Accordion Shelter Structure for Side Loading and Container Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load platform shelter structures are inadequate for transporting both conventional cargo and containers, as they either protrude beyond the vehicle's gauge when folded, making it impossible to unfold panels over containers, or have difficulty with side or top loading due to fixed uprights and rails.
Innovation Solution
A shelter structure with movable vertical uprights connected to masts via rods, allowing these uprights to fold either inside or outside the perimeter of the shelter, enabling flexible folding like an accordion bellows, facilitating easy loading from the top or side and allowing container transport without protruding beyond the vehicle's gauge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the panels are folded to protrude outward from the truck to facilitate loading from the side, then the ease of operation is improved, but the shelter cannot cover containers and violates vehicle gauge regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The uprights are made movable between two positions: a retracted position inside the shelter perimeter for container transport compliance, and an extended position outside the perimeter for facilitating side loading operations. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the structure to adapt its configuration based on the operational mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelter structure is divided into modular components with uprights that can independently change position relative to the shelter perimeter. This segmentation allows different parts of the structure to serve different functions at different times, enabling both container coverage and side loading accessibility.
2Strength
If the uprights and rails are made fixed to provide structural stability, then the strength is improved, but the ease of loading from the top or side is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The uprights are designed to be movable along guide rails rather than fixed, allowing them to be repositioned for top or side loading operations while the rails themselves provide the necessary structural guidance and support. This dynamic design maintains strength through the rail-upright connection system while enabling operational flexibility.
3Volume of moving object
If the shelter structure is designed to fold completely flat for compact storage, then the volume is reduced, but the complexity of the folding mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The uprights are designed to nest within the shelter perimeter when retracted, and the bellows structure folds in an accordion pattern that compactly stores the covering material. This nesting approach achieves compact storage without requiring complex mechanical folding mechanisms, as the structure naturally collapses into a compact form through its geometric design.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The cover supporting structure (1), comprising a series of masts (4) that can be moved along guides (5) at the sides of a platform (2), has a series of uprights (7) between the masts and connected to them by pivoted arms. The uprights can be moved outwards or inwards relative to the line of the masts to create a series of accordion pleats in the supple cover supported by the structure. The lower end of each upright is connected to a stop mechanism (9) that limits its direction of travel.