The floor system of many storage containers, such as large truck trailers, for example, typically includes a floor material, or deck, which may be formed of aluminum or wood planks. The floor material forms the inside, bottom surface of the storage container and typically rests on and is supported by metal (typically steel or aluminum) cross members of the floor system which extend laterally across a width of the storage container. Each end of the cross members is connected to a portion of the respective bottom rail of a side wall of the storage container. A plurality of the cross members are provided at regularly spaced locations along the bottom rail. Typically, each cross member is formed from a conventional I-beam. Refrigerated trailers may also include thermal risers and/or spacer materials, such as urethane foam, between the floor material and the cross members. A subpan may also be provided between the cross members and the spacer material.
Illustratively, the floor material may be made from wood floor boards, laminate wood floor boards, and/or a fiber reinforced composite wood floor boards, for example. Such composite wood floor boards typically include laminated wood which is underlaid with a thin layer of fiber reinforced plastic. Each floor board is typically secured to the cross members by screws extending through the thicknesses of the board and the upper flanges of the cross members.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds