Telescoping Trailer Coupler for Adjustable Tongue Height
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Trailer couplers, particularly in heavy classifications, often lack adjustability in tongue height, making it difficult to achieve dimensional compatibility with varying vehicle hitch heights, which can compromise the safety and efficiency of trailering operations.
Innovation Solution
A telescoping telecoupler system comprising an outer housing, primary and secondary legs with bolt holes, and a nut holder mechanism that allows for the extension and retraction of the legs to secure the trailer hitch at desired heights, enabling compatibility with different vehicle hitch heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length trailer coupler is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the tongue height cannot be adjusted to match different vehicle hitch heights
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler is divided into multiple telescoping segments (primary leg and secondary leg) that can be independently adjusted in length. Each segment contains bolt holes at different positions that allow selective extension and locking, enabling height adjustment while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler transitions from a static fixed-length structure to a dynamic telescoping structure. The primary and secondary legs can be extended or retracted and locked at various positions using bolts and nut receivers, providing adaptability to different hitch heights while maintaining structural integrity through the locking mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple adjustment positions are provided, then height compatibility with different vehicles is improved, but the number of components and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt holes and nut receivers are positioned to serve multiple functions: they enable height adjustment, provide structural locking, and ensure proper alignment of the telescoping segments. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, simplifying manufacturing while achieving vehicle hitch compatibility across different heights.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary leg is nested within the primary leg, with both segments containing sequences of bolt holes along their lengths. This nested configuration allows compact storage when retracted and enables incremental extension to various heights by engaging bolts at different hole positions, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to multiple separate adjustable components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the coupler is made telescoping with multiple segments, then height adjustability is improved, but the structural stability and securing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt holes are pre-positioned at specific intervals along the primary and secondary legs, and the nut receivers are pre-configured at corresponding positions. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the coupler is extended to the desired height, the bolts can be quickly inserted and locked without requiring complex alignment procedures, maintaining attachment security while enabling height adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The nut receivers act as intermediaries between the bolts and the telescoping segments. They provide a secure locking interface that distributes the load across multiple contact points, ensuring structural stability and reliable attachment even when the coupler is extended to various heights. The intermediary mechanism maintains reliability by preventing accidental disengagement.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer telecoupler that includes an outer housing partially enclosing a primary leg, the primary leg partially enclosing a portion of a secondary leg and a trailer hitch coupler detachably secured to one end of the secondary leg. The outer housing includes one or more bolt holes dimensionally spaced on adjacent first and second sidewalls of the housing. The primary leg includes one or more bolt holes dimensionally spaced on adjacent first and second sidewalls of the primary leg. The secondary leg includes one or more bolt holes dimensionally spaced on adjacent first and second sidewalls of the secondary leg. One or more nut holders are positioned within the interior portions of the primary and/or secondary legs in line with the desired bolt holes located along the adjacent sidewalls of the primary and/or secondary legs and aligned through which one or more bolts are inserted at least one nut holder and secured to fix the outer housing and primary leg.