Lorry Rear Door Support Frame for Aerodynamic Accessories

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rear doors of trucks and trailers face issues with air resistance, limited mobility due to guide vanes, and the inability to integrate additional features like information, warnings, and accessories without modifying the body structure.

Innovation Solution

A support frame articulated on vertical hinges engages with a groove-shaped recess on the body, allowing for automatic connection and locking, and can be equipped with guide vanes, tarpaulin tension frames, and other accessories without additional components, enhancing usability and reducing air resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If guide vanes are arranged on the vertical side edges of the body to reduce air resistance, then fuel consumption is reduced, but the mobility of the tailgate leaves is significantly obstructed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidmobility of tailgate leaves
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide vane system is segmented into multiple parts: a first guide vane arranged on the body and a second guide vane arranged on the door leaf. This segmentation allows the second guide vane to move with the door leaf, maintaining the aerodynamic function while accommodating door mobility. The guide vanes can be disconnected or adjusted relative to each other, enabling both fuel efficiency and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the rear surfaces of door leaves are used for advertising spaces, then advertising value is increased, but the hinges and fittings make the door leaves de facto unusable for this purpose

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadvertising space utilizationVSAvoidhinges and fittings
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge and fitting components are extracted from the door leaf structure itself and relocated to the body structure. This allows the entire rear surface of the door leaf to be available for advertising purposes, while the functional elements (hinges, fittings) are positioned on the body where they do not interfere with the advertising surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary connection system is introduced where the door leaf connects to the body through a mechanism that allows the hinge and fitting elements to be positioned on the body rather than on the door leaf. This intermediary arrangement preserves the advertising surface integrity while maintaining the necessary mechanical connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional components are added to the body for information carriers, warning notices, lighting devices, and accessories, then functionality is improved, but the body structure requires modifications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctionality of accessoriesVSAvoidbody structure modifications
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door leaf structure is designed with universal mounting capabilities that can accommodate various accessories (information carriers, warning notices, lighting devices, cameras, sensors, ladders) without requiring modifications to the body structure. The door leaf itself becomes the universal mounting platform, allowing different accessories to be attached as needed while keeping the body structure unchanged.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3558731B1Rear door of bodies of lorries or lorry trailers
Publication Date: 2021.12.08 SCHUH RAINER KARL
  • EP3558731B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3558731B1 patent drawingFigure 2~6
  • EP3558731B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

The invention relates to the rear door of bodies (7) of lorries or lorry trailers, with at least one door leaf (4), which is hinged on the body (7) to pivot about at least one vertical door axis (3) provided in the corner region of the body (7). In order to mount accessories, advertising surfaces or lateral air deflectors, the invention proposes that, preferably in the region of the main closing edge of the door leaf (4), a supporting frame (1) is hinged to pivot about a vertical frame axis (5), which supporting frame extends horizontally and substantially as far as the outer wall (10). In this lateral region, the supporting frame has a projection (9) along at least part of its height, which projection engages in a groove-like recess (19) congruent thereto on the body (7) or on a component connected thereto, when the rear door is closed ready for travel.