Truck Bed Pressurization via Cabin Vent Duct

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dust and debris enter a covered truck bed during transport due to air pressure gradients through existing openings and passageways, despite airtight seals at seams, causing contamination of contents.

Innovation Solution

A pressurization system that uses a duct to direct forced air from the cabin's ventilator unit into the truck bed through an opening, equalizing pressure and preventing ambient air from entering, with a perforated grill closing the opening to prevent obstruction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a cover is used to close the truck bed, then protection from dust and debris is improved, but air pressure gradients cause ambient air to enter through existing openings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust and debris entryVSAvoidseal effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A duct is introduced as an intermediary component to channel air from the cabin interior to the truck bed, creating a controlled air flow path that prevents ambient air from entering through uncontrolled openings and seams

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes pneumatic principles by using air pressure differentials and controlled air flow through the duct to maintain positive pressure in the truck bed, preventing dust and debris from entering through openings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If seams are sealed to prevent air passage, then dust entry is reduced, but existing openings still allow air and dust to enter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust entry through seamsVSAvoidnumber of openings to seal

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the air flow control function from the seam seals and relocates it to a centralized duct system, allowing seams to remain sealed while managing air pressure through the dedicated opening in the bed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the truck moves over uneven surfaces, then the duct may disconnect, but the compressible material maintains connection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveduct connection stabilityVSAvoidduct structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A compressible material is used in the duct connection to accommodate movements and vibrations, maintaining a sealed connection between the duct and the truck bed opening without requiring complex mechanical fastening systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Effectively prevents dust and debris from entering the truck bed by maintaining a pressure gradient that keeps ambient air out, even during movement over uneven surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

a pressurization system for pressurizing the enclosed container so as to prevent passage of the ambient air into the enclosed container

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS10093150B2Pressurization system and kit for pressurizing pickup truck bed closed at its top by a cover

Publication Date: 2018.10.09 MAPLE GROVE PLASTICS INC

AI summary

A pressurization system for pressurizing a covered bed of a pickup truck features an opening in the truck bed closed by a perforated grill and a duct extending from a vent at a rear of the cabin to the opening in the bed. The vent at the rear of the cabin communicates an inside of the cabin with an outside so that air inside is discharged to the outside. As such, the duct is disposed externally of the cabin and thus conveys to the covered bed the air which is discharged from the cabin through the vent.