Foldable Loading Bay Cover With External Rail Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loading bay covers for vehicles, such as roll shutters, reduce the internal storage space due to the installation of a casing to accommodate the rolled-up shutter, and also limit the utilization of mid-gates when long-sized goods are loaded.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular folding-type loading bay cover that consists of a cover unit with multiple slats connected in an overlapping manner, which can be folded and unfolded to accommodate the slats in the upper portion of the loading bay without occupying additional space, using a main rail and guide rails to guide the slats during folding and unfolding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a roll shutter is used to cover the loading bay, then the loading bay can be protected from foreign materials and prevent goods from being ejected, but a casing must be installed inside the loading bay to accommodate the rolled-up shutter, which decreases the internal storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the casing structure from the loading bay interior by relocating it to the exterior. The guide rails are mounted on the outer surface of the loading bay, allowing the cover to fold and store externally rather than requiring internal accommodation space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional rolled shutter to a three-dimensional folding cover system that utilizes the vertical and lateral dimensions. The cover can be folded along multiple axes and stored in a compact configuration that occupies minimal space when not in use.
2Ease of operation
If a casing is installed to accommodate the rolled-up shutter, then the shutter can be stored when not in use, but the height from the bottom surface of the loading bay to the casing is decreased, reducing the utilization of the mid-gate
Solution Approach 1:
The casing structure is extracted from the loading bay interior and relocated to the exterior, eliminating the reduction in internal height. The guide rails and folding mechanism are mounted on the outer surface, allowing the cover to store externally without encroaching on the vertical loading space.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the cover inside the loading bay as with traditional roll shutters, the patent inverts the storage approach by designing the cover to fold and store externally. This inversion allows the internal loading bay height to remain fully available for cargo.
3Volume of stationary object
If a folding cover with multiple slats is used instead of a roll shutter, then the loading bay space is fully utilized without a casing, but the structure becomes more complex with multiple connected slats and guide rails
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is segmented into multiple slats that can fold independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the cover to adapt to different positions during opening and closing operations, enabling compact folding storage while maintaining full coverage when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover transitions from a static rolled shutter to a dynamic folding structure with multiple degrees of freedom. The slats can rotate and fold along defined paths guided by the external guide rails, allowing the cover to adapt its configuration during operation and store in a compact form.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular folding-type loading bay cover includes a cover unit with a plurality of slats. Respective upper end portions of preceding and following slats and respective lower end portions thereof are alternatingly connected, and the cover unit can be folded and unfolded in a loading bay of a vehicle. A main rail is disposed in the vehicular loading bay along a direction in which the cover unit is unfolded, guides the lower end portions of the slats, and guides the upper end portions of the slats in a section where the slats are unfolded. A guide rail branches off from the main rail, is parallel with the main rail in a section where the cover unit is fully folded and guides the upper end portions of the slats when the cover unit is folded.