Movable Load Carrier Resolving Light Visibility and Tailgate Conflict

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Solution Overview

Problem

Load carriers for motor vehicles often obstruct rear lights, making them invisible and susceptible to damage during vehicle maneuvering, as they project forward and cover the rear light arrangement.

Innovation Solution

A load carrier with a movable carrying arrangement that adjusts between driving and loading positions, allowing the load to remain on the support assembly, with a pivoting tailgate release mechanism and an upper loading level that protrudes to protect the rear lights while maintaining accessibility, and an optional expansion component for increased capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the load carrier projects forward to increase loading capacity, then the loading capacity is improved, but the rear light arrangement becomes obscured and susceptible to damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading capacityVSAvoidrear light visibility and damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support arrangement is made movable relative to the support structure, allowing it to be adjusted between a driving position (retracted) and a loading position (extended). This dynamic adjustment enables the load carrier to project forward when loading is needed while retracting when not in use, thus maintaining rear light visibility and reducing damage risk during normal driving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a temporal dimension to the spatial arrangement by allowing the support arrangement to change its position over time. The support arrangement can be in different positions (retracted or extended) depending on the operational phase, effectively using time as an additional dimension to resolve the conflict between loading capacity and rear light accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If the load carrier is fixed in an extended position to maximize loading space, then the loading capacity is improved, but the tailgate pivoting range is obstructed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading spaceVSAvoidtailgate pivoting range
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support arrangement is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned in an extended state when loading is required and retracted when the tailgate needs to pivot. This dynamic positioning resolves the conflict between maximizing loading space and maintaining tailgate operability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the support arrangement is made movable to improve handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovehandlingVSAvoidmovable mounting mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load carrier system is divided into distinct segments: a fixed support structure and a movable support arrangement. This segmentation allows the support arrangement to be independently adjusted relative to the support structure, enabling improved handling through positional adjustment while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and modular.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP1972500B2Load carrier for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.12.05 WESTFALIA AUTOMOTIVE
  • EP1972500B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1972500B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1972500B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The carrier (10a) has a carrier structure (13) provided with a load to be carried and protruding in a working position of the carrier toward back of a rear end area of a motor vehicle. A lower load section (65) is arranged near a rear end of the vehicle and an upper load section (66) is removed from the rear end of the vehicle, where the lower and upper load sections exhibit same loading capacities. A rear light assembly (70) is arranged at the carrier structure. The rear light assembly is arranged within the upper load section and removed from a free end of the carrier.