Truck Conversion Kit With Telescopic Underrun Protection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current conversion systems for transforming trucks into articulated tractor units with semi-trailers are slow and complex, making them inefficient for practical applications such as driving school training.

Innovation Solution

A kit comprising support elements, anchoring elements, attachment elements, and an underrun protection device with adjustable crossbar, utilizing hydraulic and pneumatic systems to facilitate easy and automated conversion between truck and tractor-semi-trailer configurations, allowing for quick adjustment to manufacturing differences and compatibility with conventional vehicles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional conversion systems are used to transform trucks into articulated tractor units, then the conversion can be achieved, but the conversion process is slow and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconversion speedVSAvoidconversion system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conversion system is divided into separate modular components: a box chassis with fifth wheel that can be independently attached or detached from the truck chassis. This segmentation allows rapid conversion by simply coupling or uncoupling modules rather than performing complex transformations, directly addressing the slow and complex conversion process described in the problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables dynamic reconfiguration of the vehicle by allowing the box chassis to be quickly attached to or detached from the truck chassis. This dynamic capability transforms a static truck into a convertible articulated unit on demand, significantly improving conversion speed while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the underrun protection crossbar is extended to protect the truck chassis, then safety is improved, but the space required for the protection device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunderrun protectionVSAvoidspace occupied by protection device
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The underrun protection crossbar is designed as a telescopic structure that can dynamically extend when needed for protection and retract when not required. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to provide maximum safety coverage when protecting the truck chassis while minimizing the space occupied during normal operation or when attached to a semi-trailer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The telescopic crossbar employs a nested structure where sections of the protection bar can be stored within each other when retracted. This nesting mechanism reduces the volume occupied by the protection device when not in use, while still providing full extension capability when underrun protection is required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP2368788B1Kit for reversibly converting a truck into an articulated unit of a tractor with a semi-trailer and corresponding truck
Publication Date: 2013.04.24 LOPEZ MONFORT MARGARITA
  • EP2368788B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2368788B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2368788B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Kit for reversibly converting a truck into an articulated unit of a truck with semi-trailer, comprising: support (33) and anchoring (35) elements and a first attachment element (37), suitable for being joined to chassis (1) of the truck, second anchoring elements (39) and a second attachment element (41) suitable for being joined to chassis (5) of the semi-trailer a horizontally adjustable underrun protection device (11), and a box chassis (19) with: vertical cylinders (23), mounted on holes (25) through which their ends extend, third and fourth anchoring elements (43) and (45) suitable for being anchored in anchoring elements (35) and (39), respectively a horizontal cylinder (27) with a rod at the end of which there is a third attachment element (29) suitable for being attached indistinctively in the first or second attachment element (37, 41).