Lateral Nose Wheel Assembly for Trailer Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nose wheel assemblies for trailers, particularly those over hundreds of kilograms, face difficulties in maneuverability on unmetalled surfaces due to their small dimensions, leading to digging in and potential damage from increased load on movers when stuck, especially in scenarios like moving caravans on camping sites.
Innovation Solution
The nose wheel is repositioned laterally next to the support tube lips, allowing for larger diameter and/or width wheels, and can be easily removed from the shaft, enabling improved driving properties and increased ground clearance by using a telescopic attachment mechanism and pneumatic tires, with locking configurations like bayonet fittings or pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the nose wheel is positioned between the lips in the usual location, then the structure is simple and compact, but the driving characteristics are poor and the wheel digs into soft surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The nose wheel is relocated from the conventional position between the lips to a lateral position beside the lips. This spatial reconfiguration allows the wheel to be positioned in a previously unused dimension, improving ground contact and driving characteristics without interfering with the pole's vertical movement between coupled and uncoupled positions.
2Area of stationary object
If the nose wheel has small dimensions to fit between the lips, then the structure is compact, but the contact area with the ground is small causing the wheel to dig in on unmetalled surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the spatial parameters of the nose wheel assembly - specifically relocating the wheel laterally beside the lips rather than between them - the patent enables the use of larger diameter wheels. This parameter change increases the ground contact area and improves maneuverability on unmetalled surfaces while maintaining structural compactness through the lateral configuration.
3Ease of operation
If the nose wheel is positioned between the lips, then the shaft structure is simple, but the wheel interferes with the pole when the trailer is coupled to the pulling vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The nose wheel is extracted from its conventional position between the lips and relocated to a lateral position beside the lips. This extraction eliminates the interference problem with the pole during coupling operations, as the wheel no longer occupies the space through which the pole must move between coupled and uncoupled positions.
4Reliability
If the nose wheel is stuck on unmetalled surfaces, then the trailer cannot be moved, but the increased load may damage the wheel or mover
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the critical parameter of wheel size by enabling the use of larger diameter wheels through lateral positioning. This parameter change increases the ground contact area and improves traction on soft surfaces, reducing the risk of the wheel digging in and becoming stuck, thereby preventing damage to the wheel or mover while maintaining displacement capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Nose wheel assembly and trailer provided with such an assembly. In order to improve the driving properties of the trailer when it is uncoupled from the pulling vehicle, a nose wheel assembly is proposed which uses relatively large nose wheels. Preferably, wheels with pneumatic tyres are used. In order to prevent problems of contact of the nose wheel in the non-operational position, that is to say in the position in which the trailer is pulled by a pulling vehicle, it is proposed that the nose wheel should be easily removable from the nose wheel construction. This is achieved by displacing the nose wheel with respect to the lips between which a conventional nose wheel is accommodated to the outer side. This is achieved by extending the shaft on which a customary nose wheel is fitted. Simple removal can be achieved by means of a pin-hole construction.