Trailer Boot Sheath Structure for Hitch Impact and Weather Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailer tongue hitching devices lack comprehensive protection from weather elements and do not provide safety features to prevent damage to vehicles, people, or surrounding structures from collisions, nor do they adequately safeguard trailer hitching components from damage.
Innovation Solution
A trailer boot sheath that covers and cushions trailer hitching components, composed of cushioned materials like polyurethane foam, with a design featuring a first portion extending from the hitch and a second portion connected at a perpendicular angle, providing protection from impacts and extreme weather conditions, and preventing rotation with an internal mold fit for the trailer tongue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing trailer tongue covers are used to enclose the jack mechanism, then the jack mechanism is protected, but the entire trailer tongue hitching is not protected from weather elements and collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into multiple segments: a first portion covering the hitch component, a second portion extending from the first portion, and a third portion extending from the second portion. This segmentation allows the cover to protect the entire trailer tongue hitching assembly without requiring a single complex monolithic structure, thus resolving the contradiction between comprehensive protection and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover extends in multiple spatial dimensions with portions extending in different directions from the hitch component. This multi-dimensional extension maximizes the protected area while maintaining a manageable structural complexity by utilizing space efficiently in multiple directions rather than requiring excessive length in a single direction.
2Strength
If the protective cover extends longer to provide more protection, then collision protection is improved, but the cover may rotate or become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover employs asymmetric design with portions of different lengths extending in different directions from the hitch component. This asymmetric configuration provides extended protection in directions where collision risk is highest while maintaining stability by distributing the structure's mass and geometry in a balanced manner that prevents rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is designed with extended portions that proactively reach out to protect vulnerable areas before collisions can occur. The structure is pre-configured to cover the entire trailer tongue hitching assembly, including areas that might otherwise be exposed, thereby providing advance protection without requiring active adjustment during operation.
3Reliability
If existing protective covers are used, then basic hitch component coverage is provided, but safety features to protect people and surrounding structures are not included
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the hitch component from weather, cushions against collisions with vehicles and structures, and safeguards people from injury. This multi-functionality is achieved through a unified structural design that addresses multiple safety concerns without requiring separate devices, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A protective sheath covering for a trailer hitch is disclosed, where the protective sheath provides a T-shaped body that fits over the trailer hitch. The protective sheath may include a hollow shaft to cover the trailer hitch and a solid second portion with a mold fit to receive the trailer hitch.