Motorcycle Carrier Lifting Mechanism with Nested Locking

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motorcycle carriers typically only lift the front wheel of a motorcycle, lacking a mechanism to safely lift the entire vehicle and prevent unintentional lowering during transport.

Innovation Solution

A motorcycle carrier device with a hitch tube, upright member, elevator, and locking mechanism that allows the entire motorcycle to be lifted and locked in a raised position, using a jackscrew lifting mechanism and a locking bar to secure the lift, ensuring safety and stability during transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire motorcycle is lifted from the ground, then safety and stability during transport are improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for a locking mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during transportVSAvoidlocking mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking bar is nested within the locking tube, with the locking bar sliding through the locking tube to engage with the hitch tube. This nested configuration allows the locking mechanism to be compact and integrated into the existing structure without adding excessive complexity, while still providing the safety function of preventing unintentional lowering during transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting mechanism raises the motorcycle mounting platform to the raised position before the locking bar is engaged. This preliminary action ensures the motorcycle is securely positioned before the locking mechanism activates, providing a two-stage safety approach that improves reliability while maintaining manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a locking bar is added to prevent unintentional lowering, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of unintentional loweringVSAvoidlocking mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking bar is nested within the locking tube, with the locking bar sliding through the locking tube to engage with the hitch tube. This nested configuration allows the locking mechanism to be compact and integrated into the existing structure without adding excessive complexity, while still providing the safety function of preventing unintentional lowering during transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking tube acts as an intermediary component between the locking bar and the hitch tube. It provides a controlled interface for the locking bar to engage with the hitch tube, mediating the locking action and simplifying the overall mechanism while improving reliability through the added safety feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the motorcycle mounting platform is raised completely from the ground, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental dropping increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloading and unloadingVSAvoidrisk of accidental dropping

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting mechanism raises the motorcycle mounting platform to the raised position before the locking bar is engaged. This preliminary action ensures the motorcycle is securely positioned before the locking mechanism activates, providing a two-stage safety approach that improves reliability while maintaining manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The locking bar is positioned to prevent the reverse action of lowering before the lifting action is complete. By having the locking mechanism ready to engage at the raised position, the system applies preliminary anti-action to counteract any potential accidental lowering, thus preventing the harmful effect while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 the safe and secure lifting of the entire motorcycle, preventing unintentional lowering and providing a quick, easy-to-use solution for transporting motorcycles behind a vehicle.

Implementation Method 1

an elevator having a lifting mechanism is provided for selectively raising and lowering upon the elevator with respect to the upright member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Implementation Method 2

a locking bar is positioned through the locking tube and into the hitch tube, to lock the motorcycle mounting platform in the raised position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical locking: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentUS10266123B1Motorcycle carrier device

Publication Date: 2019.04.23 FAYNOR PAUL M

AI summary

A motorcycle carrier device has a hitch tube having a hitch element for insertion into a trailer hitch of a vehicle. An upright member is affixed to the hitch tube, and an elevator having a lifting mechanism is provided for selectively raising and lowering upon the elevator with respect to the upright member. A motorcycle mounting platform is attached to the elevator so that it is raised and lowered between a raised position and a lowered position. A locking tube is provided so that when the motorcycle mounting platform is in the raised position, a locking bar is positioned through the locking tube and into the hitch tube, to lock the motorcycle mounting platform in the raised position.