Chassisless Tank Trailer with Direct Axle Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tanker trailers face challenges in achieving weight optimization while maintaining stability for on-road and off-road driving, especially when carrying heavy loads like filled liquid manure tanks, due to weight limits and axle load restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A self-supporting tank structure made of fiber-plastic composite materials, such as CFRP or GRP, with reinforced areas and direct axle attachment, eliminating the need for an undercarriage frame, and using L-profiles and mating flanges for additional strength and attachment points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a chassis frame is used to provide structural support and stability, then the stability and strength are improved, but the weight of the trailer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the chassis frame entirely from the trailer design. The tank structure itself is engineered to provide all necessary structural support and stability, eliminating the separate chassis component and its associated weight while maintaining required strength through integrated reinforcement elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural support function previously performed by the chassis frame is merged into the tank structure itself. Reinforcement elements are integrated directly into the tank's construction, combining the storage function with the structural support function in a single unified structure.
2Weight of moving object
If the chassis material is reduced to optimize weight, then the weight is improved, but the stability and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly reducing chassis material throughout the entire structure, the patent applies reinforcement elements selectively at specific locations where structural support is needed. This allows weight optimization in non-critical areas while maintaining stability and rigidity at critical attachment points and load-bearing regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the tank structure, combining different materials with complementary properties to achieve both weight reduction and maintained structural integrity. The composite construction provides high strength-to-weight ratio while ensuring adequate stability.
3Weight of moving object
If a self-supporting tank structure is used to eliminate the chassis, then the weight is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-supporting tank structure is designed with modular reinforcement elements that can be manufactured separately and then assembled into the final structure. This segmentation allows for simpler manufacturing of individual components while achieving the complex integrated function of a chassisless design.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a tank truck trailer (1) for liquids, comprising a self-supporting tank structure (18) made of fiber-reinforced plastic composites with sectionally reinforced areas, at least one rigid axle (3) with at least one axle carrier (4) extending substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, which has a profile, and at whose ends further axle parts are attached, each of which guides at least one trailer wheel (5), and at least one axle slide (6, 7) extending substantially longitudinally to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, at least one coupling device, in particular a kingpin (17), or a further axle (2) which is rotatable, with at least one axle carrier extending substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, which has a profile, at whose ends further axle parts are attached, each of which guides at least one trailer wheel (5), a bogie (8) with a drawbar (9) and a coupling consisting of an upper and a lower ring (10,11) formed steering ring (16). A key feature of the invention is that the rigid axle (3) and the trailer coupling (17) are each attached directly to the tank structure (18) without any bridges, or that the rigid axle (3) and the rotatable axle (2) are each attached directly to the tank structure (18) without any bridges.