Trailer Tandem Slide Stopping Device With Guide Pin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stopping devices do not facilitate efficient positioning of a trailer tandem without requiring repeated trips by the operator between the cab of a semitruck and the trailer, leading to inefficiencies and uncertainty in achieving proper weight distribution.
Innovation Solution
A guide pin and locking pin system is used, where the guide pin is shaped to fit complementary holes in an outer rail, allowing the trailer tandem to be moved rearward or forward by a semitruck, with a locking pin aligning with a target hole to achieve precise positioning, reducing the need for operator intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the operator manually positions the trailer tandem without a stopping device, then the operator can adjust the position, but repeated trips between the cab and trailer are required, increasing time and reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping device enables the trailer tandem to self-position relative to the trailer by providing predetermined stopping positions through guide pins and holes. The system allows the trailer tandem to be moved and stopped at specific positions without requiring continuous operator intervention, as the guide pins automatically indicate when the trailer tandem has reached the correct position.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin and locking pin system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the trailer tandem positioning. Instead of the operator directly monitoring and adjusting the position continuously, the pins serve as mechanical indicators that communicate the position status, reducing the need for repeated operator trips.
2Reliability
If manual positioning is used without visual indicators, then the system is simpler, but the operator cannot determine when proper weight distribution is achieved, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses visual indicators through the alignment of guide pins with holes and the positioning of locking pins to signal when the trailer tandem has reached the correct position. This visual feedback mechanism ensures reliable determination of proper weight distribution without requiring complex measurement equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer rail is divided into multiple holes at predetermined positions, and the guide pin can engage with different holes to indicate specific stopping positions. This segmentation allows for multiple discrete positioning options, ensuring accurate weight distribution can be achieved at different locations along the trailer.
3Measurement precision
If the trailer tandem can move freely without stopping positions, then positioning is more flexible, but precise positioning for proper weight distribution cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The holes in the outer rail are pre-positioned at specific locations that correspond to predetermined stopping positions for the trailer tandem. This preliminary arrangement of stopping positions allows the operator to simply move the trailer tandem until the guide pin aligns with a hole, eliminating the need for complex measurements or calculations during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer tandem slide stopping device for facilitating positioning of a trailer tandem includes a guide pin, which insertable into a first hole of a plurality of holes positioned in an outer rail attached to a the trailer. The first hole is positioned past either a rearward or forward end of an inner rail of the tandem trailer. The guide pin abuts the rearward or forward end of the inner rail upon driving a semitruck hitched to the trailer in forward or reverse, respectively, to move the trailer tandem toward the rear or front of the trailer, respectively, at which point a locking pin of the trailer tandem is aligned with and positioned for insertion into a target hole of the plurality of holes. The target hole corresponds to a desired position of the trailer tandem relative to the trailer.