Partitioned Liquid Trailer Tank for Stable Tongue Weight on Slopes

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing trailers for transporting and applying manure or sewage sludge lack a mechanism to maintain a stable support load during uphill driving, as the liquid shifts and reduces the weight distribution, leading to instability on slopes.

Innovation Solution

A trailer design with a partitioned tank that allows for separate front and rear tank volumes, equipped with adjustable flow openings and a retrofitting cover system to ensure the rear volume is emptied first, maintaining weight distribution and stability by allowing the front volume to support the trailer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the tank is divided into separate front and rear volumes with a partition wall, then the tongue weight can be maintained during uphill driving, but the device complexity increases due to the additional partition structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability on slopesVSAvoidpartition wall structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tank is divided into a front tank volume and a rear tank volume by a partition wall. This segmentation allows the liquid to be distributed between the two volumes, ensuring that sufficient weight remains in the front volume to maintain tongue weight during uphill driving, thereby resolving the stability issue on slopes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the partition wall includes flow openings, then liquid can be freely exchanged between volumes during transport, but the ability to maintain weight distribution is reduced when the openings are open

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid exchangeVSAvoidweight distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall incorporates flow openings that can be dynamically opened or closed depending on operational requirements. When opened, they allow free liquid exchange between volumes during transport; when closed, they enable separate emptying of the rear volume to maintain weight distribution during application, providing operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flow openings in the partition wall can be opened or closed to change the operational state of the system. When closed, the parameter of liquid flow between volumes is changed to zero, allowing independent management of front and rear tank volumes to maintain weight distribution during uphill driving or application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the rear tank volume is emptied first during application, then tongue weight is maintained, but the ease of emptying becomes more complex with separate volume management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetongue weight maintenanceVSAvoidemptying process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tank is segmented into front and rear volumes with separate outlets, allowing the rear volume to be emptied first through its dedicated outlet. This segmentation simplifies the emptying process by providing independent access to each volume, making it easier to control the sequence of emptying to maintain tongue weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall with flow openings acts as an intermediary structure that enables separate management of the front and rear tank volumes. It provides the mechanical interface for selective emptying while maintaining the ability to allow liquid exchange when needed, facilitating controlled weight distribution during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3970468B1Trailer for transporting liquids
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 ROHREN & PUMPENWERK BAUER GMBH
  • EP3970468B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3970468B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3970468B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a trailer (1) for transporting liquids, in particular slurry, comprising a tank (2) with a front end wall (3), a rear end wall (4) and a shell surface (5) connecting the two end walls (3, 4), a partition wall (12) arranged in the tank (2) for dividing the tank (2) into a front tank volume (13) and a rear tank volume (14), and at least one flow opening (15) in the partition wall (12) for a free exchange of the liquid between the two tank volumes (13, 14), wherein a fastening arrangement (16) for retrofitting a cover (101) closing the flow opening (15) is formed on the circumference of the flow opening (15).