Extendable Trailer Frame for 60-Foot Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trailer designs are limited by regulatory constraints on size, making it difficult to transport longer freight containers efficiently, as the length of trailers cannot be easily adjusted to accommodate larger containers without compromising structural integrity or safety.
Innovation Solution
An extendable trailer design featuring interconnected front and rear frame sections, where the forward-most end of the front frame section is movable relative to a kingpin, allowing the trailer to extend and shorten in length to accommodate containers of varying sizes, with a locking mechanism for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the trailer length is increased to accommodate longer containers, then the transportation efficiency and container volume capacity are improved, but the structural integrity and regulatory compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer frame is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can extend and retract independently. Each section maintains its own structural support system, allowing the overall length to increase while each segment preserves its structural integrity. This segmentation enables the trailer to achieve longer lengths for transporting 60-foot containers while maintaining reliable structural performance through distributed load-bearing sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer employs a dynamic telescopic mechanism that allows the frame length to be adjusted based on transportation needs. The telescopic sections can extend to accommodate longer containers and retract when not needed, transforming the trailer from a static structure to a dynamic one. This dynamic capability enables the trailer to adapt its length while maintaining structural integrity through controlled extension and retraction mechanisms with locking systems.
2Reliability
If the trailer length is fixed according to regulatory standards, then the regulatory compliance and safety are maintained, but the adaptability to different container sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism enables the trailer to dynamically adjust its length between a retracted state (complying with standard regulatory limits) and an extended state (accommodating longer containers). The locking mechanism ensures that when extended, the trailer maintains stable structural integrity, and when retracted, it meets regulatory requirements. This dynamic adaptability allows the same trailer to serve multiple container size requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic trailer design provides multi-functionality by enabling the same trailer to accommodate various container lengths (e.g., 40-foot, 45-foot, and 60-foot containers). The telescopic sections can be extended or retracted to match different container dimensions, making a single trailer type universally applicable to multiple container sizes while maintaining regulatory compliance through controlled extension.
3Strength
If the trailer frame is made rigid to ensure structural integrity, then the strength and stability are improved, but the extendability and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid frame structure is segmented into multiple telescopic sections, each with its own reinforcement and support system. This segmentation allows each section to maintain high structural strength independently while collectively providing extendability. The load-bearing members are distributed across sections, ensuring that when extended, each segment contributes to the overall structural integrity, preventing the trade-off between rigidity and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic sections utilize composite construction combining rigid load-bearing members with flexible connection mechanisms. The frame incorporates reinforced sections with high-strength materials that maintain structural integrity during extension, while the connection joints provide the necessary flexibility for telescopic movement. This composite approach enables both structural strength and extendability to coexist.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer for transporting a container has a frame mountable to a vehicle. The frame has a rear frame section mountable above a rear wheel assembly of the trailer, and a front frame section connected to and disposed forward of the rear frame section in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The front frame section has a king pin mountable to a hitch of the vehicle and a forward-most end. The forward-most end is moveable relative to the kingpin in a direction parallel to the forward direction of travel to extend and shorten a length of the front frame section between a fully-lengthened configuration and a fully-shortened configuration.