Cable-Driven Tarping System for Dump Trucks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible tarping systems for open-topped containers, such as those on dump trucks, face issues with improper sealing and damage due to strong springs causing tarp flapping and motor placement vulnerabilities, especially when traveling at highway speeds and encountering obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A cable-driven spring tensioned flexible tarping system where a motor beneath the container winds cables to pivot a U-shaped bail arm, ensuring the tarp is securely held with a strong downward force, and the motor is positioned to avoid damage by being located under the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If strong springs are used in the extension mechanism to hold the tarp firmly against the container, then the tarp sealing is improved, but it becomes prohibitively difficult to wind the crank when retracting the tarp
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual crank mechanism with an automated motor (electric or hydraulic) to operate the cable spool. This motorized system can generate sufficient force to overcome the strong spring tension and hold-down force requirements without requiring manual effort, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable tarp sealing and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a motor as an intermediary device between the operator and the tarp system. The motor acts as a mediator that converts electrical or hydraulic energy into mechanical motion, enabling the system to maintain strong spring tension for reliable sealing while eliminating the difficulty of manual crank winding.
2Ease of operation
If the motor is positioned near the tarp roller at the front of the container to automate retraction, then the ease of operation is improved, but the motor becomes susceptible to damage from contact with obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the motor from its vulnerable position near the tarp roller at the front of the container and relocates it to a protected position inside the container or on the vehicle frame. This separation removes the motor from the hazard zone where it could contact obstacles, while the cable-driven mechanism transmits the driving force to the tarp roller, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and motor protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cables as intermediaries to transmit mechanical force from the motor to the tarp roller. The cables act as flexible connectors that allow the motor to be positioned in a safe, protected location while still effectively driving the tarp roller for automated retraction, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and motor protection.
3Ease of operation
If the motor is positioned at the upper front portion of the container for automated tarp operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the motor is more likely to be damaged by contact with tree limbs or construction equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the motor from the exposed upper front portion of the container and relocates it to a protected position within the container interior or on the vehicle frame. This relocation removes the motor from the hazard zone where it could contact tree limbs or construction equipment, while the cable transmission system maintains automated operational capability, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reduced damage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of motor placement from the external upper front portion (exposed to hazards) to an internal or protected external position (shielded from hazards). This dimensional relocation, combined with cable transmission, allows the motor to operate the tarp automatically while being protected from environmental and operational hazards.
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
The system provides improved sealing and reduced tarp flapping at high speeds, while protecting the motor from damage by positioning it beneath the container, enhancing efficiency and durability during operation.
Implementation Method 1
An extension mechanism 26, such as a pair of springs, biases the bail arm 10 toward the rear of the container 14
Implementation Method 2
A motor positioned beneath the container is coupled to a shaft that spans the width of the container
Implementation Method 3
Cables connect the spools to the vertical portions of the U-shaped bail
Data Source
AI summary
An automated tarping system for open-topped containers includes a winding mechanism and an extension mechanism. The winding mechanism is attached to the container and to a cover and exerts a winding force to retain the cover so that the top of the container remains open. The extension mechanism utilizes a drive mechanism which exerts an extension force on a cable to pivot an arm to which a cover is attached. The arm is pivotally attached to a side of the container and is connected to the cable. When the drive mechanism exerts the extension force on the cable, the arm, which is connected, pivots with respect to the container. The cover, which is connected to the arm, is then drawn across the open-top of the container to close the top of the container as the extension force exerted by the drive mechanism overcomes the winding force generated by the winding mechanism.