Elevated Steering Linkage Protects Four-Wheel Trailer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transport trailers with four-wheel steering are prone to damage from obstructions like railroad crossings or stumps, as their steering mechanisms and connecting rods are exposed and vulnerable to impacts, leading to repair needs and operational disruptions.
Innovation Solution
The trailer design features a steering system with elongated connecting rods and crank members positioned substantially above the frame surfaces, protecting them from ground-level obstructions and ensuring continued functionality by preventing damage from impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the steering mechanism components (crank members, connecting rods) are positioned below or adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the frame members, then the steering mechanism can be compact and integrated with the frame, but the components become exposed to impacts from obstructions like railroad crossings, rocks, or stumps
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting rod is repositioned from a horizontal/low position to an elevated position above the frame members, changing its spatial dimension. This vertical displacement removes the component from the hazard zone while preserving its functional connection between front and rear crank members through pivotal connections at both ends
2Productivity
If the connecting rod extends below the frame members to connect front and rear steering mechanisms, then the steering linkage can be direct and efficient, but the rod becomes vulnerable to damage from ground-level obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The frame members serve as an intermediary structure that supports the connecting rod at an elevated position. The rod connects to the frame members through pivotal connections, allowing the frame to mediate between the rod and ground-level obstructions, protecting the rod while maintaining steering functionality
3Device complexity
If steering components project below the frame members, then the steering mechanism can be compact and structurally integrated, but damage requires trailer repair or rebuilding and prevents further use
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting rod and crank members are extracted from the vulnerable zone below the frame members and repositioned above the frame. This separation removes the steering components from the hazard zone while preserving their functional integrity, preventing damage that would require repair or rebuilding
Data Source
AI summary
An elongated trailer has a frame with longitudinally extending frame members connected by front and rear cross frame members, and a pair of wheels are pivotally connected to opposite ends of each of the front and rear cross frame members. A steering system includes a front steering crank member connected to a tow bar and supported by the front cross frame member for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, and a rear steering crank member is supported by the rear cross frame member for pivotal movement on a vertical axis. A set of tie rods pivotally connect the front and rear crank members to the corresponding front and rear wheels. An elongated link member or rod connects the front and rear crank members and extends longitudinally of the frame substantially above the bottom surfaces of the frame members to protect the steering system from projecting objects on the ground.