Fifth Wheel Hitch Stabilizer for Alignment and Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fifth wheel hitch assemblies for dump trailers require a non-pivoting hitch plate to operate the telescoping dump function, but pivotable hitch plates offer advantages in alignment and uneven surface handling, necessitating a solution that balances pivotability and stability.
Innovation Solution
A fifth wheel hitch assembly with a pivotable hitch plate and a stabilizer assembly that can be remotely controlled to transition between unlocked and locked positions, restricting pivotable movement and stabilizing the hitch plate sections, allowing for alignment and locking to support the hitch plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pivotable hitch plate is used, then alignment capability and uneven surface handling are improved, but stability during operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch plate is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to pivot between a first position and a second position relative to the vehicle frame. This pivotability enables the hitch plate to adapt to alignment variations and uneven surfaces while maintaining connection stability through the stabilizer assembly that can lock in specific positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer assembly changes the operational parameters of the hitch plate by transitioning between locked and unlocked states. When locked, it restricts pivotable movement to provide stability; when unlocked, it allows pivotable movement for alignment adjustments, thus dynamically changing the system's behavior based on operational needs.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a non-pivoting hitch plate is used, then stability is improved, but alignment capability and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch plate system incorporates dynamic pivotability that can be controlled through the stabilizer assembly. The hitch plate can transition between fixed and movable states, providing stability when needed and alignment capability when required, thus combining benefits of both non-pivoting and pivotable designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer assembly enables parameter changes in the hitch plate's operational state. By transitioning between locked and unlocked positions, the system can switch between high stability (locked) and high adaptability (unlocked), allowing optimal performance for different operational phases such as alignment versus steady-state operation.
3Device complexity
If manual stabilization is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer assembly is designed to automatically transition between locked and unlocked positions based on the hitch plate's position and operational requirements. The system can self-stabilize during operation, reducing the need for manual intervention while maintaining ease of operation through automatic response to operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical stabilization with an automated control system that uses sensors and actuators to manage the stabilizer assembly's locked and unlocked states. This substitution reduces device complexity by eliminating manual mechanisms while improving ease of operation through automated stabilization based on real-time operational feedback.
Data Source
AI summary
A fifth wheel hitch assembly includes a support bracket operably coupled to a vehicle frame member; a hitch plate that has a throat adapted to receive a kingpin and a rear portion, wherein the hitch plate is pivotably coupled to the support bracket for pivoting between a first and second positions; a stabilizer assembly coupled to the hitch plate, the stabilizer assembly operating between an unlocked position, wherein the hitch plate pivots between the first and second positions, and the locked position, wherein the stabilizer assembly is coupled with the rear portion and a select one of the vehicle frame and the support bracket, thereby restricting pivotable movement of the hitch plate; and a remotely located controller that operates the stabilizer assembly between the unlocked and locked positions.