Flat Bed Trailer Lateral Restraint System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flat bed trailers inadequately secure heavy machinery during transportation, leading to safety risks such as equipment falling off, which can result in fatalities.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a flat bed trailer with longitudinally extending side walls and a system of restraining bars and bar retaining means, including brackets and bar receiving elements, to securely hold heavy machinery in place, with options for detachable and permanently fixed bars, and additional longitudinal tracks for further restraint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If straps are used to secure heavy machinery on a flat bed trailer, then the machinery can be positioned on the trailer, but the machinery is not secured effectively and may fall during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the securing function from conventional straps and implements a completely different mechanical restraint system using lateral bars that physically block the machinery from moving forward, eliminating the inadequacy of strap-based securing
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining system is segmented into multiple independent components: lateral bars, bar retaining means with receiving elements, and brackets mounted on side walls. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably and enables easy maintenance or replacement of individual parts
2Reliability
If side walls are added to the flat bed trailer to provide restraint, then the machinery can be restrained laterally, but the side walls extend less than one metre above the floor level which may limit restraint effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on the height of side walls for restraint, the invention transitions to a lateral dimension solution by installing horizontal bars that extend across the trailer width. This dimensional shift provides effective restraint without requiring tall side walls
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral bars act as intermediary elements between the machinery and the side walls, transferring the restraint function from the side wall structure to the bar system, which can be positioned optimally regardless of side wall height
3Reliability
If bar retaining means are disposed on brackets mounted on side walls, then the restraining bars can be securely retained, but the device complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The bar retaining means incorporate movable elements such as sliding bars within receiving elements or pivoting mechanisms, allowing the restraint system to be dynamically adjusted and easily deployed or removed while maintaining secure retention when engaged
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
According to the invention, there is provided a flat bed trailer (10) for transporting heavy machinery including: a floor; a plurality of wheels suitable for travel over roads; means for coupling the trailer to a towing vehicle; a pair of longitudinally extending side walls (16,18); a plurality of restraining bars (32,34) disposable substantially laterally across the trailer from one side wall to the other side wall to restrain an item of heavy machinery (42) when positioned in the trailer; and at least one bar retaining means (28) for releasably retaining at least one of the restraining bars in its restraining position, in which at least some of the bar retaining means are disposed on the side walls.