A vehicle passenger compartment having a first side and a second side, separated by a longitudinal plane, and having a front row and a back row, separated by a transverse plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal plane. The passenger compartment has an element extending in the transverse plane and movable between a first position in which the element extends from the first side and a second position in which the element extends from the second side.

A method of forming a panel for use on a trailer is provided. The method may comprise extruding a panel member core of thermoplastic foam with a first region that includes a first density and a second region, adjacent the first region, that includes a second density less than the first density. The method can also include cutting the panel member core at a predetermined length. A sheet can be laminated to the panel member core, extending over the first and second regions.

An off-road vehicle includes a frame assembly, a powertrain, a plurality of wheels and a seat assembly. A cargo box is coupled to the frame assembly aft of the seat assembly. The cargo box includes a floor and a plurality of side walls. A cargo bed is pivotally coupled relative to the cargo box about a forward hinge. The cargo bed includes a floor and a plurality of side walls forming an upper storage space. The cargo bed is tiltable between a closed position, in which the cargo bed is a cover for the cargo box forming a lower storage space within the cargo box below the cargo bed, and an open position, in which the cargo bed provides access to the lower storage space. An optional accessory rack is pivotally coupled relative to the cargo bed and the frame assembly, and is tiltable with the cargo bed.

A cargo vehicle configured to support cargo includes a frame assembly with at least one rail member defining a portion of an outer perimeter of the trailer. The cargo vehicle also includes a composite member adjacent to the frame assembly and a mounting member removably coupled to the at least one rail member and permanently coupled to the composite member.

An ice melting system for inhibiting frozen precipitation from collecting on a trailer includes a vehicle that has a trailer and the trailer has a top side. A heating unit provided and the heating unit is coupled to the top side of the trailer. The heating unit is electrically coupled to the vehicle. The heating unit is selectively turned on to melt frozen precipitation that has collected on the trailer. In this way the frozen precipitation is inhibited from breaking free and striking other vehicles.

A cargo containment body with movable wall panels that always remain substantially parallel to a vertical side of the cargo containment body.

Aluminum belt-discharge bodies configured for installation on frames of straight truck or trailer chassis used in construction materials hauling. The use of aluminum provides substantial weight savings, which allows for an increase in the payload that can be hauled by the truck to the paving machine. The belt bodies also feature a wider unloading belt as compared to conventional steel live-bottom trucks, which increases efficiency, reduces unloading time and generates faster cycle times. The wider bottom lowers the center of gravity of the vehicle, resulting in more stability and safety. Furthermore, a wider body with sloped side walls reduces and/or eliminates the effects of transportation segregation of the asphalt or aggregate being hauled. Belt-discharge bodies according to the invention effectively remix the material being hauled as it is unloaded.

Embodiments of the invention provide a logistic rail assembly configured to be installed within a composite panel of a vehicle, the composite panel being comprised of an inner sheet, an outer sheet, and a core member positioned between the inner and outer sheet, the logistic rail comprising a central portion including a plurality of apertures formed therein, the central portion defining a first thickness and first and second outer flange portions coupled to the central portion to position the central portion therebetween, wherein the first and second outer flange portions are configured to be coupled to the inner sheet of the composite panel, and wherein the first and second outer flange portions define a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

Solar panel assemblies and wall sections using such assemblies are described. In one solar panel assembly, there is a mounting post and three or more triangular shaped panels. Each triangular shaped panel is a solar panel responsive to a first spectrum of light and transparent to a second spectrum of light. The solar panel assembly also includes hinges which connect the triangular shaped panels to the mounting post. The at least three triangular shaped panels can move between a flat configuration and an inverted pyramid configuration. In a further embodiment of the solar panel assembly, the triangular shaped panels form a first solar panel layer, and the assembly also includes one or more additional solar panel layers. Each of the additional solar panel layers being responsive to an associated spectrum of light.

A stabilizer designed to be used in a single shear fastening configuration to secure a composite panel to an adjacent material is disclosed. The front side of the composite panel is flush with the adjacent material and the back of the composite panel is flush with the stabilizer. As a result, the adjacent material and the stabilizer sandwich the composite panel and mimic a double shear configuration. The stabilizer helps to prevent fastening devices (e.g., screws, rivets, nails) from pulling through the composite panel and adds to the mechanical strength of the fastening application.