Axle Fairing Protuberances Prevent Clinging

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the field of road freight transport, individuals often clandestinely enter or cling to the loading space or chassis of vehicles, posing safety risks and liability concerns for operators.

Innovation Solution

The design of a transverse axle for road vehicle chassis featuring a peripheral outer surface with protrusions on fairings that prevent stabilization, such as pointed shapes extending over at least 50% of the axle body length, to discourage individuals from clinging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the axle body has a smooth peripheral outer surface, then the manufacturing is simpler and the structure is more basic, but individuals can easily cling to the axle body under the bodywork creating safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxle body manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsafety risk from individuals clinging to axle
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fairing is provided with localized protuberances at specific positions (transversely between the mounting surfaces of the peripheral outer surface) rather than changing the entire axle body structure. This targeted modification creates anti-clinging features only where needed, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while addressing the safety hazard at the critical location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potentially harmful smooth surface of the axle body into a beneficial anti-clinging surface by adding protuberances. These protuberances transform the axle surface from one that facilitates clinging into one that actively prevents stabilization, turning a safety risk into a safety feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If protuberances are added to the fairing to prevent stabilization, then safety is improved by preventing individuals from clinging, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety risk from individuals clinging to axleVSAvoidaxle structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anti-clinging function is segmented into discrete protuberances distributed along the fairing rather than implementing a continuous complex structure. Each protuberance is a simple geometric feature, and their collective arrangement provides the anti-stabilization function without requiring a highly complex overall design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fairing, which already serves as a protective covering for the axle body, is given an additional function by adding protuberances to it. This multi-functional approach allows the same component to provide both protection and anti-clinging features, avoiding the need for separate safety devices and thus limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the protuberance extends transversely over the entire length of the fairing, then the anti-clinging effect is maximized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffectiveness in preventing stabilizationVSAvoidprecision of protuberance positioning and dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention provides flexibility in the transverse extension parameter of the protuberance, allowing it to be adapted to different manufacturing capabilities. The protuberance can extend over the entire length of the fairing for maximum effectiveness, or over a portion (at least 50%, at least 70%, or at least 90%) for reduced manufacturing precision requirements, enabling implementation across different production contexts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3882108B1Axle for frame of a road vehicle for transporting goods
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 JEAN CHEREAU
  • EP3882108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3882108B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3882108B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The axle for a road freight vehicle chassis comprises a transverse axle body 26 intended to support wheels. The axle further comprises at least one fairing 34 fixed to the peripheral outer surface 26a of the axle body and shaped to prevent a person from stabilizing on the axle body in the area of ​​said protrusion.