Modular Trailer Chassis with Lift Mechanism and Twist Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional utility trailers are inflexible, heavy, and inefficient, making them unsuitable for transporting certain types of cargo like kayaks and motorcycles, and they often occupy valuable space when not in use, leading to decreased aesthetics and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A configurable minimalist trailer system featuring a chassis with removably attached sections, a single wheel assembly with a lift mechanism for height adjustment, and a twist compensation mechanism to stabilize against torsional twist, along with accessory attachments for various applications, allowing for easy reconfiguration, storage, and loading/unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a flat deck with side rails or walls is used in conventional trailers, then cargo containment is improved, but weight and wind drag increase resulting in decreased fuel economy
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer deck is segmented into a modular system with a collapsible frame structure that can be divided into multiple sections. This allows the trailer to maintain cargo containment when needed while collapsing to a minimal profile for storage, reducing the effective weight and drag during non-use periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The side rails and walls are designed as collapsible or removable components rather than fixed structures. This dynamic design allows the trailer to transition between a contained state for cargo transport and a minimized state for storage, eliminating the need to carry unnecessary structural weight during storage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional utility trailers are designed for general use, then versatility is improved, but they occupy valuable space when not in use and decrease aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer is divided into collapsible sections that can be folded or disassembled into a compact configuration for storage. This segmentation allows the trailer to maintain full functionality when deployed while occupying minimal space during storage periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible frame structure allows components to nest within each other when folded, similar to a nested doll configuration. This nesting capability enables the trailer to reduce its footprint dramatically for storage while maintaining its full size and functionality when in use.
3Ease of operation
If a single wheel assembly with lift mechanism is used, then ease of loading and storage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lift mechanism is designed to be manually operated by the user without requiring external power sources or complex control systems. This self-service approach simplifies the overall device complexity while still providing the necessary lifting functionality for easy loading and storage positioning.
4Adaptability or versatility
If removably attached chassis sections are used, then reconfigurability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis is divided into standardized modular sections with uniform connection interfaces. This segmentation enables different configurations to be assembled from the same basic components, improving reconfigurability while actually simplifying manufacturing through component standardization and reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable chassis sections are designed with universal connection points and standardized dimensions that can accommodate various cargo types and configurations. This universality allows the same components to serve multiple functions across different trailer configurations, reducing the total number of unique parts that need to be manufactured.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer system includes a chassis defining an axis and having a first section and a second section removably attached to the first section. A wheel assembly is attached to the first section that includes a single wheel and a lift mechanism arranged to raise and lower the chassis relative to the single wheel.