Trailer Dolly With Adjustable Hitch And V-Shaped Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transporting small to medium-sized trailers often require a motorized vehicle, which may not be necessary or feasible for individuals without access to one, and prior solutions lack an attachment for securing a trailer hitch to a standard dolly for manual transportation.
Innovation Solution
A trailer dolly with an adjustable hitch and V-shaped support allows for secure attachment and height adjustment of a trailer hitch, enabling manual transportation of trailers without a motor vehicle, featuring a main body with an operator's handle, wheels, and a ball hitch for easy engagement and disengagement with trailer couplings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a motorized vehicle is used to transport trailers, then transportation capability is improved, but cost and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trailer dolly as an intermediary device between the trailer and ground, enabling manual transportation without requiring a motorized vehicle. The dolly includes a platform with wheels and a hitch mechanism that couples to the trailer, allowing individuals without access to motor vehicles to transport trailers manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer dolly is designed as a simple, inexpensive manual device compared to motorized vehicles. It provides adequate transportation capability for small to medium-sized trailers over short distances, offering a cost-effective solution that sacrifices the power and range of motorized vehicles for affordability and accessibility.
2Device complexity
If a fixed hitch is used on a dolly, then structural simplicity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch mechanism is designed with adjustable features that allow it to adapt to different trailer coupling heights and positions. The hitch can be adjusted vertically and horizontally to accommodate various trailer types, transforming a potentially fixed simple structure into a dynamically adaptable one that maintains ease of use while increasing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The hitch mechanism allows for changes in position parameters (height, horizontal location) to accommodate different trailer couplings. This enables the same basic hitch structure to work with multiple trailer types by simply adjusting its position rather than requiring different hitch designs for each trailer type.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustable hitch is added to the dolly, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch mechanism incorporates adjustment capabilities through simple mechanical means such as telescoping components, sliding joints, or pivot points that allow the hitch to change position and orientation. These dynamic features enable adaptability to different trailer couplings without requiring complex control systems or multiple interchangeable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable hitch is designed to perform multiple functions: it can accommodate different coupling heights, horizontal positions, and angles. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single integrated mechanism that provides both vertical and horizontal adjustment, reducing the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a V-shaped support is added to the dolly, then stability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped support provides asymmetric geometric stability by creating a wide base of support that prevents the dolly from tipping sideways. The V-shape naturally distributes loads and provides structural rigidity without requiring additional bracing or complex reinforcement, achieving enhanced stability through simple geometric form.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a trailer dolly may include one or more of the following features: (a) a main body having a proximal and distal end, (b) an adjustable hitch operably coupled to the distal end of the main body, (c) at least one wheel operably coupled to the distal end of the main body, (d) an operator's handle coupled to the main body at the proximal end, (e) at least one grip coupled to the operator's handle, (f) a V-shaped support coupled to a lower side of the main body, (g) a hitch receiving aperture coupled to the distal end of the main body, (h) a support beam operably coupled to the main body at one end and the hitch receiving aperture at an opposite end, and (i) an axle coupled to the main body at the distal end and operably coupled to the at least one wheel.