Pivoting Trailer Tongue Bracket for Compact Garage Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trailer tongues for larger watercraft are excessively long, making them difficult to store in garages due to their fixed length, which prevents compact storage and use.
Innovation Solution
A pivoting joint bracket system that allows for the selective shortening of the trailer tongue by connecting two sections with a 90-degree bend and pivot pins, enabling the trailer to be folded for storage and extended for use, along with the option to secure marine accessories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed-length trailer tongue is used to maintain proper towing distance and balance, then the trailer can be properly balanced and controlled during towing, but the overall length of the trailer becomes excessive and prevents storage within a garage
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer tongue is transformed from a fixed-length structure to a dynamically adjustable structure through the addition of a telescopic mechanism. This mechanism allows the tongue to extend to a longer length during towing operations to maintain proper balance and control, and retract to a shorter length for compact storage within a garage, thereby resolving the contradiction between towing performance and storage convenience
2Volume of moving object
If the trailer tongue length is reduced to enable garage storage, then the trailer becomes more compact and storable, but the ability to maintain proper towing distance and balance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism enables the trailer tongue to dynamically adjust its length based on operational requirements. During storage, the tongue retracts to minimize the trailer's overall length and volume, enabling garage storage. During towing, the tongue extends to the required length to maintain proper balance and control, thus resolving the contradiction between compact storage and towing performance
3Adaptability or versatility
If a telescopic mechanism is added to the trailer tongue to enable length adjustment, then the trailer can be adapted for both storage and towing, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer tongue is divided into multiple segments that can relative move with respect to each other through pivot joints and telescopic mechanisms. This segmentation allows the tongue to change its overall length while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the trailer to adapt between storage and towing configurations without requiring a completely complex redesign of the entire tongue structure
Solution Approach 2:
The addition of telescopic mechanisms and pivot joints transforms the rigid trailer tongue into a dynamic structure capable of length adjustment. While this increases device complexity, it provides the necessary adaptability for the trailer to function effectively in both storage and towing scenarios, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket and method for providing a pivoting joint to a trailer tongue where the bracket has a first surface having a plurality of first apertures therein and a second surface having a plurality of second apertures therein wherein the first surface and the second surface are connected by a 90 degree bend and wherein one or more of the plurality of first apertures are configured to receive a pivot pin therethrough and one or more of the plurality of first apertures are configured to receive a pivot position securing mechanism therethrough and where the bracket can further have a third surface having a plurality of third apertures therein wherein a second 90 degree bend integrally connects the third surface to the second surface and wherein the plurality of third apertures are spaced apart on the third surface to align with one or more of the plurality of first apertures.