Foldable Tow Dolly With Adjustable Wheelbase and X-Brace Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard tow dollies lack stability, are not foldable for easy storage, and are difficult to customize for vehicles of different sizes, leading to potential damage and safety issues during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A foldable tow dolly with a center chassis, adjustable wheelbase, and spring-loaded barrel locks that allows for easy folding and unfolding, featuring casters for mobility and an X-bar attachment for stability, enabling secure towing and compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a standard tow dolly is used, then it can transport vehicles, but it lacks stability and cannot be folded for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The tow dolly is divided into separable components including a center chassis, wheel platforms, and an X-bar attachment that can be detached and folded. This segmentation allows the dolly to maintain structural stability during use while enabling compact folding for storage by disconnecting and repositioning the divided parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The tow dolly incorporates movable and adjustable components such as the X-bar attachment that can be positioned in different configurations, and wheel platforms that can be folded relative to the center chassis. This dynamic design allows the structure to transition between a stable operational state and a compact stored state.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional tow dolly is used, then it can tow vehicles, but it cannot be customized for vehicles of different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel platforms are designed to be adjustable along the center chassis, allowing the wheelbase to be customized for different vehicle sizes. The spring-loaded barrel locks provide adjustable positioning while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the same dolly to accommodate various vehicle dimensions without requiring multiple specialized dollies.
Solution Approach 2:
The tow dolly is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate different vehicle types and sizes through its adjustable wheelbase and modular components. The same basic structure serves multiple functions by allowing configuration changes, eliminating the need for separate specialized dollies for different vehicle categories.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wheelbase is fixed, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate vehicles of different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded barrel locks provide self-adjusting positioning capability along the center chassis, allowing the wheel platforms to be easily positioned and locked at different locations to accommodate various vehicle sizes. This self-service mechanism simplifies the adjustment process without requiring complex external adjustment systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The foldable tow dolly provides enhanced stability and convenience by allowing for easy transportation and storage, accommodating various vehicle sizes with an adjustable wheelbase and secure towing capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a first wheel platform secured to one side of the center chassis using a pair of spring-loaded barrel locks, the second wheel platform secured to the other side of the center chassis using another pair of spring-loaded barrel locks
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable tow dolly for towing cars and vehicles. The dolly can be folded when not used for easy transportation and storage. The dolly includes a center chassis between a pair of wheel platforms, wherein the wheel platforms are connected to the center chassis and secured using spring-loaded barrel locks. In an unfolded state, the center chassis is supported by an X-brace attachment and a pair of tongues are used for coupling and supporting the dolly to a vehicle for towing. In a folded state, the center chassis is folded upwards and the wheel platforms, after removing the barrel locks, articulate upwards (i.e., vertical) to fold the dolly. The tongues can be removed from the center chassis during folding of the dolly.