Expandable Bumper Cargo Basket Without Trailer Hitch Mount
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many cargo carrying systems require a trailer hitch receptacle at the rear of a vehicle, limiting their use on vehicles without this feature.
Innovation Solution
An expandable bumper cargo carrying system that is removably attachable to a vehicle's rear bumper without needing a trailer hitch receptacle, featuring resiliently flexible mounting brackets and a pivotally connected cargo basket that can adjust its length and orientation for horizontal or vertical positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a cargo carrying system is designed to attach to a trailer hitch receptacle, then the attachment strength and stability are improved, but the adaptability to vehicles without a trailer hitch receptacle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is designed with a universal attachment mechanism that can securely attach to both trailer hitch receptacles and vehicle bumpers. The bracket includes a resiliently flexible body with engagement features that adapt to different attachment points, allowing the cargo carrying system to be used on vehicles with or without trailer hitch receptacles while maintaining adequate attachment strength
2Ease of operation
If mounting brackets are made resiliently flexible to enable easy attachment to the bumper, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural strength may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket incorporates a resiliently flexible body that allows dynamic movement during attachment and detachment operations. The flexible construction enables the bracket to deform elastically when being installed or removed from the bumper, making operation easier, while the material and structural design ensure that sufficient structural strength is maintained during normal cargo-carrying operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the use of the cargo carrying system on vehicles with or without a trailer hitch receptacle, providing flexible attachment and space optimization without modifying the bumper.
Implementation Method 1
The configuration of the mounting bracket is resiliently flexible. The front panel and the rear panel can be flexed away from each other when positioning the mounting bracket over the bumper. The front panel and the rear panel can flex back toward each other with the front panel engaging against the bumper and the rear panel engaging against the bumper
Implementation Method 2
An arm assembly is attached to each mounting bracket by a pivot connection. The pivot connection enables the arm assembly to pivot between a first or down, operative position of the arm assembly relative to the bracket and a second or up, stored position of the arm assembly relative to the bracket
Implementation Method 3
The arm assemblies pivotally connect the cargo basket to the pair of mounting brackets with the cargo support surface of the cargo basket being pivotable between the first and second positions of the cargo support surface relative to the mounting brackets. In the first position the cargo support surface is oriented horizontally and in the second position the cargo support surface is oriented vertically
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable bumper cargo carrying system is removably attachable to a rear bumper of a vehicle and does not require that the vehicle have a trailer hitch receptacle at the rear end of the vehicle to attach the cargo carrying system to the vehicle. The cargo carrying system comprises a cargo basket that can pivot downward to a first, horizontally oriented operative position for supporting cargo on the cargo basket, and can pivot upward to a second, vertically oriented stored position when the cargo basket is not in use. The cargo basket defines a cargo support surface that is adjustable between a first longitudinal dimension of the cargo support surface and a second longitudinal dimension of the cargo support surface, where the second longitudinal dimension is larger than the first longitudinal dimension.