Rear-Stiffness Trailer Layout for Rearward Amplification Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combination vehicles, particularly those with multiple towed units, suffer from instability due to rearward amplification and oscillating forces during lateral movements, which are exacerbated by the placement of the center of gravity relative to the axles and the use of electric trailers.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle is configured with components having increasing stiffness values towards the rear along the longitudinal axis, including tires, mechanical connections, and self-steered wheels, to absorb oscillating motions and maintain stability during lateral movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the center of gravity of the trailer is moved towards the rear to improve stability, then the trailer becomes more unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the stiffness characteristics of tires across different locations on the trailer. Specifically, the rear tires are configured with higher stiffness values than the front tires, creating a non-uniform stiffness distribution that counteracts rearward amplification while maintaining overall stability. This localized modification of tire properties allows the system to address specific instability issues without compromising general stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the stiffness parameter of the tires, particularly the rear tires, to have higher values than standard configuration. This parameter modification directly affects the lateral force characteristics and oscillation behavior of the trailer, reducing the harmful rearward amplification effect while preserving stability benefits.
2Productivity
If more towed units are added to increase transport capacity, then the vehicle becomes more unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the local quality principle to multi-unit configurations by applying differential stiffness characteristics to each towed unit. Each trailer or towed unit is configured with rear tires having higher stiffness than front tires, creating a consistent pattern across multiple units that collectively reduces instability while maintaining high transport capacity through the ability to accommodate multiple units.
3Weight of moving object
If electric trailers are used to reduce weight on tractor, then the vehicle becomes more unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the stability issues of electric trailers by applying local quality through differential tire stiffness configuration. The rear tires of electric trailers are configured with higher stiffness values than front tires, which compensates for the weight redistribution and maintains stability characteristics despite the reduced weight on the tractor and changed center of gravity position.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle has a towing unit and one or more towed units extending along a longitudinal axis. The vehicle is arranged with components associated with respective stiffness values affecting lateral forces applied to the vehicle as the vehicle is moving laterally. The vehicle is configured such that the components are arranged along the longitudinal axis to have increasing stiffness values towards a rear of the vehicle and/or a rear of the respective one or more towed units.