Chassis Skirt Mounting Assembly with Independent Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chassis skirt mounting systems obstruct access to components on vehicle frames, require cumbersome adjustments, and introduce alignment issues due to limited adjustability, particularly lacking independent adjustment in three axes.
Innovation Solution
A chassis skirt mounting assembly with a tank strap bracket and adjustment bracket featuring double-sided studs and offset adjustment slots, allowing independent vertical, horizontal, and forward/aft adjustments without affecting other axes, facilitated by tubular studs with spacers and anti-rotation structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If chassis skirts are attached to framework depending from vehicle chassis, then chassis skirts cover lower portions of truck chassis, but access to components on frame rails is obstructed and repair requires removal of chassis skirt
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is divided into separate adjustable components including a mounting bracket with adjustment slots and a chassis skirt with corresponding adjustment features. This segmentation allows the chassis skirt to be independently positioned and adjusted without affecting the entire mounting structure, enabling access to frame rail components while maintaining skirt coverage.
2Weight of moving object
If tank-mounted skirts are used, then cost and weight are reduced, but tolerance stack-ups increase and adjustments become very cumbersome taking hours to complete
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through adjustment slots oriented at different orientations (first slot in first direction, second slot in second direction perpendicular to first direction). This allows the chassis skirt to be independently adjusted in multiple axes, reducing adjustment time from hours to minutes while maintaining the lightweight tank-mounted design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If radial adjustment around fuel tanks is used, then some adjustment is possible, but vertical and horizontal alignment are coupled causing misalignment in one direction when adjusting the other
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism transitions from radial adjustment (coupled vertical-horizontal movement) to multi-axis independent adjustment. The first adjustment slot provides adjustment in a first direction while the second adjustment slot provides adjustment in a second direction perpendicular to the first, enabling independent control of vertical and horizontal alignment without mutual interference.
Data Source
AI summary
A chassis skirt mounting assembly (110) for a vehicle having a tank (14) and a chassis skirt (16) includes a tank strap bracket (120) attached to the tank, the tank strap bracket having a first adjustment slot (130) with a first length dimension. An adjustment bracket (122) is attached to the chassis skirt (16) and has a second adjustment slot (138) with a second length dimension oriented generally 90-degrees offset from the first length dimension of the first adjustment slot (130). A double-sided stud (140) is disposed through the first adjustment slot (130) and the second adjustment slot (138) to allow the independent adjustment of the double-sided stud with respect to the first adjustment slot from the adjustment of the double-sided stud with respect to the second adjustment slot.