Plate-Shaped Retaining Element for Camper Van Chassis Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of motorhomes lacks flexibility due to the difficulty in pre-assembling and connecting towing heads with add-on chassis, particularly in sandwich constructions where expanding longitudinal members for connection is not feasible without stress or damage, limiting the ability to prefabricate the add-on chassis to a desired degree.
Innovation Solution
A motorhome design featuring plate-shaped holding means with recesses and fasteners that allow stable and simple connection of longitudinal members to head carriers without expansion, using shear cams and detachable screw or rivet connections for enhanced stability and ease of assembly, enabling prefabrication and tension-free attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the add-on chassis is designed as a sandwich construction with longitudinal members, then weight savings and increased storage space are achieved, but the longitudinal members cannot be expanded for connection without stress or destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into separate functional elements: holding means with recesses on the longitudinal members, corresponding recesses on the head supports, and fastening means. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables connection without expanding the sandwich construction longitudinal members.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding means acts as an intermediary element between the longitudinal members and head supports. It provides the necessary connection interface through recesses that engage with corresponding recesses on the head supports, eliminating the need to expand the longitudinal members while maintaining stable connection.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the longitudinal members are expanded to connect to head supports, then connection stability is improved, but the members are subjected to stress or destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The holding means and fastening means are pre-configured on the longitudinal members and head supports respectively. The recesses are already positioned to engage with each other, so when assembly occurs, the connection is established immediately without requiring expansion or stress on the longitudinal members.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding means serves as a mediator that transfers loads between the longitudinal members and head supports through its recesses, providing stable connection without requiring the longitudinal members to expand or withstand excessive stress.
3Productivity
If pre-assembled components are used for the tractor head and add-on chassis, then manufacturing flexibility is reduced, but production efficiency is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The motorhome is divided into modular segments: tractor head with head supports, add-on chassis with longitudinal members, holding means, and fastening means. Each segment can be manufactured separately and assembled together using the standardized connection interface, providing both efficiency and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding means and fastening means constitute a universal connection system that can be applied to various motorhome configurations. The same recess-based interface allows different combinations of head supports and longitudinal members to be connected, enabling design flexibility while maintaining standardized manufacturing processes.
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
This solution provides a stable, non-destructive, and easy-to-assemble connection between the towing head and add-on chassis, allowing for prefabrication and reducing assembly effort and repair costs, while enabling the use of less stable constructions like sandwich designs with increased storage space and weight savings.
Implementation Method 1
the holding means comprises shear cams
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A motorhome or similar recreational vehicle 1 is proposed, characterized in that the at least one connection 14 comprises at least one plate-shaped retaining element 15, which can be positively connected to the first longitudinal member 11 of the mounting chassis 3 and/or to the second longitudinal member 13 of the mounting chassis 3 or to the first end support 6 of the towing head 2 and/or to the second end support 8 of the towing head 2 and can be fixed by means of fastening elements. (Figure 2)