Semi-Trailer Landing Gear Coupling for Powered Jacking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semi-tractor trailer landing gear jacks require significant manual effort and time for operation, and powered solutions often involve complex modifications or loss of manual crank arms during transport.
Innovation Solution
A modular apparatus and method that allows for both manual and powered operation of the landing gear jack, using a cylindrical shaft with a drive post to engage with a manual crank arm and a hand-held rotary drive unit, with an idler sleeve and tether to secure the crank arm and prevent loss during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual crank operation is used, then the landing gear can be raised and lowered, but it requires significant operator effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical crank operation with a powered system using a hand-held rotary drive unit (power tool) that attaches to the jack mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for manual cranking while maintaining the mechanical lifting function, thereby reducing operator effort and time requirements.
2Extent of automation
If the manual crank arm is removed for powered operation, then powered lifting is achieved, but the crank arm may be inadvertently lost during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operation into distinct modes: the manual crank arm remains attached to the landing gear for transport and storage, while a separate hand-held rotary drive unit is attached to the jack mechanism only when powered operation is needed. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific function without being permanently coupled, preventing loss while enabling automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary coupling mechanism that allows the hand-held rotary drive unit to temporarily connect to the jack mechanism's drive post. This intermediary connection enables powered operation without permanently removing or detaching the manual crank arm, thus maintaining crank arm retention while achieving automation during operation.
3Extent of automation
If mechanical gearboxes and hydraulics are added for powered operation, then power lifting is achieved, but the device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the hand-held rotary drive unit a universal tool that can be applied to the landing gear jack mechanism without requiring permanent modifications. The same power tool can be used for different landing gear systems, and the coupling mechanism is designed to work with standard jack components, thereby achieving automation without increasing the inherent complexity of the jack mechanism itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A powered jacking mechanism for semi-trailer landing gear is disclosed. The mechanism includes a coupling for attachment to an operating rod of a semi-tractor trailer landing gear jack. The coupling includes an idler sleeve for retaining the manual jack handle with the trailer during powered operation of the jack. The coupling includes a modified drive socket for selective coupling with either a drive end of the manual jack handle and a drive bit coupled to a rotary drive unit. In preferred embodiments, the rotary drive unit is a cordless screwdriver.