Towing Assembly Articulation and Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing towing assemblies either lack the flexibility needed to extract vehicles from inaccessible locations or compromise safety during road towing, as they often require a trade-off between flexibility and rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A towing assembly with a hitch and pivotally attached members featuring shafts and locking joints, allowing the assembly to articulate for difficult location access and lock into a rigid configuration for safe towing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible towing assembly is used to extract vehicles from inaccessible locations, then the ability to reach difficult locations is improved, but the safety and security during road towing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The towing assembly incorporates pivotable members with locking joints that allow the structure to dynamically change its configuration. During extraction operations, the members can articulate and pivot to reach inaccessible locations. During road towing, the locking joints engage to create a rigid, stable structure, thus adapting the assembly's rigidity based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly changes its structural parameters through the locking mechanism. When the locking joints are engaged, the assembly transitions from a flexible, articulated state to a rigid, fixed configuration. This parameter change allows the same assembly to satisfy both extraction versatility and road towing safety requirements.
2Reliability
If a rigid towing assembly is used to safely tow vehicles on roads, then the security during towing is improved, but the ability to extract from inaccessible locations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The towing assembly incorporates pivotable members with locking joints that allow the structure to dynamically change its configuration. During extraction operations, the members can articulate and pivot to reach inaccessible locations. During road towing, the locking joints engage to create a rigid, stable structure, thus adapting the assembly's rigidity based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly is divided into multiple segments (members) connected by locking joints. This segmentation allows each member to be positioned and locked independently, enabling the assembly to form rigid configurations for road towing while maintaining the capability to articulate during extraction operations.
3Ease of operation
If a flexible towing assembly is used to reach inaccessible locations, then the ease of extraction is improved, but the stability during road towing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The towing assembly incorporates pivotable members with locking joints that allow the structure to dynamically change its configuration. During extraction operations, the members can articulate and pivot to reach inaccessible locations. During road towing, the locking joints engage to create a rigid, stable structure, thus adapting the assembly's rigidity based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly changes its structural parameters through the locking mechanism. When the locking joints are engaged, the assembly transitions from a flexible, articulated state to a rigid, fixed configuration. This parameter change allows the same assembly to satisfy both extraction versatility and road towing safety requirements.
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
Enables both effective extraction from hard-to-reach locations and safe towing on roads by providing a flexible yet secure attachment mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a locking joint between each of the two shafts of each of the pair of members
Implementation Method 2
a pair of members pivotally attached to the hitch
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a towing bar assembly that may convert from an articulated assembly extracting a vehicle in an inaccessible location to a rigid assembly for safely towing a vehicle on a road