Breakaway Connector for Tarp Roller Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rear dump trailers experience significant and costly damage to tarp deploying apparatuses when the rear door or flap becomes dislodged during dumping operations, leading to lengthy downtime for repairs.

Innovation Solution

A breakable connection between the tarp roller and radial arms, utilizing a breakaway connector made of less durable materials like nylon, which fractures upon dislodgment to prevent damage to the radial arm assembly and tarp roller.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the rear flap is securely attached to the trailer to prevent dislodgment, then the reliability of the dumping operation is improved, but the risk of damage to the tarp deploying apparatus increases when the flap does become dislodged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of dumping operationVSAvoiddamage to tarp deploying apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A breakaway connector is introduced as an intermediary component between the radial arm and tarp roller. This connector is designed to fracture under excessive stress, serving as a sacrificial element that protects the more valuable radial arm and tarp roller from damage when the rear flap becomes dislodged during dumping operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The breakaway connector is designed as a disposable, inexpensive component made from less durable materials compared to the radial arm and tarp roller. When stress exceeds a certain threshold, the connector fractures and is replaced, while the expensive radial arm and tarp roller remain intact and reusable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of repair

If the breakaway connector is made from less durable materials to enable frangible connection, then the ease of repair is improved, but the strength of the connection decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of repair of tarp deploying apparatusVSAvoidstrength of connection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The breakaway connector exhibits local quality by having different material properties at different locations or aspects. The connector is designed with a frangible portion that has reduced strength compared to other parts, creating a predetermined weak point that will fracture first under stress, while the rest of the connector structure maintains sufficient strength for normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The material parameters of the breakaway connector are specifically selected to be less durable than the radial arm and tarp roller. The connector is made from materials with lower strength characteristics, and its geometry is designed with features like notches that reduce its effective strength, ensuring it fractures before the more valuable components under excessive stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9637040B1Tarp deploying device with frangible connector for rear dump trailer

Publication Date: 2017.05.02 SIOUX CITY TARP

AI summary

A tarp deploying apparatus includes breakaway connector between a radial arm assembly and a tarp roller. The breakaway connector is designed to fracture, or otherwise come apart, to prevent damaging stress from being applied to the tarp roller by the radial arm assembly. Therefore, if a rear flap of a rear-dump trailer on which the radial arm assembly is mounted is dislodged from the tub of the trailer, the breakaway connect will permit separation of the radial arm assembly from the tarp roller without damaging the radial arm assembly or the tarp roller.