Modular Utility Trailer Assembly with Actuated Axles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trailer solutions for the vendor and craft service industry are cumbersome, fuel-inefficient, and require excessive time and cost for transportation between locations, as they either rely on personal vehicles for loading/unloading or large, enclosed trailers that are difficult to maneuver and inefficient to move.
Innovation Solution
A trailer assembly with a hitch assembly, swivel plates, inner and outer modules, and actuated axle assemblies that allow for a utility position for easy access and a tow position for efficient transportation, featuring pivotable and actuated components for reduced setup and teardown time, and enhanced mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large enclosed trailers are used for transporting goods and equipment, then cargo capacity is improved, but maneuverability and fuel efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer is divided into multiple detachable modules (head module, cargo module, equipment module) that can be separated and reconfigured. This segmentation allows the trailer to be broken into smaller, more maneuverable units when needed, while still providing large cargo capacity when modules are connected, thus resolving the contradiction between cargo capacity and maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer system incorporates dynamic reconfiguration capability through detachable couplings and movable components. The modules can be quickly assembled and disassembled based on operational requirements, allowing the trailer to transition between a large enclosed configuration for maximum cargo capacity and a detached configuration for improved maneuverability in tight locations.
2Quantity of substance
If large enclosed trailers are used for transporting goods and equipment, then cargo capacity is improved, but fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the trailer into detachable modules, the system allows only the necessary portions to be transported at any given time. This reduces the total weight and drag during transit, improving fuel efficiency while maintaining the capability to provide large cargo capacity when all modules are assembled and needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables partial deployment of the trailer system - only transporting the modules currently needed for the task at hand. This avoids the energy waste of moving empty or unnecessary trailer sections, thereby improving fuel efficiency while still providing adequate cargo capacity for each specific mission.
3Ease of operation
If personal vehicles are used for loading and unloading, then maneuverability is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer modules are designed with self-contained features including integrated loading mechanisms and easy-access compartments that allow rapid loading and unloading without requiring multiple trips back to a personal vehicle. The modules can be quickly deployed and serviced at the destination, reducing time consumption while maintaining the maneuverability benefits of smaller vehicle-sized units.
4Quantity of substance
If large enclosed trailers are used, then cargo capacity is improved, but setup and teardown time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented modular design with standardized detachable couplings enables rapid assembly and disassembly. Each module is independently manageable, allowing setup and teardown operations to be performed quickly by smaller teams without requiring complex manipulation of a single large enclosed structure, thus reducing setup and teardown time while maintaining cargo capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The modules are pre-configured with standardized interfaces and coupling mechanisms that facilitate quick connection and disconnection. This preliminary preparation of the modular components allows for rapid setup and teardown operations, reducing the time required to assemble and disassemble the trailer system while still providing the cargo capacity of a large enclosed trailer when fully assembled.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a utility trailer assembly capable of transitioning between a towing position and a utility position. The tow position allows for efficient transportation of the utility trailer assembly to and from various locations. In the utility position, the utility trailer assembly provides access to a plurality of storage and multi-use areas and compartments.