Vehicle Accessory Anchor Assembly for Secure Quick Swapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for securing accessories to vehicles, such as snowmobiles, are inconvenient and often result in objects shifting or becoming loose during travel, and accessories like seats are not easily interchangeable.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring an anchor and attachment base assembly that allows accessories to be securely fastened to a vehicle rack or frame, with an anchor that can be locked and unlocked to facilitate easy attachment and detachment, and a frame with a tongue and anchor for versatile mounting options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If accessories are permanently attached to the vehicle, then they are securely fixed, but they cannot be easily interchanged or substituted
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate components: a base structure with openings and distinct anchors that can be independently attached and detached. This segmentation allows accessories to be securely fixed when needed while enabling easy interchange by simply removing one anchor and attaching another.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor mechanism incorporates movable parts including a cam that can rotate between locked and unlocked positions, and a lever that transitions between extended and retracted states. This dynamic design enables the anchor to be quickly secured or released without permanent attachment, balancing reliability with interchangeability.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional tying methods are used to secure cargo, then they are simple to implement, but objects shift or become loose during travel due to jerks and bumps
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism utilizes curved surfaces and rotational motion to achieve secure locking. The cam's curved profile engages with corresponding features in the base, creating a mechanically interlocked connection that resists shifting from jerks and bumps while maintaining simple operation through rotational movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor acts as an intermediary component between the cargo and the vehicle base. It provides a dedicated attachment point that transfers and distributes loads, preventing the cargo from shifting during travel while maintaining the simplicity of the overall system through its straightforward insert-and-lock mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If multiple accessories are permanently mounted on the vehicle, then they are readily available, but the vehicle cannot be easily customized for different drivers and passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates accessories into independently attachable units with their own anchors. This allows different accessories to be quickly swapped on the same base structure, enabling easy customization for different drivers and passengers while maintaining ready availability of multiple accessories through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor mechanism is designed for quick release and reuse. When an accessory needs to be changed, the old anchor is simply detached and can be immediately reused for the new accessory, enabling rapid customization without waste or complex procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An accessory base including a frame adapted to be attached to at least a portion of an accessory, the frame having a first end defined at a first end portion of the frame and a second end defined at a second end portion of the frame; a tongue attached to the frame at the first end portion of the frame, the tongue extending outward from the first end of the frame in a direction away from the second end, the tongue adapted for insertion into a fastener aperture; an anchor attached at the second end portion of the frame opposite the first end portion, the anchor having an anchor base and an anchor lock extending from the anchor base, the anchor lock being rotatable relative to the anchor base about an axis perpendicular to the anchor base between a locked position and an unlocked position.