Drawbar Coupling Funnel With Torsional Spring Bias Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drawbar couplings on vehicles are prone to damage due to insufficient clearance between the road and the coupling when driving on bad roads, leading to potential failure.
Innovation Solution
A drawbar coupling design featuring a funnel, housing cap, and torsional spring with biasing torque mechanism, allowing the funnel to rotate relative to the housing cap, ensuring a biasing torque is applied to maintain the equilibrium position and prevent excessive rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drawbar coupling is disposed on the chassis, then the coupling is easily accessible and simple to install, but the clearance between the road and the coupling is too small making it prone to damage on bad roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotational degree of freedom between the funnel and housing cap, allowing the coupling to dynamically adapt to road conditions. The funnel can rotate relative to the housing cap within a limited angular range, enabling the coupling to absorb shocks and maintain functionality even when subjected to impacts from bad roads, thus improving reliability while keeping the coupling accessible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positional parameter of the coupling by allowing rotational movement between components. The funnel's ability to rotate relative to the housing cap changes the spatial configuration of the coupling, effectively increasing the functional clearance and protecting against damage while maintaining accessibility for installation and operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the funnel is allowed to rotate freely to accommodate trailer pivoting, then the coupling is versatile and functional, but excessive rotation can cause damage or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic rotational mechanism where the funnel can rotate relative to the housing cap, but the rotation is controlled and limited. The torsional spring provides continuous rotational constraint, allowing the funnel to pivot within a safe angular range to accommodate trailer movements while preventing excessive rotation that would lead to damage or failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The torsional spring applies a preliminary biasing torque to the funnel in the equilibrium position, creating a pre-constraint that resists excessive rotation before it occurs. This preliminary anti-action prevents the funnel from rotating beyond safe limits by continuously applying a restoring torque that counteracts forces attempting to over-rotate the coupling.
3Volume of moving object
If a torsional spring with shallow helical coil sector is used, then the coupling is compact and space-efficient, but the spring design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the torsional spring by introducing a shallow helical coil sector with a helix pitch less than the spring thickness. This parameter change allows the spring to be more compact and space-efficient while maintaining its functional properties. The shallow coil sector is contiguous with a main helical coil sector, creating a optimized geometry that reduces volume without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by having different sections of the torsional spring with different helix pitches. The shallow helical coil sector has a reduced pitch for compactness, while the main helical coil sector has a standard pitch for structural integrity. This localized differentiation optimizes space efficiency in critical areas while maintaining overall spring performance.
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
The design minimizes damage by maintaining the drawbar coupling's alignment and reducing the risk of failure, enhancing durability and space efficiency while allowing pivotal movement of the trailer.
Implementation Method 1
a torsional spring; wherein: the funnel is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing and the housing cap; the funnel defines a toroidal groove in which the torsional spring is received
Implementation Method 2
the first spring tail and the second spring tail are configured to apply a biasing torque to the funnel and the housing cap respectively to bias the funnel and the housing cap towards the equilibrium position
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a drawbar coupling comprising: a funnel around a bushing, a housing cap fixed to the bushing, and a torsional spring; wherein: the funnel is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing and the housing cap; the funnel defines a toroidal groove in which the torsional spring is received, and the housing cap comprises a corresponding recess within which the torsional spring is received, such that the torsional spring is disposed between the funnel and the housing cap; and the torsional spring is provided with a first spring tail and a second spring tail, wherein each spring tail is in contact with both the funnel and the housing cap when the funnel is in an equilibrium position with respect to the housing cap, such that the first spring tail and the second spring tail are configured to apply a biasing torque to the funnel and the housing cap respectively to bias the funnel and the housing cap towards the equilibrium position.