Vehicle Chassis Receptacle With Guided Locking Tab for Fast Loading

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing commercial vehicle chassis designs face challenges in efficiently and reliably loading and unloading elongated equipment components due to complex handling procedures, which can lead to incorrect operation.

Innovation Solution

The commercial vehicle chassis incorporates a locking tab that is held captive and adjustable along a longitudinal guide, allowing for easy and precise movement between securing and release positions, preventing accidental loss and simplifying the loading/unloading process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the locking tab is not held captively along a longitudinal guide, then the structure is simpler, but the locking tab can be accidentally lost and handling becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling of locking tabVSAvoidstructure of receptacle
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking tab is nested within the receptacle structure, specifically guided along a longitudinal guide that is integrated into the receptacle body. This nesting ensures the locking tab cannot be lost while maintaining a compact overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The longitudinal guide acts as an intermediary element between the locking tab and the receptacle body. It mediates the movement of the locking tab, ensuring it stays within the receptacle while allowing smooth transitions between locking and unloading positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the locking tab must be moved through a release position to change securing positions, then the release position provides a neutral state, but the loading/unloading process becomes slower and more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of loading/unloadingVSAvoidprocedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The longitudinal guide is pre-configured with multiple securing positions along its length. The locking tab can be directly adjusted to any securing position without needing to pass through a release position, as the guide itself provides the transition path between all positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The locking tab is designed to be dynamically adjustable along the longitudinal guide to multiple securing positions. This dynamic positioning allows the locking mechanism to adapt to different loading scenarios while maintaining direct adjustment capability between positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the locking tab can be freely adjusted without a guiding structure, then the structure is simpler, but the locking tab may not be precisely positioned and accidental slipping may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecuring of equipment componentsVSAvoidguiding structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The longitudinal guide is segmented with distinct positioning features that correspond to multiple securing positions. Each position is clearly defined by the guide's structure, ensuring precise positioning of the locking tab while maintaining a relatively simple overall design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3581469B1Commercial vehicle chassis with a pickup for temporary stowage of elongated equipment components
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 SCHMITZ CARGOBULL AG
  • EP3581469B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3581469B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3581469B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described and illustrated is a commercial vehicle chassis (7), in particular of a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, with a receptacle (9) for temporarily stowing elongated equipment components (11) during travel, comprising at least one receiving element (10) for receiving an end section of the equipment components (11),wherein the receiving element (10) has a lateral receiving opening (12) for inserting and/or removing the equipment components (11) and at least two locking elements (14) arranged at different distances from the receiving opening (12) for positively locking a locking tab (13) in at least two locking positions spaced at different distances from the receiving opening (12) to secure the equipment components (11) against accidental slippage out of the receiving opening (12), and wherein the locking tab (13) is adjustable from the locking positions to at least one release position that opens the receiving opening (12) for inserting and/or removing the equipment components (11) and back. To make handling during loading and unloading of the receiving element easier, faster and more reliable, it is provided thatthat the locking tab (13) is captive and adjustable between the locking positions along at least one longitudinal guide (15).