Offset Retractable Chocks for Vehicle Immobilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle immobilization systems using wedges fail to reliably secure vehicles due to varying wheel diameters and distances from the loading dock, leading to gaps between wedges and wheels, which can result in safety hazards and structural damage.
Innovation Solution
The system employs two series of retractable wedges aligned parallel to each other with an offset, allowing for a reduced maximum distance between wedges and wheels, ensuring proper contact and increased immobilization reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single series of wedges is used with symmetric arrangement, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of vehicle immobilization deteriorates due to gaps between wedges and wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The single series of wedges is divided into two separate series arranged in parallel. Each series independently provides immobilization coverage, and together they create overlapping zones that eliminate gaps. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity while improving reliability through distributed coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional single-series arrangement to a two-dimensional parallel-series arrangement. By adding the dimension of parallel configuration with offset positioning, the system achieves comprehensive wheel coverage without increasing operational complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the wedge series are arranged symmetrically without offset, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision required increases to ensure proper contact with varying wheel positions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetric offset positioning between the two wedge series relative to the vehicle centerline. This asymmetric arrangement creates staggered wedge positions that naturally accommodate variations in wheel diameter and position, reducing the precision requirements while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the maximum distance between wedge and wheel is reduced through offset arrangement, then the reliability of immobilization is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional wedge series
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges two wedge series into a coordinated system where both series operate together to provide immobilization. The offset arrangement causes the series to work in complementarity, with each series covering zones that the other might miss, thereby improving reliability while keeping the combined system manageable.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6A~6B
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle immobilization device (1) comprising a series of retractable immobilizing chocks (2a) aligned along a longitudinal axis, each movable between a retracted position in the ground and a deployed position in which the chock (2a) forms a stop against which a wheel (R) of a vehicle abuts. The device (1) comprises at least one other series of retractable immobilizing chocks (2b) aligned along an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis, said series of chocks (2a, 2b) being arranged one along the other so that the chocks (2a, 2b) form, in the deployed position, a stop for the wheels (R) on the same side of the vehicle, each chock (2a, 2b) of a series being offset from the chocks (2a, 2b) of the other series(s) in the direction of said longitudinal axis.