Spare Wheel Cradle Retaining Assembly with Compensating Safety Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spare wheel supports under motor vehicles face challenges such as vibrations, shocks, and corrosive conditions, leading to a high risk of malfunction or breakage, which can compromise the safety of passengers and other road users.
Innovation Solution
A retaining assembly for the spare wheel featuring a pivotally mounted basket with a catch-up portion that provides mechanical redundancy, ensuring the basket remains secure even if the primary fixing fails, using a removable and easily repairable design compatible with existing automotive assembly lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple fixing method is used for the basket support, then the manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but the reliability and safety are compromised due to potential connection failures under vibration and shock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a compensating portion that extends below the connection area of the basket support. This compensating portion acts as a safety mechanism that engages only when the primary connection fails, preventing the basket from falling. The compensating portion is positioned and dimensioned to provide backup support without interfering with normal operation, thus maintaining reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If a redundant compensating portion is added to the retaining device, then the safety and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating portion is integrated into the same retaining device structure that holds the basket support, rather than being a separate independent component. This merging approach allows the redundant safety feature to be manufactured as part of the existing device, minimizing additional complexity and manufacturing cost while still providing the necessary backup retention capability.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the compensating portion is made active only upon connection failure, then the component lifespan is extended by preventing fatigue, but the response time to detect connection failure may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating portion is pre-positioned below the connection area but remains inactive during normal operation. It is designed to engage automatically and passively only when the primary connection fails, at which point it immediately provides backup support. This design prevents fatigue from repeated engagement while ensuring safety upon actual failure.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns an assembly (100) for holding a spare wheel of a motor vehicle comprising a cradle (20), a cradle support (10) and a holding member (60, 40a, 40b). The cradle (20) accommodates a spare wheel and is mounted pivotably between a closed position and an open position. The cradle support (10) comprises a link area (11) fixed to the underside (201) of the vehicle and a part forming a pivot (13) for the cradle (20). The holding member (60, 40a, 40b) of the cradle support (10) or of the cradle (20) comprises a adjustment portion (63, 43a, 43b) extending under the link area (11, 22) of the cradle support (10) or of the cradle (20) when the motor vehicle is in the driving position.