Commercial Vehicle Load Securing with Angled Side-Wall Bracing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial vehicles face challenges in securing loads, particularly loosely stacked goods like tires, due to limited accessibility of side walls, which complicates the attachment of load securing means and can lead to shifting during transport.

Innovation Solution

A load securing device comprising elongated mounting elements and holding elements that are detachably connected to force introduction means on the side wall elements, allowing the mounting elements to be braced at an angle of less than 30° with the side wall elements, ensuring secure attachment without interfering with loading or unloading processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If load securing means are attached to side walls during loading, then load securing is achieved, but accessibility to side walls is limited by the load making attachment difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload securingVSAvoidattachment accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting elements are attached to the side wall elements before the load is placed in the loading space. This preliminary action allows the mounting elements to be positioned and secured when full accessibility is available, eliminating the problem of difficult attachment that would occur if attachment attempted after loading.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The holding element is designed to be movable and repositionable after the mounting elements are fixed. The holding element can be adjusted to different positions along the mounting elements, allowing flexibility in securing different load configurations while maintaining secure attachment to the side walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If mounting elements are attached after loading, then load securing can be adapted to load position, but attachment becomes difficult due to limited accessibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload position adaptationVSAvoidattachment difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting elements are installed in advance before loading occurs. This preliminary installation provides fixed attachment points that remain accessible throughout the loading process, allowing the holding element to be positioned adaptively along these pre-installed mounting elements without requiring difficult post-loading attachment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If holding element interferes with loading space, then load securing is effective, but loading and unloading processes are hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload securing effectivenessVSAvoidloading speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The holding element is designed as a movable component that can be positioned along the mounting elements and easily removed. During loading and unloading operations, the holding element can be positioned to the side or removed entirely, allowing full access to the loading space. When load securing is required, the holding element is positioned to contact the load, providing effective securing without permanently obstructing the loading space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If mounting elements are fixed permanently, then load securing is reliable, but attachment and detachment require considerable effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidattachment effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The load securing device is divided into distinct modular components: mounting elements that are fixed to the side walls, and a separate holding element that attaches to the mounting elements. This segmentation allows the mounting elements to remain permanently fixed for reliable attachment points, while the holding element can be easily attached and detached without requiring effort to remove the entire securing system or damage the vehicle structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4488117A1Commercial vehicle structure with load securing device and method for securing loads
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 SCHMITZ CARGOBULL AG
  • EP4488117A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4488117A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4488117A1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

Described and illustrated is a superstructure (1,16) of a commercial vehicle (N), in particular a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, comprising two side wall elements (2,17), a cargo space (9) arranged between the side wall elements (2,17), a load (20,24) arranged in the cargo space (9) and a load securing device (15) for securing the load (20,24) against slipping in the longitudinal direction of the superstructure (1,16), wherein the load securing device (15) has at least one retaining element (21,25) adjoining the load (20,24) in the longitudinal direction of the superstructure (1,16) and fixed to force transmission means (13,19) of the two side wall elements (2,17) via at least one mounting element (14).In order to make satisfactory load securing easier to achieve, it is provided that the mounting elements (14) on the side of the retaining element (21) associated with the load (20,24) are braced at an angle (α) of less than 30° with the respective associated side wall element (2,17) and that at least one mounting element (14) connected to a force transmission means (13,19) of a side wall element (2,17) is detachably connected to the retaining element (21,25).