Modular Home Trailer Rotation System for Crane-Free Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current modular housing manufacturers face challenges in transporting modular homes to their final destination due to the need for separate trailers and cranes, which are costly and labor-intensive, and often require manual handling and alignment of modules.
Innovation Solution
A system that divides a modular home into unique portions, allowing them to be transported on a single trailer bed, where robotic crawlers and actuators rotate and fold the portions together upon arrival, enabling crane-free assembly and placement without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If modular homes are transported using separate trailers and cranes, then each module can be transported independently, but transportation costs increase and manual labor is required
Solution Approach 1:
The modular home is divided into two portions that can be rotated independently on the trailer bed. Each portion can be positioned and transported separately, then assembled at the destination without requiring external cranes or additional trailers.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer bed is designed with rotating mechanisms that allow the housing portions to be dynamically repositioned during transport. The portions can be rotated from a longitudinal arrangement to a transverse arrangement, enabling self-adjustment without external equipment.
2Ease of manufacture
If modular homes are assembled using cranes, then modules can be lifted and positioned, but the cost increases and the homes become permanent fixtures at the off-loading site
Solution Approach 1:
The modular home portions are equipped with self-contained rotating and positioning mechanisms that allow them to be assembled without external cranes. The system performs its own assembly operation by rotating the portions into position and securing them together at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing portions are pre-positioned in a longitudinal arrangement on the trailer for transport, then automatically rotated into the final transverse arrangement at the destination. This preliminary positioning enables seamless transition from transport to assembly without requiring external lifting equipment.
3Productivity
If multiple separate trailers are used to transport modular modules, then each module can be delivered independently, but transportation efficiency decreases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Two housing portions that would traditionally require separate trailers are combined on a single trailer bed in a longitudinal arrangement. This merging allows both portions to be transported simultaneously, improving efficiency while maintaining the ability to separate and position them independently at the destination through rotation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of unloading a modular home from a trailer includes positioning a modular home on a trailer bed. The modular home includes a first housing portion having a first vertical edge coupled to a second vertical edge of a second housing portion by a hinge, and the first and second housing portions are arranged longitudinally on the trailer. The method further includes rotating the first and second housing portions about the hinge such that the first and second housing portions overhang from the sides of the bed, forming first and second overhanging portions. The method further includes coupling at least one of (1) a first horizontal edge of the first housing portion to a second horizontal edge of the second housing portion, or (2) a third vertical edge of the first housing portion to a fourth vertical edge of the second housing portion upon completion of the rotating.