Trailer Cable Suspension Using Guy Wires and Tension Reels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hose and cable management systems for tractor-trailer rigs fail to effectively support and maintain the position of flexible conduits during tandem slider operation, leading to damage from dragging, kinking, and excessive wear, which can result in brake failure and other safety issues due to inadequate support and tensioning.
Innovation Solution
A conduit suspension system utilizing guy wires and a tension reel to maintain conduits in an elevated position, with adjustable guy wires and a tension cable that adjusts to accommodate the movement of the trailer's wheel base, preventing dragging and kinking, and ensuring constant tension to prevent fatigue and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If rubber and stamped metal components with extension springs are used to support hoses and cabling, then the conduits can be connected to the trailer floor or support beams, but the conduits drag on the ground and suffer from excessive wear, kinking, and damage during tandem slider operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional ground-level conduit routing to three-dimensional elevated suspension. Conduit guides are positioned above the ground and suspended by tension cables attached to the tandem slider mechanism, creating a vertical dimension that clears the ground and prevents dragging while maintaining conduit connectivity during slider movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic tension cables and adjustable conduit guides that move with the tandem slider mechanism. The tension cables are attached to the slider so that as the slider moves forward and backward, the conduit guides dynamically adjust their position, maintaining constant tension and preventing conduit damage while accommodating the full range of slider motion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wheel base is moved forward and backward for weight redistribution, then the trailer can be balanced, but the conduits are stretched and fatigued due to inadequate support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces tension cables as intermediary elements between the tandem slider mechanism and the conduit guides. These cables act as mediators that absorb and distribute the forces generated during slider movement, preventing direct transmission of tensile and fatigue loads to the conduits while enabling full weight redistribution capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides preemptive protection by suspending conduits in an elevated position with proper support before any damaging forces are applied. The conduit guides are pre-positioned and tensioned to anticipate slider movement, preventing conduit dragging and excessive stretching before fatigue damage can occur during normal operation.
3Device complexity
If conduits are allowed to drag on the ground during operation, then the system remains simple, but the conduits are exposed to road debris and environmental damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent elevates conduits from the ground plane to an aerial suspension system using conduit guides and tension cables. This vertical displacement removes conduits from direct contact with road debris and environmental hazards while maintaining the relative simplicity of the support structure through minimalistic cable-and-guide architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a suspension apparatus for maintaining conduits (hoses, cables, wires, tubing) in desirable positions to prevent conduit abrasion, drag, and friction damage. The suspension apparatus connects a series of conduit guides, having bores through which conduits run, with a guy wire assembly that holds the conduits in a desired position. The guy wires are held by a tension cable connected to a tension reel installed on a mounting. The ends of the guy wires are connected by brackets to mounting structures in a way that provides for the majority of tension forces and system movement to be accounted by the guy wires instead of the conduits. One embodiment is used to manage cables and hoses installed on tractor-trailer rigs having hoses and cables that extend along the length of the trailer. A more particular embodiment includes an installation on a tandem slider trailer with an adjustable wheel base.