Expandable Caravan Guide Rail Structure to Prevent Tilting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile enclosed spaces, such as caravans and containers, face difficulties in simplifying the transfer of basic and additional modules into extended positions for increased room volume, often resulting in tilting or twisting issues during extension movements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of rotatable rollers with a horizontal axis and a one-piece or multi-part profile rail system for smooth guidance, combined with a sliding rail for additional support, prevents lateral tilting and allows for easy extension and retraction of the additional space element relative to the basic module, ensuring a tight and secure arrangement in both transport and use positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If guide rails and rollers are used to extend the additional compartment element, then the room volume can be increased, but lateral tilting or twisting occurs during extension movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second set of rollers with vertical axes in addition to the original rollers with horizontal axes. This adds a dimensional constraint that prevents lateral tilting and twisting movements, stabilizing the extension mechanism while maintaining volume increase capability
Solution Approach 2:
The guide carriage acts as an intermediary component between the additional compartment element and the guide rails. It incorporates multiple rollers that mediate the movement, ensuring smooth extension while preventing unwanted lateral or rotational movements through its structural design
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple rollers with different axis orientations are used, then lateral tilting is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple rollers with different axis orientations into a single integrated guide carriage component. This merging approach maintains the stability benefits of multiple rollers while reducing overall device complexity by consolidating functions into one modular unit
3Ease of manufacture
If the guide rail is designed as a single profile rail, then assembly is simplified, but the cost of manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail system is segmented into multiple modular sections that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. This segmentation allows for simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing of individual sections while maintaining ease of assembly through standardized connection interfaces
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 enables effortless conversion of the mobile enclosed space from a transport to a use position with reduced effort, preventing tilting and twisting, while maintaining a sealed and protected environment, thus enhancing usability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The guide carriage comprises a base body and at least two rollers (48) spaced apart from one another, which are rotatable about a vertical axis, and at least two rollers (46) spaced apart from one another, which are rotatable about a horizontal axis. The at least two rollers (46, 48) are arranged to engage the guide rail (41, 43).
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile enclosed space (11), preferably a caravan, sales and/or exhibition trailer, motorhome or container, with a basic module (22) defining a basic space, wherein the basic module (22) comprises a floor panel (27), end side walls (28, 29) and a roof (30), with at least one folding wall (16) associated with the mobile enclosed space (11), which includes an additional floor panel (18) and is foldable, and with at least one additional space element (21) comprising a roof (30), end side walls (28, 29) and a longitudinal side (31), which, in a use position (19), forms an additional space extending the basic space together with the folded-down folding wall (16), wherein a guide (37) consisting of rollers (46) and guide rails is provided between the additional space element (21) and the folding wall (16) for sliding the additional space element (21) onto the folding wall (16) in the folded-down state. (41) is provided for,wherein the guide (37) has at least one guide carriage (38) with rollers (46, 48) on which at least two rollers (46) are rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis and at least two rollers (48) about a vertical axis, and wherein the guide (37) comprises guide rails (41, 43) which have a first guide section (49) on which the rollers (46) can roll with the horizontal axis and have a second guide section (52) along which the rollers (48) are guided with a vertical axis and the movement of the at least one guide carriage (38) is aligned with the first guide section (49).