Convertible Rear Cargo Carrier With Pivoting Dolly Offload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cargo carriers supported by vehicle rear trailer hitches are static and require manual loading and unloading, posing a risk of injury and exhaustion when handling heavy items, especially during transportation to a final destination.
Innovation Solution
A convertible cargo carrier system that integrates a semi-permanent loading platform with a combined cargo basket and upright dolly, featuring a self-locking latch mechanism and wheels, allowing for safe and easy offloading and transportation of heavy cargo by pivoting the carrier onto wheels for effortless movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cargo carriers are made as single unitized heavy pieces to provide additional cargo space and stability, then cargo holding capacity and structural strength are improved, but the difficulty of lifting and positioning the carrier onto the hitch receiver increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cargo carrier system is divided into two main segments: the carrier unit itself and the dolly unit with wheels. The carrier can be detached from the dolly, allowing the lightweight carrier to be easily positioned onto the hitch receiver while the heavier dolly remains on the ground for loading and transport operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The dolly acts as an intermediary device between the carrier and the ground. It provides wheeled support that eliminates the need for users to lift the heavy carrier onto the hitch, while also serving as a transport platform for moving cargo from the carrier to final destinations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If cargo carriers are designed as static structures with fixed mesh decks to hold cargo securely, then cargo stability is improved, but the ability to easily offload and transport cargo to final destinations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static carrier configuration to a dynamic setup where the dolly with wheels can be attached to the carrier. This dynamic configuration allows the carrier to adapt between being a stable storage platform on the vehicle and a mobile transport unit on the ground, enabling easy offloading and relocation of cargo.
Solution Approach 2:
The dolly unit serves multiple functions: it acts as a support base when the carrier is mounted on the vehicle, provides wheeled mobility for transporting the carrier during loading/unloading operations, and serves as a standalone platform for moving cargo to final destinations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
3Device complexity
If users manually lift heavy cargo items from the carrier to avoid using additional equipment, then device complexity is reduced, but the risk of injury and physical exhaustion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the cargo carrier with an upright dolly into a combined system. The dolly's wheeled platform and handle integration with the carrier creates a unified device that enables safe cargo handling without requiring separate equipment, thus maintaining simplicity while eliminating injury risks associated with manual lifting.
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 safe and efficient offloading and transportation of heavy cargo with minimal effort, reducing the risk of injury and physical exhaustion, as the carrier can be easily pushed to a final destination like a dolly, enhancing usability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
self-locking latch mechanism
Implementation Method 2
supported by a pair of wheels on the underside of the carrier
Data Source
AI summary
The invention combines the best features of a cargo carrier with an upright dolly in a single unit to allow a user to safely offload heavy cargo from a carrier and transport that cargo to a final destination. The carrier includes a loading platform that engages a pair of loading hooks on the carrier and automatically locks the carrier to the loading platform. To offload the cargo, a user releases a self-locking latch with a lever and pivots the carrier around a loading bar until supported by a pair of wheels on the underside of the carrier. The rotational movement simultaneously disengages the loading hooks from the loading bar allowing the user to push the carrier away from the loading platform so that the carrier and its cargo may be transported to a final destination with the same ease with which a user would transport cargo on a dolly.