Lowerable Trailer Fender Kinematics and Collision Avoidance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lowerable vehicle trailers face challenges in the design and protective function of fenders due to their rigid attachment to the axle body, leading to collisions and suboptimal positioning during lowering and lifting.

Innovation Solution

A pivoting device for the fender allows independent movement relative to the vehicle wheel, avoiding collisions and optimizing the fender's position through a coupling element between the pivot axis and the fender, enabling safe and defined movement with minimal construction requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the fender is rigidly attached to the axle body and rotates synchronously with it, then the fender structure is simple and robust, but the fender collides with the ground or other trailer parts during lowering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefender structural integrityVSAvoidfender collision with ground

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fender system is segmented into two independent parts: the axle body and the fender. The fender is detached from rigid connection with the axle body and equipped with its own movement device, allowing independent motion control during lowering operations to avoid ground collision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fender transitions from a static rigid attachment to a dynamic independently controllable component. The movement device enables the fender to adjust its position and orientation independently during the lowering process, adapting to changing spatial conditions to prevent collision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the fender is shortened to avoid collisions during lowering, then collision risk is reduced, but the fender cannot provide optimal coverage for the vehicle wheel during driving

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefender collision avoidanceVSAvoidfender coverage arc

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The fender length is maintained at optimal driving coverage dimensions, and its protective function is achieved dynamically through independent movement control during lowering. The movement device allows the full-length fender to adjust its position to avoid ground collision while maintaining optimal wheel coverage during normal driving

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the fender is independently movable relative to the vehicle wheel, then collision avoidance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefender collision avoidanceVSAvoidfender movement mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The movement device is designed to perform multiple functions: it enables the fender to move independently during lowering to avoid ground collision, maintains proper fender positioning during driving, and can be integrated with existing trailer pivot axis mechanisms, reducing the need for entirely separate control systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2955087B1Lowerable vehicle trailer

Publication Date: 2022.12.14 HUMBAUR GMBH

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a lowerable vehicle trailer (1) comprising a chassis (3), a pivot axis (4), a vehicle wheel (10), and a fender (11) which moves along with the chassis (3) when it is lowered. The fender (11) has its own movement device (49) which is connected to the pivot axis (4) and to the fender (11) and moves the fender (11) independently and in a fender movement derived from the pivot axis (4) when the chassis (3) is lowered and raised.