Low-Profile Tow Saddle Trolley for Undercarriage Clearance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tow truck saddles lack an effective mechanism to securely attach to towed trucks without risking damage to the undercarriage, as conventional designs often result in bolts or components extending too high and potentially contacting the towed vehicle's underside.

Innovation Solution

A trolley system integrated into the tow saddle, featuring an upper and lower plate with supplemental plates providing structural support, where the bolt securing these plates together passes only through the upper and lower plates, minimizing its height above the rail skirts and reducing the risk of damage, and a chain system for securing the towed truck to a cross-bar across its frame rails.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional bolt securing mechanisms are used in tow truck saddles, then the attachment strength is sufficient, but the bolt height extends too high and risks damaging the undercarriage of the towed vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment strengthVSAvoiddamage risk to undercarriage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a single vertical plate to a multi-layer stacked plate configuration (upper plate, intermediate plate, lower plate). This dimensional stacking arrangement reduces the vertical height of individual bolts while maintaining attachment strength through distributed fastening across multiple plates, directly resolving the contradiction between attachment strength and undercarriage damage risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The single securing plate is segmented into multiple separate plates (upper, intermediate, lower) that are stacked and secured with multiple bolts. This segmentation distributes the attachment function across multiple components, reducing the height requirement for individual bolts and minimizing undercarriage damage risk while preserving overall attachment strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple plates are stacked to reduce bolt height, then the risk of undercarriage damage is reduced, but the structural support and stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveundercarriage damage riskVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple plates (upper, intermediate, lower) are merged into a stacked configuration that functions as a unified attachment structure. The combined structure provides both reduced bolt height (lowering undercarriage damage risk) and adequate structural support through the distributed fastening system, resolving the contradiction between damage reduction and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11801718B2Low profile trolley for a tow saddle

Publication Date: 2023.10.31 ATC TRANSPORTATION LLC

AI summary

A trolley that couples to a tow saddle is provided. The trolley includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The upper and lower plate are secured against a rear portion of a tow saddle. One or more support bars are coupled to the upper plate. The bars provide structural support for the upper plate and deflect a chain that transits apertures in the upper plate.