Modular Home Trailer Loading Layout for Crane-Free Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current modular housing manufacturers face challenges in transporting modular homes to their final destination due to the need for separate trucks and cranes for assembly, which is costly and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A system that divides a modular home into unique portions, allowing them to be transported on a single trailer bed, and uses robotic crawlers and linear actuators to assemble and lift the modular home without the need for cranes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If modular homes are transported on separate trucks and assembled using cranes, then complete modular homes can be delivered to the final destination, but transportation costs increase and manual labor is required
Solution Approach 1:
The modular home is divided into multiple sections that can be transported separately on a single trailer bed in longitudinal and transverse positions, eliminating the need for multiple trucks and reducing transportation complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The modular home sections are equipped with hinges and coupling mechanisms that enable automatic assembly when brought together at the destination, eliminating the need for external cranes and manual labor
2Productivity
If modular home sections are positioned longitudinally and transversely on the trailer bed, then traffic laws are adhered to and transportation is efficient, but complex positioning mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer bed is designed with movable and adjustable mechanisms that allow modular home sections to be dynamically repositioned between longitudinal and transverse orientations during loading and unloading, enabling efficient space utilization without complex fixed positioning structures
3Extent of automation
If hinges are used to fold housing portions together, then assembly is automated and labor costs are reduced, but precise alignment mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanisms incorporate alignment sensors and control systems that provide real-time feedback during the assembly process, automatically adjusting the positioning of modular home sections to ensure precise alignment before coupling, thereby achieving automation without sacrificing precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective transportation and assembly of modular homes, reducing labor costs and minimizing the need for manual intervention, while adhering to traffic laws and allowing for precise placement at the building site.
Implementation Method 1
extending a plurality of linear actuators coupled to overhanging portions of a modular structure positioned on a bed of a trailer until the linear actuators engage the ground and lift the modular structure off of the trailer
Implementation Method 2
one or more crawlers to move the modular structure to an installation location
Implementation Method 3
retracting the plurality of linear actuators to lower the modular structure such that a lower surface of the modular structure rests on and is supported by a platform positioned on each of the one or more crawlers
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer configured to transport a load includes a bed including an upper surface configured to support the load, a first rotation pin configured to move along a slot in the bed, a second rotation pin coupled to the bed, and a winch assembly positioned in the slot and coupled to the first rotation pin by a first rope. The winch assembly is configured to pull the first rotation pin toward the second rotation pin.