Spring-Biased Pin Hitch Coupler for Durability and Ease of Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailer hitch couplers lack durability, ease of use for unskilled personnel, and efficient operation, while also being costly to manufacture and having a short operating life.
Innovation Solution
A trailer hitch coupler design featuring a frame with multiple apertures and a spring-biased pin that slides between extended and retracted positions, guided by a handle member for easy operation, and reinforced with structural ribs for enhanced control and wear reduction, allowing compatibility with various vehicle hitch types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hitch coupler design is used, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but the durability and operating life are short
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch coupler is divided into multiple separate plates (first plate, second plate, third plate, fourth plate) that are connected through apertures and pins. This segmentation allows each plate to be manufactured independently and assembled together, improving durability through better stress distribution while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The hitch coupler employs a composite structure combining multiple metal plates with different functional properties. The back plate, front plate, and side plates are configured to work together as a composite assembly, enhancing overall durability and load-bearing capacity while allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function.
2Reliability
If a complex hitch coupler mechanism is used, then the operating life is extended, but the ease of operation for unskilled personnel is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch coupler incorporates a spring member that automatically biases the pin between extended and retracted positions. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual operations or specialized knowledge, allowing unskilled personnel to easily operate the coupler while the spring ensures reliable positioning and extended operating life through consistent automatic engagement.
3Ease of operation
If a simple pin mechanism is used, then the device is easy to operate, but the control over towed vehicles and wear resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is configured to dynamically slide between extended and retracted positions within apertures of multiple plates, allowing the mechanism to adapt to different operational states. This dynamic movement provides improved control over towed vehicles while maintaining ease of operation, and the distributed aperture structure reduces wear through controlled motion paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin's position parameter is changed between extended and retracted states through spring biasing and user actuation. This parameter change enables the hitch coupler to transition between different operational modes, providing both ease of operation and reliable control, while the spring mechanism ensures consistent positioning that reduces wear on contact surfaces.
4Reliability
If multiple plates with apertures are used, then the durability and control are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple plates (back plate, front plate, first side plate, second side plate) are merged through aperture alignment and pin connection to form an integrated hitch coupler assembly. This merging approach improves durability by distributing mechanical stresses across multiple components while maintaining relatively simple individual plate designs that are easy to manufacture and assemble.
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 solution provides a durable, user-friendly, and long-lasting hitch coupler that can be operated by unskilled individuals, with improved control over towed vehicles and reduced wear on components, while being economical to manufacture and adaptable to different hitch systems.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member biasing the pin towards the extended position
Data Source
AI summary
A hitch coupler includes a frame that includes a back plate, a first plate connected to the back plate, a second plate connected to the back plate at a position spaced from the first plate extending between the first plate and the second plate and cooperating therewith to define an interior space, and a third plate connected to the back plate spaced from the second plate, wherein the first, second and third plates each include an aperture extending therethrough. The frame also includes a pin extending through the first, second and third apertures, such that the pin extends through the interior space and is adapted to slide within the apertures between an extended position and a retracted position, and a spring member biasing the pin towards the extended position.