Pivotable Roller-Drawbar for Safe Vehicle Towing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Repo drivers face challenges and safety risks when repossessing vehicles, particularly when they are tightly parallel parked, as existing towing methods require time-consuming and labor-intensive procedures that can damage the vehicle's drivetrain and pose risks to the driver.
Innovation Solution
A pivotable roller-drawbar with rollers is designed to be removably attached to a tow truck, allowing for the secure lifting and rotation of a vehicle's drive wheels, enabling quick and safe repossession without damaging adjacent vehicles or the drivetrain, and can be easily deployed and hidden for stealthy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flatbed trailer is used to haul the vehicle, then transmission damage is prevented, but the complexity of the operation increases and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The towing operation is segmented into two independent functions: wheel lifting (performed by the drawbar arms) and wheel rotation (performed by the rollers). This segmentation allows the system to achieve flatbed-level transmission protection without requiring the complexity of a full flatbed trailer, as each function is handled by a dedicated simple component.
Solution Approach 2:
The rollers act as an intermediary between the lifted drive wheels and the ground. Instead of the wheels rolling on the ground (which damages the transmission) or requiring a complex flatbed system, the rollers provide a simple intermediate surface that allows wheel rotation while preventing drivetrain damage.
2Reliability
If tow dollies are used to lock onto drive wheels, then transmission damage is prevented, but the time required for positioning and securing the wheels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rollers are designed to automatically engage with the drive wheels once the drawbar is positioned underneath the vehicle. The rollers self-position between the wheel and the drawbar arm, eliminating the need for operators to manually lock wheels onto dollies or perform complex securing operations, thus dramatically reducing positioning time.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawbar is designed with pre-positioned rollers that are already in place before the vehicle is approached. The entire wheel-lifting and wheel-rotating mechanism is pre-assembled and ready for immediate deployment, eliminating the time required to assemble or position separate dolly components.
3Reliability
If the drive wheels are locked onto the tow dolly's tray, then transmission damage is prevented, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of transmission protection from the complex dolly system. Instead of using a complete dolly with tray, locking mechanisms, and securing systems, only the critical wheel-lifting and wheel-rotation functions are retained through the simple drawbar with rollers configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The rollers are strategically placed only at the points of contact with the drive wheels, providing transmission protection precisely where needed. The rest of the drawbar structure maintains simple, minimal complexity, applying the principle of local quality by concentrating functional elements only where required for protection.
4Productivity
If repo drivers use traditional towing methods, then vehicles can be repossessed, but the risk to drivers increases due to time exposure and potential confrontation
Solution Approach 1:
The roller-drawbar system enables repo drivers to rapidly complete the towing operation by simultaneously achieving wheel lift and wheel rotation in a single deployed unit. The quick engagement and immediate functionality allow drivers to complete repossession faster, reducing exposure time to potential hazards and enabling quicker withdrawal from confrontational situations.
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
The roller-drawbar allows for rapid and safe towing of vehicles, minimizing time and risk to repo drivers while protecting the drivetrain, and can be used to quickly remove vehicles from tight parking spaces without damaging nearby vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
each of said L-shaped arms and each end of said main bar is fitted with a roller providing for the drive wheels of a vehicle being towed to continue to rotate
Data Source
AI summary
A roller-drawbar raises and supports drive wheels of a vehicle being towed off of the ground surface while rollers fitted onto each lifting and supporting drawbar arm causes the drive wheels to rotate while being towed preventing damage to the vehicle's drivetrain during the towing process is taught. The inventive principles include a pivotable roller-drawbar designed so that a wrecker can back-up to a vehicle to be repossessed and easily and rapidly position the roller-drawbar under the vehicle to securely lift and support its drive wheels. Relying on the pivotability of the roller-drawbar, the vehicle to be repossessed can be removed from its parking space even if the vehicle is parallel parked tightly between two other vehicles without damaging any vehicles parked close-by and towed to a safer location in just a couple of minutes without any damage to the repossessed vehicle or its drivetrain.