Pinless Reel Trailer Locking With Visual Securement Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reel trailer systems using pins for securing cable reels are prone to safety hazards due to improper locking, potential pin loss, and lack of visual indicators for securement, posing risks to users and others.
Innovation Solution
A pinless reel trailer with a locking mechanism featuring a plunger shaft and guard member that provides visual indicators for locked and unlocked states, ensuring securement and safety through mechanical automation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pins are used to secure the rack assembly to the frame, then the reel can be secured to the trailer, but safety hazards arise from improper locking, potential pin loss, and lack of visual indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pin component entirely from the system, replacing it with a pinless locking mechanism that uses a cam and latch system to secure the reel. This extraction eliminates the harmful effects associated with pins (loss, improper insertion, falling pins) while maintaining the securing function through a more reliable mechanical engagement system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates visual indicators (flags or windows) that provide immediate feedback to the operator about the locking status of the reel. When the reel is properly secured, the indicator displays a specific visual state (e.g., green flag visible, or aligned window), eliminating uncertainty and ensuring the operator can confirm proper securement without physical inspection.
2Reliability
If manual checking of reel securement is performed by applying force to the rack assembly, then the user can verify locking, but the process is cumbersome and can cause injury to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The visual indicator system provides automatic feedback about the locking status, eliminating the need for manual force application to verify securement. The operator can simply observe the visual indicator to confirm proper locking, making the verification process safe, quick, and error-free.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-verifying through the visual indicator system. The mechanism itself provides the information about its own locking status without requiring external verification actions from the user, making the system self-sufficient and user-friendly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a pinless locking mechanism with visual indicators is implemented, then safety hazards are eliminated and visual feedback is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components: the cam mechanism serves both as the locking actuator and as part of the visual indicator system. The latch structure integrates the locking engagement and the visual feedback display. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed compared to a pin system with separate indicators, offsets, and retaining mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
In an exemplary embodiment, a pinless reel trailer is provided. The pinless reel trailer includes a pair of frames, each frame for supporting a corresponding portion of a rack of a rack assembly movable along the respective frame, each rack portion having a protrusion extending outwardly from a surface of the rack portion for supporting a reel, and a locking mechanism attached to each of the frames for locking in place the rack portion carrying the reel, the locking mechanism includes a plunger shaft that engages a portion of the rack portion to lock/unlock the plunger shaft against the rack portion, the plunger shaft being surrounded by a guard member that includes an opening In a first position, the plunger shaft is configured to be slidable to display a first indicator that is viewed through the opening of the guard member, indicating a locked state. In a second position, the plunger shaft is configured to be slidable to display a second indicator that is viewed outside of the guard member, indicating an unlocked state.