Ski Carrier Clamp with Lateral Nesting for Wind Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ski carrier clamps for vehicle roof carriers face issues with high wind resistance, limited flexible support due to screw access configurations, and inadequate performance under strong forces such as in crash situations.
Innovation Solution
A ski carrier clamp design featuring elongate base and top parts with flexible clamp members that can laterally pass each other, allowing for reduced height when unloaded, improved wind resistance, and enhanced structural integrity through asymmetric shapes and deformation patterns, along with a hinge mechanism and locking system for secure mounting and force distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ski carrier clamp is designed with a certain height to provide sufficient clamping space, then the clamping function is improved, but the wind resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ski carrier clamp is designed to be movable between a retracted position (reducing wind resistance) and an extended position (providing clamping space). The clamp can be opened and closed to adapt to different operational states, dynamically adjusting its profile to minimize aerodynamic drag when not in use while maintaining sufficient clamping capacity when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp members are arranged to laterally pass each other, utilizing lateral space rather than vertical space to achieve the clamping function. This dimensional shift allows the clamp to maintain a lower vertical profile, reducing the surface area exposed to wind resistance while preserving the necessary clamping volume through lateral arrangement of functional elements.
2Ease of operation
If screws are positioned close to the ends of the clamp for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the flexible members cannot extend over the entire length leading to loss of supporting surface
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp structure is divided into distinct functional segments: mounting portions at the ends for screw access, and a central spanning portion for flexible member support. This segmentation allows the mounting functions to be localized at the ends while the supporting function occupies the central region, enabling both easy access and maximum supporting surface without conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp members are designed with asymmetric profiles and arrangements to optimize both mounting access and supporting surface. The asymmetric design allows one side to provide easy screw access while the other side maximizes the flexible member support area, resolving the contradiction through differential design of different portions of the same structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the clamp structure is simplified for ease of manufacture, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the behavior in strong force situations such as crashes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp members are designed with varying cross-sectional properties along their length, with thicker and more rigid sections at critical locations (mounting portions and connection points) to withstand high forces during crashes, while maintaining simpler and more economical cross-sections in non-critical regions. This local differentiation of structural quality ensures crash performance without excessive manufacturing complexity throughout the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp structure utilizes composite construction combining different materials or material properties in different regions - such as combining rigid metallic mounting portions with more flexible spanning portions, or using aluminum alloys with specific strength-to-weight ratios. This composite approach achieves high reliability under strong forces while maintaining reasonable ease of manufacture through the use of commercially available composite material solutions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces wind resistance, enhances support flexibility, and improves crash performance by allowing the clamp members to nest closely when unloaded and distributing forces effectively during strong events, thereby improving usability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the first flexible clamp member and the second flexible clamp member are arranged such that at least portions thereof are able to laterally pass each other when the elongate base part and the elongate top part are moved towards each other
Implementation Method 2
an elongate top part which is moveably coupled to the elongate base part
Implementation Method 3
a locking system for secure mounting and force distribution
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A ski carrier clamp (1) mountable on a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier is provided. The ski carrier clamp (1) comprises an elongate base part (2) and an elongate top part (4) wherein a first end portion (21) of the elongate base part (2) is hingedly coupled to a first end portion (41) of the elongate top part (4) by means of a hinge mechanism (6). The hinge mechanism (6) comprises a guiding portion (61) in which a guided element (62) is slidably guided such that the first end portion (41) of the elongate top part (4) and the first end portion (21) of the elongate base part (2) are movable with respect to each other.