Vehicle Leveler with Axle Adjustment, Walkway, and Dock Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle levelers lack adjustability, fail to accommodate various vehicle types, and lack safety features such as adjustable lighting and walkways, making loading and unloading of cargo unsafe.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle leveler with adjustable front and rear axle elevation, integrated safety lights, and a wide walkway for enhanced safety during loading and unloading, featuring a ramp section, extension portion, and hydraulic lifts for varying dock heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a vehicle leveler uses a fixed ramp surface design, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate different vehicle types and loading scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The leveler employs adjustable ramp surfaces that can be repositioned to different angles and positions, allowing the same device to accommodate various vehicle types (trucks, trailers, vans) and loading scenarios. The ramp sections can be dynamically adjusted during operation to optimize the loading angle based on vehicle requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp surface is divided into multiple adjustable sections rather than a single fixed structure. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of different ramp portions to match various vehicle bed heights and angles, providing versatility without requiring entirely different devices for each vehicle type.
2Ease of operation
If the leveler elevates only the rear axle, then the hydraulic system is simpler, but the internal floor slope cannot be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is configured to independently control elevation of both front and rear axles, allowing dynamic adjustment during operation. This enables the system to minimize the internal floor slope by coordinating the elevation of both axles simultaneously, creating a more level loading surface compared to rear-axle-only elevation.
3Reliability
If the leveler lacks integrated lighting, then the device is simpler, but visibility and safety during loading operations are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is integrated directly into the leveler structure rather than being a separate standalone system. Lights are embedded in the ramp surfaces and platform, providing illumination for loading operations while maintaining a unified, compact device design that does not significantly increase overall complexity.
4Reliability
If the leveler lacks an elevated walkway, then the structure is simpler, but operator safety during vehicle access is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
An elevated walkway is incorporated as a separate dimensional element above the ramp surfaces. This walkway provides a safe, elevated pathway for operators to access vehicles without exposing them to the gaps and moving parts of the ramp mechanism below, adding a safety dimension without fundamentally redesigning the core leveling function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides safe and adaptable loading/unloading by minimizing internal floor slope and enhancing visibility with integrated lighting, ensuring safer operations.
Implementation Method 1
a support assembly having hydraulic cylinders
Data Source
AI summary
The vehicle leveler includes a first portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge is disposed further from the driveway than the leading edge. The embodiment also includes a second portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of the second portion is attached to the trailing edge of the first portion and the leading edge of the second portion is disposed further from the driveway than the trailing edge of the second portion. The device has opposing side portions and a walkway. The opposing side portions include at least one or more lights which illuminate the leveler and the walkway.