Mobile Retrieval Trailer Towbar for Heavy Vehicle Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large industrial and mining vehicles cannot be safely towed by standard rescue vehicles due to the lack of high towing capacity, and existing towbars are not mobile or adaptable for use in various locations, posing safety and practicality issues.
Innovation Solution
A mobile retrieval trailer with a support structure, adjustable and rotatable towbar, and on-board power supply for hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems, allowing it to be towed by a light vehicle and connected to both the tow vehicle and the vehicle to be towed, providing necessary power for safe operation and control during towing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard rescue vehicle is used to tow large industrial/mining vehicles, then the towing operation can be performed with readily available equipment, but the towing capacity is insufficient and the operation is unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized towbar as an intermediary device between the towing vehicle and the failed industrial vehicle. This towbar is designed with high strength properties specifically to handle the extreme towing forces required for heavy industrial vehicles, thereby enabling safe towing operations with standard rescue vehicles that would otherwise lack sufficient towing capacity
2Loss of time
If a specialized towbar is kept ready at fixed locations for mining vehicle recovery, then rapid response to vehicle failures is achieved, but the equipment cannot be transported to remote or various locations on the mining site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the towbar from a static, fixed-location device into a dynamic, mobile system by mounting it on a trailer that can be transported by standard vehicles. This allows the specialized towbar to be rapidly deployed to any location on the mining site where a vehicle failure occurs, combining both rapid response capability and location versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If a mobile retrieval trailer is deployed to various locations for vehicle recovery, then adaptability to different sites is improved, but the system becomes more complex requiring coordination between multiple vehicles and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the retrieval trailer with universal attachment capabilities that can interface with standard towing vehicles and various types of industrial/mining vehicles. The trailer incorporates standardized coupling mechanisms and can work with different actuator types (hydraulic, pneumatic, electric), thereby reducing system complexity through standardization while maintaining high adaptability to different operational scenarios
4Ease of manufacture
If steel towing cables are used between vehicles for recovery operations, then the equipment is simple and readily available, but the cables can snap causing bodily injury and do not provide rigid control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the unsafe steel cable intermediary with a rigid, controlled towbar intermediary. This towbar provides a structurally sound connection that eliminates the snapping hazard of cables while maintaining the simplicity of using readily available towing vehicles. The rigid construction of the towbar ensures both safety and proper mechanical control during towing operations
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle retrieval trailer for use in towing a failed vehicle. The trailer has a chassis supporting a towbar with first attachment means to releasably attach the trailer to a tow vehicle and a second attachment means to releasably attach the trailer to a vehicle to be towed, and ground engaging means supporting the support structure, and a hitch separate from the first attachment means for attaching the trailer to a transport vehicle. The retrieval trailer can include an on-board air compressor and an on-board hydraulic power pack. The retrieval trailer can be used for rescuing failed or dead vehicles, particularly mining vehicles.