Trailer Side Board Support Brackets for Tool-Free Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailers with solid floors and sides lack efficient mechanisms to securely carry large amounts of loose particulate matter like gravel or mulch, as they require additional side walls for containment, which is cumbersome and requires tools for installation.
Innovation Solution
A bracket kit with four removable brackets that interlock with the trailer frame without tools, providing vertical channels for inserting side boards to form walls around the trailer bed, allowing easy assembly and secure containment of loose materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If side walls are built and attached around the trailer frame to carry loose particulate matter, then the trailer can contain and haul materials like gravel and mulch, but the installation requires tools and is cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall system is segmented into modular components: brackets that attach to the trailer frame and vertical boards that fit into the brackets. This segmentation allows the side walls to be installed in manageable sections rather than as a single complex structure, enabling tool-free assembly while maintaining containment reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket design incorporates a dynamic attachment mechanism where the bracket slides over the frame member and uses spring pressure to maintain engagement. This dynamic system allows for easy installation and removal without tools, while the spring ensures continuous reliable containment during transport
2Reliability
If traditional side walls are attached to the trailer frame, then loose materials can be contained, but additional structural modifications and tools are required
Solution Approach 1:
The containment system is divided into separate functional elements: the bracket (which attaches to the frame) and the board (which provides the containment surface). This segmentation eliminates the need for complex integrated structural modifications, as each component can be independently attached and adjusted
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different board sizes and configurations. The same bracket design works for various trailer frame sizes and can be used with different vertical board dimensions, reducing the need for custom structural modifications
3Quantity of substance
If side walls are built around the trailer frame, then the trailer can carry large amounts of gravel, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The brackets are pre-configured with the horizontal and vertical flange structure that determines board placement positions. This preliminary design of the bracket geometry eliminates the need for complex assembly operations, allowing users to quickly install side walls and rapidly increase load capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded retention mechanism provides dynamic automatic locking when the board is inserted into the bracket. This dynamic engagement eliminates time-consuming manual fastening operations, enabling rapid assembly that directly increases productivity while maintaining the ability to carry large quantities of material
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket kit which enables a user to add upright side boards to a trailer which includes a flat bottom with a metal frame extending upward from the sides of the trailer. The bracket kit includes four brackets which are quickly and easily connected to the trailer frame and which include vertical channels into which uprights sideboards are inserted. The upright boards are held in place by the brackets and enable the trailer to contain and haul loose particulate matter such as mulch, sand, gravel or the like.