Integrated Ground Pad Alignment for Faster Outrigger Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional outrigger systems for vehicles, such as fire apparatuses, require manual setup of ground pads, which are bulky and heavy, leading to time-consuming deployment and potential non-compliance with regulations, especially in emergency situations, due to the challenges of aligning and placing them correctly.
Innovation Solution
An integrated stabilizer system with an actuator assembly that couples a ground pad to the vehicle chassis, allowing it to rotate and align automatically with the outrigger, reducing setup time and facilitating easier deployment by spreading the weight over a larger area to prevent ground damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ground pads are made separate from outriggers to facilitate storage and placement around obstacles, then adaptability and storage are improved, but deployment time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ground pad is integrated with the outrigger foot to form a single unified component. The pad is attached to the foot such that when the outrigger deploys, the pad automatically positions itself on the ground without requiring separate manual placement. This merging eliminates the time-consuming step of separately handling and positioning ground pads while maintaining the ability to operate around obstacles.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground pad is pre-positioned and attached to the outrigger foot in advance, so that when the outrigger is deployed, the pad is already in the correct position and orientation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for operators to manually place and align separate pads during emergency deployment, significantly reducing setup time.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ground pads are made larger to spread weight and prevent ground damage, then ground protection is improved, but storage space requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ground pad is combined with the outrigger foot into a single integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate storage of large ground pads, as the pad travels compactly attached to the outrigger. When deployed, the pad provides its full large surface area for weight distribution and ground protection, resolving the contradiction between pad size and storage requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual placement of ground pads is required for proper alignment, then placement precision can be achieved, but deployment speed and ease of operation decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The ground pad is permanently attached to the outrigger foot with fixed alignment features. This integration ensures that the pad maintains precise alignment with the outrigger during deployment, eliminating the need for manual alignment operations. The pad automatically positions itself correctly when the outrigger is extended, achieving both precision and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated ground pad system is self-aligning during outrigger deployment. The pad's attachment features and geometry are designed to automatically orient the pad correctly on the ground as the outrigger extends, without requiring operator intervention for alignment. This self-service mechanism maintains precision while dramatically simplifying the deployment process.
Data Source
AI summary
A stabilizer for a vehicle includes an actuator assembly configured to be coupled to a chassis of the vehicle and configured to lift the vehicle. The actuator assembly is coupled to a ground pad having a bottom surface configured to engage a support surface below the chassis when the actuator assembly lifts the vehicle. An alignment member is configured to be coupled the chassis. The alignment member is configured to limit rotation of the ground pad. The actuator assembly is configured to move a surface of the ground pad into engagement with the alignment member to cause rotation of the ground pad relative to the chassis.