Sliding Towing Assembly with Pressure Distributing Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extended cab pickup trucks with shorter beds lack sufficient clearance for fifth wheel trailers, leading to potential damage and injury due to contact during turns, and existing sliding hitch assemblies cause stress on the towing vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A sliding towing assembly with a hitch assembly and base assembly, utilizing low-friction plastic bearings and a pressure distributing plate to minimize friction, noise, and distribute forces, allowing the hitch pin to slide away from the cab during turns, and a stop member to prevent longitudinal motion when aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sliding hitch assembly is used to allow the hitch pin to move rearward during turns, then the trailer can pivot without contacting the cab, but stress is placed on the bed and attachment points of the towing vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
A pressure distributing plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the sliding hitch assembly and the vehicle bed. This plate spreads the concentrated forces from the hitch assembly over a larger area of the bed, reducing stress on attachment points while still allowing the hitch pin to slide rearward during turns for proper trailer pivot capability
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure distributing plate changes the force distribution parameter by transforming concentrated point loads into distributed area loads. This parameter change allows the sliding mechanism to function without exceeding the strength limits of the vehicle bed and attachment points
2Ease of operation
If a sliding hitch assembly is used to allow the hitch pin to move rearward during turns, then the trailer can pivot without contacting the cab, but friction and noise occur during sliding motion
Solution Approach 1:
Traditional metal-on-metal sliding contact is replaced with a polymer bearing system. The polymer material provides a low-friction surface that reduces both friction forces and noise generation during the sliding motion of the hitch pin, while maintaining the necessary pivot capability
Solution Approach 2:
The friction parameter is changed by substituting the sliding interface material from metal to polymer. This material parameter change significantly reduces the coefficient of friction and dampens noise during the hitch pin's rearward movement during turns
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
Enables towing fifth wheel trailers with short bed pickup trucks by reducing friction and stress on the towing vehicle, preventing trailer contact with the cab, and distributing forces to mitigate damage and enhance handling.
Implementation Method 1
The bushing is mounted on a lever arm. A box is carried by the lever arm, about the bushing and contacting the guide rails, thereby guiding the bushing between the guide rails and reducing friction between the base assembly and hitch assembly
Implementation Method 2
A bearing plate rests on top of the guide rails. The bearing plate is sandwiched between the hitch assembly and the guide rails to reduce friction therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
A hitch for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle includes a hitch assembly and a base assembly. The hitch assembly pivots between an aligned position and a turning position as the towing vehicle turns. A bearing assembly rides between the hitch assembly and the base assembly. The bearing assembly guides the hitch assembly between the turning and aligned positions. The base assembly has an anchor assembly which prevents the hitch assembly from sliding fore or aft when in the aligned position. The base also including a mechanism for distributing forces when installed in a towing vehicle.