Spare Wheel Cable Attachment Assembly with Anti-Rotation Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety tether systems for large spare wheels on vehicles face challenges in facilitating efficient attachment and removal, particularly due to the size and weight of these wheels, which complicates the process and requires improved mechanisms for secure connection and detachment.
Innovation Solution
A cable attachment assembly featuring an eyelet bracket with a rod and a spring clip that prevents rotation and translation, allowing for secure attachment and easy removal of the spare wheel by engaging with the bolt holes of the wheel rim, using a clip mechanism that moves between positions to lock the assembly in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional safety tether system is used for large spare wheels, then the spare wheel can be secured to the vehicle, but the attachment and removal process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment assembly is divided into distinct functional components: an eyelet bracket for securing the tether, a rod that engages with the bolt hole, and a clip mechanism with retaining features. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling secure attachment while simplifying the overall operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is designed to be movable between different positions, transitioning from a locked position where retaining features prevent movement to an unlocked position where it can be easily removed. This dynamic design allows the assembly to be securely fixed during use but easily detached when needed, resolving the contradiction between security and ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the eyelet bracket is allowed to rotate freely, then the assembly has greater flexibility, but the tether connection becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The eyelet bracket features an asymmetric design where the second member is angled relative to the first member, and the retaining features are positioned to engage specifically with the rod. This asymmetric configuration naturally prevents rotation while maintaining the necessary flexibility for proper engagement and alignment during attachment.
3Device complexity
If a simple attachment mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to prevent rotation and translation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The rod acts as an intermediary element that connects the eyelet bracket to the bolt hole in the spare wheel. It provides a simple cylindrical interface that, when combined with the retaining features of the clip, effectively prevents both rotation and translation without requiring complex mechanical structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining features of the clip automatically engage with the rod when the assembly is properly positioned, creating a self-locking mechanism. This self-service design provides robust constraint capability without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for connecting a spare wheel to a motor vehicle with a tether, the spare wheel having at least one bolt hole, includes an eyelet bracket having a first member angled with respect to a second member, the first member connectable to the tether and the second member defining an eyelet, a rod that defines an axis and is connected to the first member, the rod configured to be disposed in the bolt hole of the spare wheel, and a clip connected to the second member, the clip having a retaining feature extended towards the rod and a tab extended through the eyelet. The second member of the eyelet bracket prevents the eyelet bracket from rotating about the axis and the retaining feature of the clip prevents the eyelet bracket from moving in one direction along the axis.