Adjustable use trailer arm

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of trailer arms, in particular to an adjustable trailer arm which comprises a main arm, an adjusting assembly and a locking assembly. The adjusting assembly drives a transmission shaft to rotate through a driving unit, moves an adjusting rod along a sliding guide rail to adjust the position of a positioning block, realizes continuous adjustment of the length of the main arm, controls the extension and retraction of a locking pin through an electromagnetic unit, and completes quick fixing. An angle adjusting mechanism adjusts the angle of a butt joint interface through the cooperation of a rotating shaft and a limiting disc, and adapts to complex working condition requirements. A buffer pad relieves butt joint impact force and improves connection stability. The application has compact structure, convenient operation, effectively improves adjusting precision and efficiency, and meets the requirements of various traction scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of vehicle transportation and towing equipment, specifically an adjustable trailer arm. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of vehicle towing technology, the trailer boom, as a key component connecting the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle, directly affects the safety, adaptability, and ease of operation of towing operations. Currently, various types of trailer booms are widely used in areas such as road clearing and rescue, engineering transportation, and special vehicles. However, existing trailer booms still suffer from problems in practical use, such as insufficient adjustment flexibility, poor adaptability, and complex operation, making it difficult to meet the rapid response requirements of different vehicle models and working conditions.

[0003] A search revealed a trailer boom assembly with publication number CN105818621B, published on February 12, 2019. This patent proposes a trailer boom structure comprising an L-shaped main boom, a sliding adjustable boom, and a traction interface assembly. The adjustable boom is connected to the vertical main boom via a sliding positioning mechanism and features a fixed limit stop and a two-stage locking tongue driven by a lock cylinder, achieving integrated height adjustment and anti-theft locking. While this structure offers some height adjustment capability and anti-theft functionality, and supports quick replacement of adjustable booms with different functions, its adjustment process relies on manual alignment of the positioning holes, lacking a continuously adjustable mechanism and resulting in limited adjustment accuracy. Furthermore, the locking structure is complex, requiring manual operation of the lock cylinder for locking, leading to low efficiency in high-frequency or emergency operation scenarios. In addition, this solution primarily focuses on anti-theft and interface diversity, neglecting lateral or angular adjustment functions, resulting in low overall adjustment freedom and difficulty adapting to complex docking environments.

[0004] A search revealed a trailer with an adaptive towing arm, publication number CN113715564B, published on May 27, 2025. This patent discloses a towing arm comprising a towing ring pin, a triangular frame, and a buffer. The towing ring pin is slidably connected to the front end of the triangular frame, and the buffer provides front-to-back cushioning force. Simultaneously, the towing arm is vertically rotatable to the bogie, allowing for vertical movement to accommodate chassis tail hooks of varying heights. This structure possesses a certain degree of adaptive docking capability, mitigating collision wear between the towing ring and the tail hook and improving connection stability. However, the height adjustment in this design relies on the rotation of the bogie and the elastic deformation of the buffer, making it a passively adaptive rather than actively adjustable structure, unable to achieve precise positioning at a preset height. Furthermore, the adjustment range is limited by the mechanical structure's stroke, lacking stepless adjustment capability. Additionally, the device lacks lateral or longitudinal position adjustment functions, requiring the tractor to repeatedly adjust its position when encountering misaligned docking, resulting in low operational efficiency.

[0005] The aforementioned problems indicate that existing trailer boom technologies are mostly limited to segmented positioning or passive buffering in terms of adjustment methods, lacking an active adjustment mechanism that integrates continuous adjustability, multi-directional adjustment, and rapid locking, making it difficult to achieve efficient, precise, and widely adaptable traction docking. Therefore, this utility model provides an adjustable trailer boom, aiming to solve the problems of discontinuous adjustment, low degree of freedom, and cumbersome operation in existing technologies, and improve the adaptability and operating efficiency of trailer booms under various working conditions. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model relates to an adjustable trailer boom, comprising a main boom, an adjustment assembly, and a locking assembly. One end of the main boom is connected to a tractor, and the other end is equipped with the adjustment assembly. A locking assembly is disposed on the outer side of the adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a drive unit, a drive shaft, a sliding guide rail, a positioning block, and an adjustment rod. The sliding guide rail is provided inside the main boom, and the positioning block is embedded in the sliding guide rail. The outer wall of the positioning block is threadedly connected to one end of the adjustment rod, and the other end of the adjustment rod is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the drive shaft. The drive shaft passes through the main boom and is connected to the output end of the drive unit. The drive unit is embedded in the outer wall of the main boom.

[0007] Support plates are symmetrically arranged on the outer side of the main arm. A guide groove is fixed to the top of each support plate, and the inner wall of the guide groove is slidably connected to the outer wall of the positioning block. The output end of the drive unit is connected to the outer wall of the drive shaft via a key. Both ends of the drive shaft are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the main arm via bearings. There are two adjusting rods, located on opposite sides of the drive shaft. The outer wall of each adjusting rod has a helical groove, and the inner wall of the positioning block has a protrusion matching the helical groove. When the positioning block moves along the length of the sliding guide rail, its position is adjusted by rotating the adjusting rods.

[0008] The locking assembly includes an electromagnetic unit, a locking pin, and limiting holes. Limiting holes are distributed on the outer wall of the main arm. The inner wall of each limiting hole is slidably connected to the outer wall of the locking pin. One end of the locking pin is connected to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit via a spring. The electromagnetic unit is embedded in the outer wall of the main arm. A spring is fitted onto the outer wall of the locking pin. One end of the spring is fixed to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit, and the other end is fixed to the outer wall of the locking pin. Under the action of the spring, the locking pin maintains a tendency to move towards the limiting holes. When the electromagnetic unit is energized, the locking pin retracts into the electromagnetic unit against the spring force. When the power is off, the locking pin inserts into the limiting holes under the action of the spring, completing the locking action.

[0009] One end of the main boom is provided with a docking interface. Symmetrical slots are formed on the outer wall of the docking interface, and the inner wall of each slot is slidably connected to the outer wall of the towed vehicle's connector. A buffer pad, made of a high-polymer elastic material, is provided inside the docking interface. The buffer pad has a uniform thickness, and its outer wall adheres to the inner wall of the docking interface. An angle adjustment mechanism is provided on the outer side of the docking interface. This mechanism includes a rotating shaft, a limiting plate, and a control unit. One end of the rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the docking interface via a bearing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the limiting plate. The outer wall of the limiting plate has an arc-shaped groove, and the inner wall of this groove is slidably connected to the outer wall of the control unit.

[0010] The outer wall of the control unit is equipped with a rack, the outer wall of which meshes with the inner wall of the limiting plate. One end of the control unit is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main arm by bolts. The angle adjustment mechanism adjusts the angle of the docking interface by rotating a shaft. The arc-shaped groove of the limiting plate restricts the rotation range of the shaft, ensuring that the angle adjustment of the docking interface is within a preset range. An operation panel is provided on the outer wall of the main arm. Buttons are installed on one side of the operation panel, and the outer wall of the buttons is connected to the input terminals of the drive unit and the electromagnetic unit via wires.

[0011] The adjustment assembly drives the transmission shaft to rotate via a drive unit, causing the adjustment rod to move along the length of the sliding guide rail, thereby adjusting the position of the positioning block and achieving overall length adjustment of the main arm. The locking assembly controls the extension and retraction of the locking pin via an electromagnetic unit. After adjustment, the locking pin is inserted into the limiting hole to fix the main arm. The angle adjustment mechanism drives the limiting disk to rotate via a control unit, causing the rotating shaft to adjust the angle of the docking interface to adapt to docking requirements of different heights and offsets.

[0012] This invention solves the problem of relying on manual alignment of positioning holes in existing technologies by designing an adjustment component. It employs a drive unit and transmission shaft to achieve continuous adjustment, improving adjustment accuracy and efficiency. The locking component, through the cooperation of an electromagnetic unit and a locking pin, enables rapid locking and unlocking operations, reducing the time cost of manual operation. The angle adjustment mechanism, through the cooperation of a rotating shaft and a limit plate, provides multi-directional adjustment capabilities in both the lateral and longitudinal directions, adapting to complex docking environments. The buffer pad mitigates the impact force generated during docking, improving connection stability. The overall structure is compact, easy to operate, and highly adaptable, meeting the high-efficiency traction requirements under various working conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0014] Figure 2This is a front sectional view of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal three-dimensional structure of this utility model.

[0016] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Main arm; 2. Adjustment assembly; 3. Locking assembly; 4. Drive unit; 5. Transmission shaft; 6. Adjustment rod; 7. Sliding guide rail; 8. Positioning block; 9. Support plate; 10. Guide groove; 11. Electromagnetic unit; 12. Locking pin; 13. Limiting hole; 14. Spring; 15. Docking interface; 16. Buffer pad; 17. Angle adjustment mechanism; 18. Rotating shaft; 19. Limiting plate; 20. Control unit; 21. Operation panel. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0018] Specific implementation examples are given below.

[0019] This utility model provides an adjustable trailer arm, the specific implementation of which is described in conjunction with the attached drawing. Figure 1 To be continued Figure 3 A detailed description is provided below. The trailer arm includes a main arm 1, an adjustment assembly 2, a locking assembly 3, and an angle adjustment mechanism 17. These components work together to achieve the functions of length adjustment, locking and fixing, and angle adjustment of the trailer arm.

[0020] The main boom 1 is the core load-bearing structure of the trailer arm. One end has a docking interface 15, and the other end connects to the tractor. A sliding guide rail 7 is provided inside the main boom 1, and a positioning block 8 is embedded within the sliding guide rail 7. The positioning block 8 is connected to one end of an adjusting rod 6 via a threaded connection. The other end of the adjusting rod 6 is fixed to the outer wall of a drive shaft 5, which passes through the main boom 1 and is keyed to the output end of a drive unit 4. The drive unit 4 is embedded in the outer wall of the main boom 1 and drives the drive shaft 5 to rotate via a key connection, thereby rotating the adjusting rod 6. There are two adjusting rods 6, located on either side of the drive shaft 5. The outer wall of the adjusting rod 6 has a spiral groove, and the inner wall of the positioning block 8 has a protrusion structure that matches the spiral groove. When the drive shaft 5 rotates, the adjusting rod 6 rotates accordingly, and the positioning block 8 moves along the length of the sliding guide rail 7, thus achieving the overall length adjustment function of the main boom 1.

[0021] Support plates 9 are symmetrically arranged on the outer side of the main boom 1. A guide groove 10 is fixedly connected to the top of the support plate 9, and the inner wall of the guide groove 10 is slidably connected to the outer wall of the positioning block 8. The function of the guide groove 10 is to provide additional guiding support for the positioning block 8, preventing it from shifting or jamming during movement. Both ends of the drive shaft 5 are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the main boom 1 via bearings, ensuring smooth rotation of the drive shaft 5. Furthermore, the output end of the drive unit 4 is connected to the outer wall of the drive shaft 5 via a key, ensuring reliable power transmission.

[0022] The locking assembly 3 is disposed on the outer side wall of the main arm 1, and includes an electromagnetic unit 11, a locking pin 12, a spring 14, and a limiting hole 13. The limiting hole 13 is distributed on the outer side wall of the main arm 1, and the outer wall of the locking pin 12 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the limiting hole 13. One end of the locking pin 12 is connected to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit 11 through the spring 14, and one end of the spring 14 is fixed to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit 11, and the other end is fixed to the outer wall of the locking pin 12. Under normal conditions, the spring 14 keeps the locking pin 12 moving towards the limiting hole 13. When the electromagnetic unit 11 is energized, the locking pin 12 retracts into the electromagnetic unit 11 against the elastic force of the spring 14; when the electromagnetic unit 11 is de-energized, the locking pin 12 is inserted into the limiting hole 13 under the action of the spring 14, thus fixing the main arm 1.

[0023] A docking interface 15 is located at one end of the main boom 1, and its outer wall has symmetrically formed grooves for sliding connection with the connecting parts of the towed vehicle. A buffer pad 16 is provided inside the docking interface 15. The buffer pad 16 is made of a high-polymer elastic material, with a uniform thickness and its outer wall adheres to the inner wall of the docking interface 15. The function of the buffer pad 16 is to mitigate the impact force generated during docking and improve the stability of the connection. An angle adjustment mechanism 17 is provided on the outer side of the docking interface 15. The angle adjustment mechanism 17 includes a rotating shaft 18, a limiting plate 19, and a control unit 20. One end of the rotating shaft 18 is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the docking interface 15 via a bearing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the limiting plate 19. The outer wall of the limiting plate 19 has an arc-shaped groove, and the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove is slidably connected to the outer wall of the control unit 20. A rack is provided on the outer wall of the control unit 20, and the outer wall of the rack is engaged with the inner wall of the limiting plate 19. One end of the control unit 20 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main boom 1 by bolts. The control unit 20 drives the limit plate 19 to rotate, which in turn drives the rotating shaft 18 to adjust the angle of the docking interface 15 to adapt to docking requirements of different heights and offsets.

[0024] An operation panel 21 is provided on the outer wall of the main boom 1. Buttons are installed on one side of the operation panel 21, and the outer wall of the buttons is connected to the input terminals of the drive unit 4 and the electromagnetic unit 11 through wires. The operation panel 21 is used to control the start and stop of the drive unit 4 and the on and off state of the electromagnetic unit 11, thereby realizing the length adjustment and locking functions of the trailer boom.

[0025] In practical applications, the working process of the trailer boom is as follows: First, the operator starts the drive unit 4 through the operation panel 21. The drive unit 4 drives the transmission shaft 5 to rotate, and the rotation of the transmission shaft 5 causes the adjusting rod 6 to rotate accordingly. Since the outer wall of the adjusting rod 6 has a spiral groove and the inner wall of the positioning block 8 has a protrusion structure that matches the spiral groove, the positioning block 8 moves along the length direction of the sliding guide rail 7, thereby realizing the overall length adjustment of the main boom 1. During this process, the support plate 9 and the guide groove 10 provide guiding support for the positioning block 8 to prevent it from shifting or getting stuck. When the length of the main boom 1 is adjusted to the required position, the operator controls the electromagnetic unit 11 to be de-energized through the operation panel 21. The locking pin 12 is inserted into the limiting hole 13 under the action of the spring 14 to complete the fixing of the main boom 1.

[0026] Subsequently, the operator can drive the limiting plate 19 to rotate via the control unit 20, which in turn drives the rotating shaft 18 to adjust the angle of the docking interface 15 to adapt to the height and offset requirements of the towed vehicle. During the docking process, the buffer pad 16 effectively mitigates impact and ensures the stability of the connection. Finally, the trailer arm completes the docking with the towed vehicle, achieving efficient towing functionality.

[0027] The above embodiments illustrate the specific structure and working principle of the trailer arm. The connection relationships, positional relationships, and mutual cooperation relationships between the various components are described in detail, ensuring that those skilled in the art can implement the technical solution according to the contents of the specification. In order to better enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and implement this utility model, the following supplementary explanation of the operating principle and implementation steps of the trailer arm in conjunction with specific application scenarios is provided.

[0028] In actual operation, one end of the main boom 1 must first be connected and fixed to the tractor, and the other end is prepared to be connected to the connecting parts of the towed vehicle through the docking interface 15. The operator activates the button on the operation panel 21, and the drive unit 4 is immediately powered on. Its output end drives the drive shaft 5 to rotate via a key connection. The rotation of the drive shaft 5 further drives the adjusting rod 6 to rotate. Since the outer wall of the adjusting rod 6 has a spiral groove, and the inner wall of the positioning block 8 has a protrusion structure that matches the spiral groove, the positioning block 8 moves along the length direction of the sliding guide rail 7. During this process, the support plate 9 and the guide groove 10 provide additional guiding support for the positioning block 8, ensuring that the positioning block 8 will not deviate or get stuck during the movement. As the positioning block 8 moves, the overall length of the main boom 1 can be continuously adjusted until the desired position is reached.

[0029] After the length of the main boom 1 is adjusted, the operator controls the electromagnetic unit 11 to be de-energized via the control panel 21. At this time, the locking pin 12 is inserted into the limiting hole 13 under the action of the spring 14, completing the fixation of the main boom 1. This process achieves the rapid extension and retraction of the locking pin 12 through the on and off state of the electromagnetic unit 11, avoiding the cumbersome operation of traditional manual locking and significantly improving work efficiency. At the same time, the distribution design of the limiting holes 13 ensures that the main boom 1 can be accurately fixed at different length positions.

[0030] Subsequently, to address the height and offset requirements of the towed vehicle, the operator drives the limiting plate 19 to rotate via the control unit 20. The rotation of the limiting plate 19, through the engagement of a rack and pinion and an arc-shaped groove, drives the rotating shaft 18 to rotate, thereby adjusting the angle of the docking interface 15. This angle adjustment function is achieved through the collaborative efforts of the rotating shaft 18, the limiting plate 19, and the control unit 20, meeting the multi-directional adjustment needs under complex working conditions. The arc-shaped groove design of the limiting plate 19 limits the rotation range of the rotating shaft 18, ensuring that the angle adjustment of the docking interface 15 is always within the preset range, avoiding safety hazards caused by over-adjustment.

[0031] During the docking process, the buffer pad 16 plays a crucial role. Made of a high-polymer elastic material, the buffer pad 16 has a uniform thickness and adheres tightly to the inner wall of the docking interface 15. When the docking interface 15 contacts the connecting parts of the towed vehicle, the buffer pad 16 effectively mitigates the impact, preventing damage to components caused by hard collisions. Furthermore, the symmetrical slot design on the outer wall of the docking interface 15 allows for quick sliding connection with the connecting parts of the towed vehicle, further improving docking efficiency.

[0032] Finally, after completing the above adjustment and docking steps, the trailer boom enters the traction state. At this time, the length adjustment, locking and fixing, and angle adjustment functions of the main boom 1 are all in operation, ensuring that the trailer boom can achieve stable traction while being efficiently adapted. The entire operation process is centrally controlled through the control panel 21, which simplifies the operation process, reduces manual intervention, and significantly improves work efficiency and safety.

[0033] Through the description of the specific application scenarios above, the collaborative working mechanism and operating principle of the various components of the trailer boom can be clearly seen. The length adjustment function of the main boom 1 is achieved through the cooperation of the drive unit 4, the drive shaft 5, the adjusting rod 6, and the positioning block 8; the locking assembly 3 achieves rapid locking through the linkage of the electromagnetic unit 11, the locking pin 12, and the spring 14; the angle adjustment mechanism 17 achieves multi-directional adjustment through the cooperation of the rotating shaft 18, the limiting plate 19, and the control unit 20. These designs not only solve the problem of relying on manual alignment of positioning holes in the existing technology, but also significantly improve the adaptability and ease of operation of the trailer boom through functions such as continuous adjustability, rapid locking, and multi-directional adjustment, meeting the high-efficiency traction requirements under complex working conditions.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or changes made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model, based on the technical solution and the inventive concept of the present utility model, should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An adjustable trailer arm, characterized in that, The assembly includes a main boom (1), an adjustment component (2), and a locking component (3). One end of the main boom (1) is provided with a docking interface (15), and the other end is connected to a tractor. A sliding guide rail (7) is provided inside the main boom (1). A positioning block (8) is embedded in the sliding guide rail (7). The positioning block (8) is connected to one end of an adjustment rod (6) by a threaded connection. The other end of the adjustment rod (6) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of a drive shaft (5). The drive shaft (5) passes through the main boom (1) and is keyed to the output end of a drive unit (4). The drive unit (4) is embedded in the outer wall of the main boom (1). The locking component (3) is located on the outer wall of the main boom (1).

2. The adjustable trailer arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment assembly (2) includes a drive unit (4), a transmission shaft (5), an adjustment rod (6), a sliding guide rail (7), and a positioning block (8). A support plate (9) is symmetrically arranged on the outer side of the main arm (1). A guide groove (10) is fixedly connected to the top of the support plate (9). The inner wall of the guide groove (10) is slidably connected to the outer wall of the positioning block (8). There are two adjustment rods (6), which are located on both sides of the transmission shaft (5). The outer wall of the adjustment rod (6) is provided with a spiral groove. The inner wall of the positioning block (8) is provided with a protrusion structure that matches the spiral groove.

3. The adjustable trailer arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking assembly (3) includes an electromagnetic unit (11), a locking pin (12), and a limiting hole (13). The limiting holes (13) are distributed on the outer side wall of the main arm (1). The outer wall of the locking pin (12) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the limiting hole (13). One end of the locking pin (12) is connected to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit (11) through a spring (14). One end of the spring (14) is fixed to the inner wall of the electromagnetic unit (11), and the other end is fixed to the outer wall of the locking pin (12).

4. The adjustable trailer arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall of the docking interface (15) is symmetrically provided with slots, and the interior of the docking interface (15) is provided with a buffer pad (16). The buffer pad (16) is made of a high polymer elastic material. The thickness of the buffer pad (16) is evenly distributed and the outer wall is attached to the inner wall of the docking interface (15).

5. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, An angle adjustment mechanism (17) is provided on the outside of the docking interface (15). The angle adjustment mechanism (17) includes a rotating shaft (18), a limiting plate (19), and a control unit (20). One end of the rotating shaft (18) is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the docking interface (15) through a bearing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the limiting plate (19). An arc-shaped groove is provided on the outer wall of the limiting plate (19), and the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove is slidably connected to the outer wall of the control unit (20).

6. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer wall of the control unit (20) is provided with a rack, the outer wall of the rack is engaged with the inner wall of the limiting plate (19), and one end of the control unit (20) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main arm (1) by bolts.

7. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, An operation panel (21) is provided on the outer side wall of the main arm (1). Buttons are distributed on one side of the operation panel (21). The outer wall of the buttons is connected to the input end of the drive unit (4) and the electromagnetic unit (11) through wires.

8. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 2, characterized in that, The two ends of the drive shaft (5) are rotatably connected to the inner wall of the main arm (1) by bearings, and the output end of the drive unit (4) is connected to the outer wall of the drive shaft (5) by a key.

9. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the electromagnetic unit (11) is energized, the locking pin (12) retracts into the electromagnetic unit (11) against the elastic force of the spring (14). When the power is off, the locking pin (12) is inserted into the limiting hole (13) under the action of the spring (14).

10. An adjustable trailer arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The arc groove of the limiting plate (19) restricts the rotation range of the rotating shaft (18), and the rotation of the rotating shaft (18) drives the angle adjustment of the docking interface (15).

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