Truck Removable Covering Control for Loading Zone Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing removable covering systems for truck load beds or trailers often require manual activation by the driver, which can be overlooked, and with the rise of automated vehicles, there is a need for at least partial automation to ensure the covering is properly opened or closed when entering or leaving loading sites.
Innovation Solution
A control system that compares vehicle operating parameters such as speed and position to determine if it has crossed a loading/unloading zone, automatically transmitting signals to control the removable covering, including features like flexible rods to absorb impacts and prevent damage, and error detection for oversized loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual activation by driver is used, then system complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates because driver may overlook activation
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically detects vehicle entry into loading zones using GPS positioning and speed sensors, then autonomously activates the removable covering without requiring driver intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operational context and triggering appropriate actions based on pre-programmed logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical activation with an automated electronic control system that uses GPS receivers, speed sensors, and microprocessors to detect loading zone entry and automatically control the covering mechanism, substituting human-operated mechanical systems with automated electromechanical systems.
2Ease of operation
If automated control is implemented, then operator intervention is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system integrates multiple functions into a single automated unit: GPS positioning reception, speed monitoring, loading zone detection, and removable covering activation. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into one integrated control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors vehicle position and speed, comparing real-time data against stored loading zone parameters. When the vehicle enters a loading zone, the system receives feedback from sensors and automatically triggers the covering activation, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to actual operational conditions.
3Strength
If rods are made rigid for structural strength, then strength is improved, but damage risk increases when encountering oversized loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the rods from rigid to flexible, allowing them to bend and absorb impact forces when encountering oversized loads or obstacles. This parameter change transforms the rods from rigid structural elements into resilient components that can deform without breaking.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible rod design inherently provides cushioning against potential damage from oversized loads. By designing the rods with flexibility built-in from the outset, the system prepares for potential impacts with oversized cargo, allowing the rods to bend and absorb energy rather than transmit destructive forces to the covering or load bed.
Data Source
AI summary
A truck equipped with at least one removable covering configured so as to cover or uncover the roof and/or at least one side of the truck, where the truck is fitted with a control system including a road navigation aid system comprising a stored position, a positioning device configured to determine a position of the truck, at least one means for comparing the position of the truck with the stored position according to a position threshold so as to determine that the truck has crossed a limit of a loading/unloading area, and a control means being configured to control opening the removable covering when the truck is in a loading/unloading area as determined by the at least one comparison means, the control means configured to control closing the removable covering when the truck is outside the loading/unloading area as determined by the at least one comparison means.