Flush-Mount Chain Anchor Storage for Flatbed Trailer Securement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Challenges exist in protecting and managing chain, binder, and ratchet strap storage and securement on flatbed trailers, including theft prevention and convenient location management.
Innovation Solution
A tie-down chain anchor and storage system with a container having a flat top, interior compartment, and top opening, featuring a lid flush with the trailer surface and inboard chain slots for secure storage and easy deployment of chains or straps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If chains and securing lines are stored on the trailer deck, then they are easily accessible for deployment, but they are vulnerable to theft and loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested storage by placing container 132 within well 128, which is recessed into the trailer deck. The chain storage container is nested within the well, creating a multi-level nested structure that protects chains while maintaining accessibility through the opening 140.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces container 132 as an intermediary element between the chains and the external environment. This container with lid 144 acts as a mediator that provides controlled access to chains, preventing direct exposure to theft while allowing authorized retrieval through the opening.
2Reliability
If chains are stored in a recessed well, then theft is prevented, but deployment may be obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chain storage system into distinct functional zones: the recessed well 128 for secure containment, the opening 140 for access, and the chain slots 146 for deployment. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve security through recessed storage and ease of deployment through dedicated access points.
Solution Approach 2:
The chain slots 146 are pre-positioned in the container top surface, allowing chains to be pre-routed and secured in specific positions. This preliminary arrangement of chain paths ensures that when chains are deployed, they can be quickly and easily accessed without obstruction from the recessed well structure.
3Ease of operation
If multiple chain slots are provided on the container top, then chain deployment is facilitated, but the container structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The container top surface with multiple chain slots 146 serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the container, creates secure attachment points for chains, and establishes organized deployment paths. This multi-functional design allows the same structural element to facilitate chain deployment without adding separate complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A tie-down chain anchor and storage system for use on trailers, such as flatbed trailers. The system includes a container for holding the chain when not in use a top opening that has anchor slots for securing the chain at a given distance when using the chain to secure equipment on the trailer. The container has a flat top, and the container is coupled to other aspects of the trailer with the flat top flush with a flat portion of the trailer. The system allows for storage of the securing line, e.g., chain, point of pull, and no impediment in loading the trailer. Other embodiments are presented.