up and down to extend and collapse side panels and a front panel of the cover assembly and move an upper section of each of the side panels and the front panel into an overlapping position with respect to a lower section of each. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above in an adjustable height vehicle trailer generally comprising a flatbed attachable to a vehicle, a cover assembly, a door assembly, and a lifting assembly. The cover assembly is designed to cover items being transported on the flatbed and includes a top panel, a front panel, a pair of side panels, wherein the pair of side panels and the front panel each includes an upper section attached to the top panel and a lower section attached to the flatbed. The door assembly is retractably mounted to a rear portion of the top panel to cover a rear opening in the cover assembly. The lifting assembly is mounted on the flatbed and supports the top panel, wherein the lifting assembly is designed to selectively move the top panel up and down to extend and collapse the side panels and the front panel and move the upper section into an overlapping position with respect to the lower section. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a side view of an adjustable height vehicle trailer according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 11 is a rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 12 is a rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 1