Articulating Trailer Tongue Eliminates Tongue Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trailers are limited by maximum tongue weight, which restricts the towing capacity of vehicles due to uneven weight distribution, leading to potential trailer sway or reduced handling and braking effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The development of an articulating trailer tongue that can be configured to zero tongue weight, allowing the hitch component to be positioned at a select height relative to the vehicle hitch, reducing downforce and enabling maximum towing capacity utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the trailer is loaded with weight distribution too far forward, then the tongue weight increases, but the vehicle handling and braking effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an articulating trailer tongue that can dynamically adjust its angle relative to the trailer bed through a pivot connection. This dynamic configuration allows the tongue to move between different angular positions, enabling the system to adapt weight distribution conditions and eliminate excessive tongue weight that would compromise vehicle handling and braking effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the tongue angle to control weight distribution. By adjusting the articulation angle of the tongue relative to the trailer bed, the system modifies the vertical force component transmitted to the vehicle hitch, thereby controlling tongue weight without sacrificing loading capacity or vehicle performance.
2Quantity of substance
If the trailer is loaded with weight distribution too far back, then the tongue weight decreases, but trailer sway increases
Solution Approach 1:
The articulating tongue provides dynamic adjustment capability that allows the system to optimize weight distribution in real-time. By adjusting the tongue angle, the system can ensure sufficient downward force on the vehicle hitch to prevent trailer sway while avoiding excessive tongue weight, thus maintaining both stability and vehicle handling.
3Device complexity
If conventional fixed tongue configuration is used, then the structure is simple, but the towing capacity utilization is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a fixed tongue structure to a dynamic articulating tongue that can adjust its configuration. This added complexity in the tongue mechanism enables optimal weight distribution adjustment, allowing the vehicle to utilize its maximum towing capacity by eliminating the tongue weight limitation that plagues conventional fixed configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer includes a trailer bed and a trailer tongue. The trailer bed includes a trailer frame, a body, a platform, and one or more sets of two or more wheels. The trailer tongue includes a tongue arm, a trailer hitch component coupled to the tongue arm, and one or more brackets coupled to the trailer frame via a bracket shaft. The trailer tongue is couplable to a vehicle hitch component. The trailer tongue is rotatable about an axis through the bracket shaft. The one or more brackets include one or more cut-outs configured to receive a locking component. The trailer tongue is securable via the locking component at a select angle relative to a ground surface. The trailer hitch component is positionable via the locking component at a select height relative to a height of the vehicle hitch component based on the angle relative to the ground surface.