Retractable Trailer Enclosure Spindle Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retractable truck tarpaulin systems are susceptible to damage from trailer-mounted forklifts and can interfere with trailer cab exhaust, and they often fail to provide a fluid seal between the tarp edges and the trailer bed, especially on non-articulating trucks and railcars.
Innovation Solution
A retractable trailer enclosure system featuring a rotatable winding spindle with a spindle guide assembly that includes a drive assembly, shuttle assembly, and guide track, allowing the tarp to be vertically and laterally retracted or extended, with a spindle guide assembly that supports and guides the spindle to raise and lower the tarp edge over the trailer sides and ends, creating a fluid seal using a spindle guide assembly with a vertical guide rail and lateral displacement assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If forward pivot arms are used to retract the tarpaulin, then the tarpaulin can be wound or unwound to permit access to the trailer, but the pivot arms are susceptible to damage from trailer-mounted forklifts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vulnerable pivot arm mechanism from the forward position and relocates it to the rear of the trailer. The spindle assembly is now positioned at the rear bulkhead, away from the forklift mounting area at the front, eliminating the risk of forklift damage while maintaining the tarpaulin retraction function
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the winding mechanism at the front of the trailer (conventional approach), the invention inverts the arrangement by placing the spindle assembly at the rear. This reversal of position allows the tarpaulin to be wound from the rear, keeping the mechanical components away from the forklift operation zone
2Ease of operation
If forward pivot arms are used for tarpaulin retraction, then the tarpaulin can be deployed, but the pivot arms interfere with the trailer cab exhaust
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the spindle assembly from the forward position where it would interfere with exhaust flow and relocates it to the rear of the trailer. This removes the harmful interaction between the mechanical components and the exhaust system while preserving the tarpaulin deployment capability
3Reliability
If conventional ratchet straps are used to secure the cover, then the cover can be maintained in place, but the cover edges do not provide a fluid seal between the tarp and trailer bed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a flexible sealing flange that extends downwardly from the trailer bed side, creating a flexible seal between the tarp cover and the trailer bed. This flexible film structure conform s to the interface geometry, providing a fluid-tight seal that rigid structures cannot achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing flange is configured with a curved, downwardly extending profile rather than a straight rigid structure. This curvature allows the flange to conform to the interface between the tarp and trailer bed, creating an effective fluid seal through its adapted geometry
Data Source
AI summary
A retractable trailer enclosure system includes a flexible cover, rotatable winding spindle moveable by way of a spindle guide assembly. The spindle guide assembly includes a drive assembly actuable to rotate the spindle, a shuttle assembly mounting a spindle end and a guide track assembly which guides the shuttle assembly in reciprocal movement along both a vertical cover deployment/retraction path, and laterally along a spindle storage path.