Keyhole Holding Device for Refrigerated Vehicle Cooling Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing holding devices for cooling units in refrigerated vehicles are difficult to assemble and prone to detachment due to the weight of the refrigeration units, leading to increased assembly effort and risk of cover layers detaching from the core layer.

Innovation Solution

A holding device with parallel profile rails and keyhole-shaped openings that allow for separate assembly steps, enabling the cooling unit to be pre-positioned and fixed using a holding means that penetrates through the passage area and is secured in the fixing area, simplifying installation and alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mounting devices are integrated into wall panels with threaded sleeves accessible through openings, then cooling units can be attached to the vehicle body, but the unit's weight and operational forces increase stress on surface layers, raising the risk of detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidsurface layer strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting device is extracted from the wall panel integration and implemented as separate profile rails that are mounted on the surface of the wall panel. This removes the mounting mechanism from the core layer structure, preventing stress concentration on the surface layers while maintaining secure attachment capability for the cooling unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system is segmented into separate profile rails that can be independently mounted and adjusted. The profile rails are positioned at the edges of the wall panel, distributing the mechanical stress away from the central surface layers and reducing the risk of detachment while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If cooling units are installed with integrated mounting devices in wall panels, then the cooling units can be secured to the vehicle body, but the installation process becomes more complex requiring simultaneous positioning and securing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting securityVSAvoidinstallation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The profile rails are pre-mounted on the wall panel surface before the cooling unit is installed. This preliminary positioning of the mounting structure allows the cooling unit to be simply placed onto the pre-positioned rails and secured, eliminating the need for complex simultaneous positioning and fastening operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The profile rails serve as an intermediary mounting structure between the wall panel and the cooling unit. This intermediate element simplifies the installation process by providing a pre-fabricated mounting framework that facilitates easy attachment of the cooling unit without requiring complex integration with the wall panel itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If cooling units are mounted directly to wall panels with integrated mounting devices, then the cooling units can be secured, but handling and assembly during installation becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting securityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting function is extracted from the wall panel and implemented as separate profile rails. This separation reduces the complexity of the overall assembly by allowing the mounting structure to be independently fabricated and installed, simplifying both the wall panel design and the cooling unit installation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system is segmented into modular profile rails that can be independently manufactured and installed. This segmentation reduces assembly complexity by allowing the mounting structure to be prepared separately and then simply attached to the wall panel, followed by straightforward installation of the cooling unit onto the pre-positioned rails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4173933A1Holding device, insulation panel with a holding device, vehicle body, in particular a refrigerated vehicle body, use of such a holding device
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 KOEGEL TRAILER GMBH
  • EP4173933A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4173933A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4173933A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a holding device (10) for a cooling unit of a vehicle body (20), which has at least two parallel profile rails (11) arranged on a common plane and spaced apart from each other, wherein the profile rails (11) each have at least one channel (12) and at least one support element (13) for the cooling unit, which is arranged on the channel (12), wherein the support element (13) has at least one opening (14) opening into the channel (12) with a passage area (15) and a fixing area (16) for a holding means (17) of the cooling unit, wherein the opening (14) is keyhole-shaped.