Bridge-Laying Vehicle Support Arm Vertical Pivot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bridge-laying vehicles face accessibility issues due to support arms covering access openings during transport, restricting access to the chassis and hindering maintenance and operation.
Innovation Solution
The support arm is designed to pivot laterally about a vertical axis, allowing it to move from a transport position that blocks access openings to a release position, ensuring improved accessibility. Additionally, a laying arm provides a second support area for the bridge, ensuring stability and allowing the bridge to be laid without obstructing access openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the support arm is positioned in the transport position to support the bridge, then the bridge is securely supported and transported, but the access openings on the chassis are partially covered and blocked, restricting access to the chassis
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is designed to be rotatable about a vertical axis, allowing it to dynamically change position between transport position (where it supports the bridge) and release position (where it clears access openings). This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by enabling the support arm to adapt its position based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm is given an additional degree of freedom by allowing rotation about a vertical axis in addition to its primary support function. This dimensional change enables the arm to move laterally away from access openings while maintaining bridge support capability, thus resolving the spatial conflict between support function and access requirement.
2Ease of operation
If the support arm is made rotatable about vertical axis to improve access, then accessibility to access openings is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable support arm introduces dynamic capability with minimal additional complexity. The rotation mechanism about the vertical axis is integrated into the existing support arm structure, allowing it to pivot between transport and release positions without requiring completely separate mechanisms for each function.
3Device complexity
If a single support arm is used to support the bridge, then the device complexity is reduced, but the bridge stability and weight distribution are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge support function is segmented between two distinct components: the support arm for front support and the laying arm for rear support. This segmentation allows each arm to be optimized for its specific function while together providing stable bridge support and proper weight distribution across the chassis.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a bridge-laying vehicle (10), in particular a military bridge-laying vehicle, for transporting and laying a transportable bridge (1), having a chassis (2) which accommodates the vehicle crew and which has at least one access opening (2.1) on the top side thereof, and having a support arm (4) which, in a transport position (T) above the chassis (2), provides a first support region (A1) for supporting the bridge (1), wherein the support arm (4) at least partially covers at least one access opening (2.1) in the transport position (T), wherein the support arm (4) can swivel in relation to the chassis (2) about a vertical axis (V) from the transport position (T) into a release position (F) in which the support arm (4) does not cover the access opening (2.1).