Rotating Towing Apparatus Arms for Secure Vehicle Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable transport arrangements for towing vehicles, such as those described in US 2004/0074415, face shortcomings in reliable and efficient attachment and detachment mechanisms, leading to inconsistent towing performance and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The development of a towing apparatus with a dual attachment arrangement, featuring immovably mounted arms that rotate to engage and disengage with vehicle components, allowing secure attachment to a cable transport system and enabling efficient towing while ensuring easy release, incorporating a user-operable handle for maintaining engagement during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable transport arrangement uses a towing rope with a loop that is disengaged from a rigid member by ground mounted apparatus, then the vehicle can be towed over the ground, but the attachment and detachment mechanisms are unreliable and inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The towing apparatus automatically engages with the vehicle through the vehicle engaging profiles that passively capture the vehicle part (such as a bicycle frame) when the apparatus is positioned near the vehicle. The rotation mechanism automatically transitions from the disengaged first position to the engaged second position upon contact, eliminating the need for manual operation or ground mounted disengagement apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The second attachment arrangement is designed to be rotatable between a first position (disengaged) and a second position (engaged), allowing dynamic transition between states. This rotational movement enables the towing apparatus to adapt to the vehicle's position and achieve secure engagement through controlled rotation about an attachment arrangement axis.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the towing apparatus uses a rotatable second attachment arrangement with arms that move between engaged and disengaged positions, then the vehicle can be securely attached and easily released, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into two distinct attachment arrangements: a first attachment arrangement for fixed connection to the towing part (such as a hanger), and a second attachment arrangement for releasable connection to the vehicle. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle engaging profiles on the arms are designed to engage with various parts of different vehicles (such as bicycle frames, handlebars, or other structural components), making the towing apparatus universally applicable to multiple vehicle types without requiring vehicle-specific attachments.
3Reliability
If the towing apparatus is fixed to a towing part of the cable transport arrangement, then the towing part can reliably tow the vehicle, but the towing apparatus cannot be readily removed from the towing part
Solution Approach 1:
The towing apparatus is designed as a separable unit that can be independently attached to and removed from the towing part. The first attachment arrangement provides a standardized interface that allows the towing apparatus to be fixed to any towing part in the cable transport arrangement, facilitating easy installation and removal while maintaining reliable towing connection during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to towing apparatus (200) for towing a vehicle with a cable transport arrangement. The towing apparatus (200) comprises a first attachment arrangement (204) configured to provide for attachment to a towing part of the cable transport arrangement. The towing apparatus (200) comprises a second attachment arrangement (208) configured for releasable attachment to a vehicle. The second attachment arrangement (208) comprises a main body (210) and first and second arms (212,214). The first and second arms (212,214) are substantially immovably mounted on the main body (210) and spaced apart from each other with each of the first and second arms defining a vehicle engaging profile (222). The second attachment arrangement (208) is rotatable such that the first and second arms (212,214) move between: a first position in which the vehicle engaging profiles (222) can be brought into engagement with or disengaged from a part of the vehicle; and a second position in which the vehicle engaging profiles (222) engage with the part of the vehicle so as to provide for towing of the vehicle.