Lightweight Beam Assembly with Cutouts for Truck Trailers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing truck trailer assemblies are excessively heavy, limiting the amount of merchandise that can be transported and resulting in inefficiencies in time, cost, and energy usage, while also contributing to environmental pollution.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight truck trailer design featuring two longitudinal beams with strategically placed cutouts and reinforcement members, made from materials like steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber, which maintain structural rigidity and resistance while reducing weight by 15-25%.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional solid beam structure is used, then structural strength and rigidity are sufficient, but weight is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The beam cross-section is segmented by introducing cutouts that divide the solid structure into multiple regions. These cutouts create a cellular or lattice-like internal structure that maintains strength while reducing material usage. The beam is divided into upper and lower portions with vertical webs connecting them, forming a segmented architecture that provides structural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam incorporates a porous or hollow internal structure through the cutouts, transforming the solid beam into a lightweight structure with voids. This porous design reduces weight while the strategic placement and reinforcement of these voids maintain the necessary structural strength and rigidity for load-bearing applications.
2Weight of moving object
If beam weight is reduced through cutouts, then weight decreases, but structural rigidity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The beam employs a composite structure combining multiple materials with different properties. The first material (e.g., aluminum alloy) provides lightweight characteristics while the second material (e.g., steel or high-strength alloy) provides enhanced strength and rigidity. This composite approach allows weight reduction through material selection while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutouts are designed with curved surfaces rather than sharp corners, and the vertical webs have optimized curvature profiles. This curvature distribution helps distribute stress more evenly throughout the structure, preventing stress concentration at sharp edges and maintaining rigidity while allowing for weight reduction through the cutout geometry.
3Strength
If more reinforcement members are added, then structural strength improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple reinforcement members are merged into a single integrated component that spans across multiple cutouts. This unified reinforcement structure eliminates the need for separate reinforcement elements for each cutout, simplifying the manufacturing process while providing comprehensive strength enhancement across the entire beam section.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement members are designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: they strengthen the beam across multiple cutouts, provide structural continuity, and can be manufactured as standard components. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity by using versatile elements rather than specialized components for each specific need.
Data Source
AI summary
Light-weight beam assembly and truck trailer using the same are disclosed herein. The light-weight beam assembly is a beam being a single unitary continuous piece comprising at least two cutouts cut through, at least one vertically extending supporting member and a plurality of reinforcement members. Two beams may be connected by a plurality of transversal members for use in a truck trailer.