Rotatable Swing Arm for Directional Vehicle Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current recovery vehicles face challenges in efficiently and conveniently recovering distressed vehicles positioned off-road, often requiring repositioning to align with the vehicle for towing, which can block traffic lanes and cause damage to the distressed vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A directional vehicle recovery unit equipped with a rotatable swing arm assembly and winch cable system that allows the winch cable to be aligned parallel to its longitudinal axis, enabling the vehicle to be pulled towards the recovery vehicle without needing to reposition the recovery vehicle, thus reducing traffic disruption and potential damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the recovery vehicle repositions to align with the distressed vehicle for towing, then the towing operation can be performed, but traffic lanes are blocked and operational time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The winch cable assembly is made dynamically adjustable with a rotatable swing arm that can change its angular position relative to the vehicle body. This allows the cable to be oriented at different angles (including perpendicular to the vehicle centerline) to reach distressed vehicles in various positions without requiring the recovery vehicle to reposition, thereby reducing traffic disruption while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Reliability
If the recovery vehicle repositions to align with the distressed vehicle, then proper towing alignment is achieved, but the distressed vehicle may be damaged during the repositioning maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm assembly provides dynamic angular adjustment capability, allowing the winch cable to be directed at various angles including perpendicular to the vehicle centerline. This eliminates the need for risky repositioning maneuvers near the distressed vehicle while maintaining proper cable alignment, thereby protecting the distressed vehicle from damage during the recovery operation.
3Device complexity
If a fixed winch cable assembly is used on the recovery vehicle, then the structure is simple, but the vehicle cannot efficiently recover distressed vehicles positioned at various angles off the road
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm assembly incorporates a rotatable joint that enables the winch cable to be positioned at multiple angles relative to the vehicle body (including perpendicular orientations). This dynamic adjustment capability provides versatility for recovering vehicles from various off-road positions without requiring complex multi-assembly configurations, achieving adaptability through controlled movement rather than structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The winch cable assembly is divided into separable components: a swing arm portion that can rotate independently from the vehicle body, and a cable portion that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while providing overall system flexibility for various recovery scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A directional vehicle recovery unit configured for recovery of a distressed vehicle spaced apart from a recovery vehicle is provided. The directional vehicle recovery unit includes a support framework attached to the recovery vehicle and a swing arm assembly attached to the support framework. The swing arm assembly is configured to support a winch cable. The swing arm assembly is rotatable such that with a winch cable attached to the distressed vehicle, a longitudinal axis of the swing arm assembly is substantially parallel with an axis formed by the winch cable.