Vehicle Cab Stay Arm Locking Assembly for Raised Position Hold
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with a cab-over-engine (COE) arrangement, there is a need to securely hold the cab in a raised position to prevent unintended pivoting back to a lowered position without user interaction, especially for maintenance access to the engine.
Innovation Solution
A support assembly with a stay arm and locking mechanism, including a slide, actuator, release arm, and pawl, that engages with notches on the stay arm to lock the cab in the raised position and disengage to allow lowering, ensuring the cab remains stable until a user command is given.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking assembly with pawl and notches is used to prevent unintended cab pivoting, then the reliability of the cab position is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking assembly is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the cab position. The pawl automatically engages with the notches on the stay arm when the cab is in the raised position, and automatically disengages when the cab is lowered, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking interface is segmented into multiple notches along the stay arm, allowing the pawl to engage at different positions. This segmentation provides multiple discrete locking positions while keeping each individual locking mechanism simple and reliable
2Ease of operation
If a stay arm with locking interface is used to hold the cab in raised position, then the maintenance accessibility is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stay arm is pre-positioned and the locking interface with notches is prepared in advance. When the cab is raised to the maintenance position, the locking assembly is already configured to automatically engage, eliminating the need for additional manual locking actions and simplifying the maintenance access process
Solution Approach 2:
The stay arm acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the cab and chassis, providing both structural support and a built-in locking interface. This combines the support function and locking function into a single integrated component, reducing the need for separate mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a support assembly extending between a chassis and a cab. The support assembly includes a first bracket coupled to the chassis, a second bracket coupled to the cab, a stay arm having a first end coupled to the first bracket and an opposing second end, and a locking assembly. The stay arm defines a locking interface between the first end and the opposing second end. The locking assembly includes a slide, an actuator, a release arm, and a pawl. The slide is translatable along the stay arm. The slide defines a first interface coupled to the second bracket, a second interface coupled to the actuator, and a third interface. The release arm is coupled to the actuator and the third interface. The pawl is coupled to release arm at the third interface. The pawl selectively engages with the locking interface based on a configuration of the actuator.