Towing Vehicle Connector Alignment Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

The current manual process of establishing pneumatic air and electrical connections between a towing vehicle and a trailer is inefficient, requiring operators to exit the vehicle and handle connections, which can be time-consuming and prone to misalignment issues.

Innovation Solution

A system featuring a towing vehicle with a fixture that can couple with a trailer's guide, allowing for alignment and connection of pneumatic air and electrical connectors through a guided displacement mechanism, ensuring proper alignment and automatic establishment of connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual connection process is used, then operators can establish pneumatic air and electrical connections, but the process is time-consuming and prone to misalignment issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidconnection setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated self-alignment and self-connection of pneumatic and electrical connectors through the guided displacement mechanism, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention and reducing both time and misalignment errors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated guided displacement mechanism that uses guide structures to automatically align connectors during the coupling process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated connection system is implemented, then connection efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection speedVSAvoidsystem structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated connection system is divided into separate functional modules: the guided displacement mechanism for alignment, the fixture for securing connectors, and the guide structure for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall system manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide structure acts as an intermediary element between the fixture and the connectors, providing a simple geometric path that automatically aligns components without requiring complex active control systems or sensors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20220332158A1Automated connection between towing vehicle and trailer

Publication Date: 2022.10.20 ELECTRANS TECHNOLOGIES LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a towing vehicle, comprising a towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart, and a fixture configured for releasably coupling with the towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart. The towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart is configured for connection to a trailer-defined connection counterpart of a trailer, the trailer further including a guide. While: (i) the towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart is coupled to the fixture, (ii) the towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart and the trailer-defined connection counterpart are misaligned, and (iii) the fixture is disposed in a guiding-effective relationship with the guide: an alignment relationship-obtaining displacement of the fixture, relative to the trailer-defined connection counterpart, is guidable, by the guide, wherein the guided displacement is effective for emplacing the towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart in alignment with the trailer-defined connection counterpart for establishing connection between the towing vehicle-defined connection counterpart and the trailer-defined connection counterpart