Conveyor Trolley Movable Side Wall Pivot Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport trolleys used in agriculture for transporting cargo like hay or straw bales face limitations in driving safety and versatility, particularly due to excessive vibrations affecting the movable side walls during operation.

Innovation Solution

The transport trolley features a movable side wall that pivots upwards, supported by a stop not integral to the front and rear walls, with a kinematic tube and rod system connected via joint plates, and a lattice-like structure for the walls and stops, enhancing stability and reducing material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the movable side wall is lowered next to the transport vehicle to simplify loading, then loading convenience is improved, but driving safety deteriorates due to excessive vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading convenienceVSAvoiddriving safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The side wall is designed to be movable between two positions: lowered next to the vehicle for loading and raised above the vehicle for transport. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to optimize for loading convenience during loading operations and for driving safety during transport, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A guide mechanism consisting of a guide tube and guide rod acts as an intermediary between the side wall and the vehicle body. This intermediary structure controls the movement of the side wall, enabling it to transition smoothly between the lowered loading position and the raised transport position while maintaining structural integrity and reducing vibrations during driving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the side wall is raised above the front and rear walls to improve driving safety, then curve negotiation capability is improved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurve negotiation capabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The side wall transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one that can be raised above the front and rear walls during transport. This dynamic positioning improves curve negotiation capability by allowing the side wall to clear obstacles and follow the vehicle's movement more effectively, while the raised position is only maintained when needed for driving safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The guide mechanism is segmented into a guide tube attached to the vehicle body and a guide rod attached to the side wall, connected through a pivot joint. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together to enable the side wall to raise and lower smoothly, managing structural complexity through functional decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a stop is added between the movable side wall and the front/rear walls to reduce vibrations, then driving safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration reductionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stop function is merged with the guide mechanism. The guide tube and guide rod, which already control side wall movement, also serve as the stop structure when the side wall is in the raised position. This integration eliminates the need for separate stop components, reducing device complexity while maintaining vibration reduction and driving safety improvements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 configuration improves driving safety by allowing better curve negotiation and reduces deformation of cargo, while also offering material savings and cost reductions through optimized structural design.

Implementation Method 1

The lifting means is a lifting cylinder which is provided with a lifting piston and is actuated hydraulically or pneumatically

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic or pneumatic actuation: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentEP3290264B1Conveyor trolley
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 CONOW ANHAENGERBAU
  • EP3290264B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3290264B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a transport trolley (100) comprising: - a loading platform (9) with a loading area (11); - a front and rear wall (12); - at least one movable side wall (19); - at least one stop (33) located on the front and rear wall (12), which is arranged between the front and rear wall (12) and the movable side wall (19) and is directed outwards from the front and rear wall (12); - a lifting means (20, 26); - at least one kinematic tube (21); - at least one kinematic rod (22); wherein the movable side wall (19) rests against the stop (33) and the stop (33) is arranged above the loading platform (9) and forms a gap between the front and rear wall (9) and the movable side wall (19).To further increase the driving safety and the range of applications of this transport trolley, the invention proposes that the movable side wall (19) can be pivoted upwards beyond the front and rear wall (12) by means of the lifting means (20, 26), wherein the movable side wall (19) is guided by the kinematic tube (21) and the kinematic rod (22) which are connected to the front and rear wall (12).