Foldable Vehicle Link Mechanism for Stackable Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of automotive components at a transportation destination is troublesome due to their separate packaging and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design featuring a power portion and a front-rear portion connected via a link mechanism, allowing reversible changes between a traveling form and a transportation form through a sliding or rotating mechanism, with optional honeycomb structures for enhanced strength and reinforcing members for impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate automotive components are packaged and transported, then transportation efficiency is improved, but assembly complexity increases at the transportation destination
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is divided into separate modular components (power portion and front-rear portion) that can be independently packaged and transported. Each module is designed as a self-contained unit with standardized interfaces, enabling efficient separate transportation while maintaining simple assembly through pre-designed connection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The link mechanism incorporates a sliding fastening portion that can dynamically transition between connected and disconnected states. The guide hole provides a predetermined sliding path that guides the fastening portion to the correct position automatically, making the assembly process simple despite separate transportation.
2Volume of moving object
If the front-rear portion is folded toward the power portion for transportation, then transportation space is reduced, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle structure dynamically changes between two configurations: a folded transportation form with reduced volume for efficient shipping, and an extended traveling form with maximum structural strength for safe operation. The link mechanism enables reliable transition between these states.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide hole is pre-designed with a specific sliding path that ensures the fastening portion reaches the correct positioned automatically during the folding/unfolding process. This preliminary design of the movement path ensures proper alignment and maintains structural integrity during configuration changes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcing members are added to maintain folded state, then deformation resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing function is merged with the existing link mechanism structure. The guide hole and fastening portion serve dual purposes: enabling configuration changes and providing reinforcement during the folded state, eliminating the need for separate reinforcing members.
Solution Approach 2:
The link mechanism is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple roles: connecting the power portion and front-rear portion, enabling folding/unfolding transitions, guiding alignment through the guide hole, and providing structural reinforcement when folded. This universal design avoids adding separate reinforcing elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle according to the present disclosure is a vehicle body in which at least a power portion on which a power source of a vehicle body is mounted and a front-rear portion to which at least one of a front wheel and a rear wheel is attached are connected via a link mechanism. The vehicle reversibly changes shape to a traveling form in which the power portion and the front-rear portion can travel while maintaining a flat state by sliding the fastening portion along the guide hole, and a transportation form in which the front-rear portion can be transported while maintaining a state in which the front-rear portion is bent toward the power portion with a fold line between the front-rear portion and the power portion.