Pivotable Rear Portal Beam for Commercial Vehicle Deck
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body designs for commercial vehicles with lifting roofs face challenges in securely locking the roof at different heights, ensuring a solid and ergonomic locking mechanism, maintaining a seal against dust and moisture, and allowing unrestricted loading and unloading from the rear portal side, especially when the roof is raised.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a rear portal beam that can pivot and fold, serving as a door stop, body seal, and door lock, with locking receptacles arranged one above the other, and power lifts for corner posts that adjust the roof height in increments, allowing for easy adjustment and secure locking, while maintaining a seal and preventing moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the lifting roof is raised to increase loading space height, then the loading space height is improved, but the complexity of locking mechanisms and adjustment effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portal beam is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to pivot between a lowered position (when roof is raised) and a raised position (when roof is at standard height). This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for complex locking mechanisms at multiple fixed heights, as the beam automatically adjusts to maintain structural integrity and sealing regardless of roof position.
Solution Approach 2:
The portal beam serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural support element, a sealing barrier against dust and moisture, a door stop, and a locking mechanism through its pivotable connection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the portal beam is fixed to maintain structural integrity, then the structural stability is improved, but the loading and unloading access is restricted when the roof is raised
Solution Approach 1:
The portal beam's pivotable connection allows it to dynamically change its position and orientation. When the roof is raised, the beam pivots to a lowered position that clears the increased height, providing full loading access. When the roof is at standard height, the beam returns to its raised position to maintain optimal structural stability. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between fixed structural integrity and adaptive loading access.
3Ease of operation
If the portal beam is designed to pivot for loading access, then the loading access is improved, but the sealing against dust and moisture becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is designed to dynamically adapt to the portal beam's pivotable movement. The sealing elements are positioned and dimensioned to maintain continuous contact with the beam throughout its entire range of motion, ensuring that the sealing function is maintained regardless of the beam's position. This dynamic sealing approach preserves reliability while allowing the beam to pivot for loading access.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple locking positions are provided for different roof heights, then the adaptability to different heights is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple fixed locking positions for different roof heights, the invention uses a single dynamic locking mechanism - the pivotable portal beam - that automatically adapts to any roof height. The beam's ability to pivot allows it to maintain structural integrity and provide sealing at any height position, eliminating the need for multiple discrete locking positions and the complexity associated with them.
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
This solution enables the vehicle body to be adjusted to different heights with minimal effort, ensuring secure locking and sealing, and allows for unrestricted loading and unloading, maintaining a dust- and moisture-proof interior, while accommodating varying height requirements across different regions.
Implementation Method 1
The portal beam can be folded up using two gas pressure springs
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
The vehicle bodywork has a front wall and door elements having rear wall and side panels extending between a front wall and the rear wall. A portal bar (10) is tilted around a horizontal axle defined at the vehicle bodywork and is movable with the rear corner platform in different elevator positions and is supported in its back pivoted initial position directly behind the inner side of a wing (8,9).