Autonomous Trailer Coupling System for Military Logistics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current military vehicles are oversized due to the need to carry extensive equipment for long-term missions, affecting their mobility, cost, and safety, particularly in challenging environments like deserts with limited logistical support.
Innovation Solution
A rolling assembly comprising a tractor unit and an automatic coupling system with a trailer, equipped with geolocation cells, remote communication devices, steering, braking, and drive motors, allowing for autonomous coupling and uncoupling, and trajectory calculation for efficient equipment transport without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If military vehicles are sized to carry maximum equipment for long-term missions, then payload capacity is improved, but vehicle mobility and maneuverability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle system is divided into a main military vehicle and a separate detachable trailer. The trailer carries the equipment payload while the main vehicle maintains its maneuverability. The trailer can be coupled when equipment transport is needed and decoupled when mobility is required, resolving the contradiction between payload capacity and mobility through spatial and temporal separation of functions.
2Ease of operation
If manual coupling operations are performed by on-board personnel, then coupling can be executed, but personnel safety and operational efficiency deteriorate due to exposure to hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is designed to operate autonomously without requiring personnel to physically approach or manually manipulate coupling mechanisms. The automatic coupling/decoupling mechanism performs the coupling operation itself, eliminating human exposure to operational hazards while maintaining full coupling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical coupling operations performed by personnel are replaced with an automated mechanical coupling system. The system uses automated detection, positioning, and coupling mechanisms that eliminate the need for human intervention in hazardous coupling zones, thereby improving safety while maintaining operational ease.
3Reliability
If trailers are equipped with autonomous navigation and automatic coupling systems, then operational safety and personnel protection are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit on the trailer is designed to perform multiple functions: autonomous navigation, trajectory calculation, obstacle detection, and automatic coupling coordination. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional control system rather than separate dedicated systems for each function, the complexity is managed more efficiently while maintaining high operational safety.
Data Source
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AI summary
A rolling assembly (2) comprising a tractor unit (4), at least one trailer (6), and an automatic coupling system (84, 86) for attaching the trailer (6) to the tractor unit (4). The tractor unit (4) is equipped with a first geolocation cell (10) and a first remote communication device (12), and the trailer (6) is equipped with a second geolocation cell (14), a second remote communication device (16), steering components, and a drive motor (64) for at least one wheel (62) of the trailer (6). The rolling assembly (2) includes at least one logic calculation unit (30) for calculating the trajectory (32) for approaching the tractor unit (4) and the trailer (6), based on geolocation coordinates determined by the systems (10, 14) and transmitted by the communication devices (12, 16).The trailer (6) is equipped with a control unit (60) for the steering, braking and engine (64) components, according to the trajectory (32) calculated by the logic unit (30).