Securing Plates for Vehicle Saddle Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transporting large trucks, such as using tow bars or hoisting the front axle, face challenges like aerodynamic stress, high costs due to long U-bolts, and potential wear and chafing, as well as limited freedom of movement during turns.
Innovation Solution
A method involving securing plates with right-angle bends that attach to the top flanges and webs of the towing vehicle's frame members, using fewer and shorter bolts to secure a saddlemount, thereby preventing lateral and vertical movement, and using protective materials to prevent wear and chafing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If long U-bolts are used to secure the saddlemount to the towing vehicle, then the saddlemount is securely fastened, but the cost increases and wear and chafing occur along the entire length of the bolts
Solution Approach 1:
The securing system is divided into two functional segments: short U-bolts that provide secure fastening, and separate protective materials (such as rubber or foam strips) that prevent wear and chafing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function rather than requiring long bolts to perform both securing and protection functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Protective materials are introduced as intermediary elements between the U-bolts and the frame members. These intermediaries prevent direct contact and friction between the metal components, eliminating wear and chafing along the bolt length while allowing the bolts themselves to remain short and cost-effective.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the forward portion of the towed vehicle is raised to mate with a towing saddle, then the vehicle can be transported forward-facing, but the height requirement increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The towing saddle is designed with dynamic height adjustment capabilities, allowing it to adapt to different vehicle heights and configurations. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables the system to accommodate forward-facing transport without requiring permanent structural modifications or complex fixed-height arrangements.
3Productivity
If fifth wheels are used to tow the vehicle, then the towed vehicle can be transported, but the aerodynamic surfaces are subjected to reverse stresses requiring additional bracing
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of towing the vehicle backward with fifth wheels (which creates reverse aerodynamic stresses), the system inverts the approach by enabling forward-facing transport. This reversal of towing direction eliminates the aerodynamic loading issue, as the vehicle's aerodynamic surfaces are now aligned with the intended direction of travel rather than opposing it.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transporting vehicles is disclosed. The method uses inner or outer securing plates, or both, in cooperation with frame rails of a towing vehicle to secure a towing device to the towing vehicle. Towing vehicles typically include a frame that is made from strong robust channels on both sides of the towing vehicle. The securing plates generally have a right-angle bend in order to butt up against a web or a flange of the channels. This prevents inner or outer movement of the securing plates and allows users to secure a towing saddle and its load without using extended U-bolts around the channels.