AU2014203173A1 - Trailer with Reduced Storage Footprint - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A trailer having a leading end and a trailing end in a towing configuration, the trailer comprising: 5 a chassis; a coupler for attachment to a towing vehicle at the leading end; and a wheel assembly coupled to the chassis and including trailer wheels; wherein the wheel assembly is arranged for movement of the trailer wheels rearward to assume a storage configuration having a reduced footprint relative 10 to a footprint of the towing configuration. '-'1-fl N. 0 4 c~q" tt 4<4 A N N~. 5% '5 A -4 rl N ' /4' 44. 4 1 ii xx .~ ~ 444 , 9 4 '4 4\ I

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TRAILER WITH REDUCED STORAGE FOOTPRINT The invention is described in the following statement: TRAILER WITH REDUCED STORAGE FOOTPRINT FIELD OF INVENTION. 5 This invention relates to trailers that are towed behind motor vehicles and more specifically to trailers which are able to assume a compact configuration so that they can be readily stored when they are not being used. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 10 The discussion of any prior art documents, techniques, methods or apparatus is not to be taken to constitute any admission or evidence that such prior art forms, or ever formed, part of the common general knowledge in any country or jurisdiction. 15 Trailers, such as box trailers for example, are used from time to time to provide additional cargo space over and above that available in the towing vehicle. Typically the trailer is coupled to a vehicle such as a car or truck and loaded with cargo to be transported. Once the cargo has been transported and unloaded it is 20 usual for the trailer to be decoupled from the vehicle and stored in a suitable position for later use. However, trailers take up a substantial area and may be inconvenient to store. This is particularly the case where the trailer owner must store the trailer at his or her residence. It is not uncommon for the trailer to be stored in the garage so that 25 the vehicles which the garage is intended for must be parked out on the road. Such a situation may dissuade a person from purchasing a trailer. It is also known for hire service companies to hire trailers. For the hire service companies the storage of numerous trailers is also problematic since the trailers take valuable storage area that might otherwise be put to more profitable use. 30 2 Over the years various approaches have been taken to addressing the above described problem. For example, in US Patent No. 4,239,258 there is described a retractable fold-up trailer which has a sliding draw bar and a storage tray which is hinged on either 5 side of the trailer wheels. This trailer may be brought to a compact storage configuration however doing so involves a number of manual operations, which are inconvenient and time consuming. Furthermore, in US Patent No. 4,768,806 there is described a trailer that is formed with three longitudinal pivot lines along its tray area. Consequently, this trailer can 10 be "accordioned" into a compact configuration. However, the production of such a trailer entails providing a tray that is divided into inter-hinged areas which is disadvantageous from a production perspective. Yet another example is US Patent No. 7,770,913 which describes a trailer having a chassis in which the usual chassis members comprise a plurality of segments 15 interconnected by pivots. Such a trailer does not appear to be suited for safe road use with a reasonable load. Furthermore, this trailer does not have a solid loading tray and bringing it to its compact configuration is somewhat complex. It is an object of the present invention to provide a trailer that may be brought to a compact configuration for storage which is an improvement, or at least a useful 20 commercial alternative to those trailers of the prior art. SUMMARY ON THE PRESENT INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trailer having a leading end and a trailing end in a towing configuration, the trailer comprising: 25 a chassis; a coupler for attachment to a towing vehicle at the leading end; and a wheel assembly coupled to the chassis and including trailer wheels; 3 wherein the wheel assembly is arranged for movement of the trailer wheels rearward to assume a storage configuration having a reduced footprint relative to a footprint of the towing configuration. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the wheel assembly is slidingly 5 engaged by at least one member of the chassis. Alternatively in a second embodiment of the present invention the wheel assembly is coupled by at least one wheel assembly pivot to a point fast with the chassis. Preferably the coupler is mounted at a leading end of a drawbar that is coupled to the chassis by a drawbar pivot. 10 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the wheel assembly, which is slidingly engaged by at least one member of the chassis, and the drawbar are interconnected by a linking member whereby rotation of the drawbar causes translation of the wheel assembly along the chassis to thereby bring the wheels rearward to assume the storage configuration. 15 Alternatively, in the second embodiment of the invention the wheel assembly, which is coupled by said wheel assembly pivot, and the drawbar are interconnected by a linking member whereby rotation of the drawbar causes rotation of the wheel assembly about the pivot to thereby bring the wheels rearward to assume the storage configuration. 20 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the trailer includes a winch arranged to tension a line strung between a point rearward of the drawbar pivot and a point leading the drawbar pivot whereby operation of the winch rotates the drawbar about the drawbar pivot to thereby bring the wheels rearward. It will be realised that the winch may be manual or powered. 25 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the coupler is pivotally attached to the leading end of the drawbar by a coupler beam so that the coupler maintains a coupling angle with the towing vehicle as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration to the storage configuration.

4 A coupler link member may be pivotally interconnected between the coupler beam and a point fast with the chassis to thereby constrain the coupler beam to maintain a suitable angle for the coupler to couple with a vehicle as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration to the storage configuration. 5 A jockey wheel may be fastened to the pivotally attached coupler whereby the jockey wheel maintains ground contact as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration to the storage configuration. In a further embodiment of the present invention the coupler includes a mating portion, for example a socket, that is arranged to swivel relative to the drawbar in 10 order that the mating portion may maintain a coupling angle with the towing vehicle as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration to the storage configuration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 Perspective view showing the invention in the normal towing configuration. 15 FIG. 2 Perspective view of the underside in the normal towing configuration. FIG. 3 is a side view in the normal towing configuration. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the first stage of motion. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the tip position. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the storage configuration. 20 FIG. 7 Perspective view of an embodiment incorporating a pivoted axle frame in the partially closed position. FIG. 8 Side view of the pivoted axle frame embodiment in the partially closed position. FIG. 9 Side view of the pivoted axle frame embodiment in the normal towing 25 configuration FIG. 10 Perspective view of embodiment incorporating a pivoted axle frame in the closed position.

5 FIG. 11 Perspective view of an embodiment with a coupler fixed to the drawbar. FIG. 12 Side view of the fixed coupler embodiment in the partially closed position. FIG. 13 Perspective view of the embodiment incorporating a fixed coupler in the closed position. 5 FIG. 13A Side by side comparison of footprints of a trailer in the towing configuration with a trailer in the storage configuration. FIG. 14 Perspective view of the embodiment incorporating a swivel type coupler in the normal towing configuration. FIG. 15 Side view of the embodiment incorporating a swivel type coupler in the 10 partially closed position. FIG. 16 Perspective view of the embodiment incorporating a swivel type coupler in the collapsed position. REFERENCE TO NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 15 1. Load Carrying Tray 2. Rear of the Trailer, i.e. trailing end. 3. Drawbar 4. Coupler 5. Axle 20 6. Drawbar link 7. Axle Frame 8. Winch 9. Winch Cable 10. Jockey Wheel 6 11. Axle Frame Keepers 12. Coupler Beam 13. Coupler Linkage 14. Chassis 5 15. Tray Sides 16. Pivoting Axle Frame 17. Fixed Chassis Hinge 18. Swivel Type Coupler. 19. Drawbar Pivots 10 21. Chassis Frame Side Rails 23. Chassis Frame Midline Beam 25. Chassis Frame Cross Bars 27. Wheels 29. Suspension Leaf Springs 15 31. Axle Frame Cross Beams 33. Axle Frame Runners 35. Coupler Beam Pivot 37. Winch Post 39. Winch Cable Tie Off 20 41. Swivel Ball Socket 43. Swivel Ball Socket Pivots 45. Swivel Ball Socket Support Arms 47. Wheel Guard 7 49. Wheel Guard Hinge 100. A trailer according to a first embodiment of the invention. 102. A trailer according to a second embodiment of the invention. 104. A trailer according to a third embodiment of the invention. 5 106. A trailer according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are orthogonal projections of a trailer 100 according to a 10 preferred embodiment of the present invention in a travelling or "towing" configuration. In this configuration the length of the ground footprint of the trailer is a distance "" as indicated in Figure 1. The trailer 100 includes a drawbar 3 which is hinged to the main chassis 14 by means of drawbar pivots 19. The drawbar 3 comprises left and right members 15 which converge forwardly to coupling beam 12. The main chassis 14 comprises side rails 21, midline beam 23 and cross bars 25. The main chassis 14 supports a load carrying tray 1. Wheels 27 are journaled to opposite ends of an axle 5. The axle is coupled to leaf springs 29 which in turn are fastened to an axle frame 7. While leaf springs are 20 preferred other suspension elements might be used such as a trailing arm suspension incorporating airbags or a coil spring suspension. The axle frame 7 comprises cross beams 31 interconnected at their ends by axle frame runners 33. The axle frame 7 is connected to drawbar 3 by a drawbar link 6 which is pivoted at either end. The axle frame 7 includes keepers 11 that run along opposed side rails 25 21 of the chassis 14. The keepers 11 are shaped to prevent the chassis disengaging from the side rails 21 of the axle frame 14. The coupler beam 12 extends forwardly from the leading end of the drawbar 3 and is hingedly connected thereto by a coupler pivot 35. A coupler link 13 is pivotally 8 connected at its opposite ends to the coupler beam 12 and the midline beam 23 of the main chassis frame 14. The coupler beam 12 supports a vehicle coupler 4, which in the presently described embodiment comprises a socket to receive a tow-ball of a towing 5 vehicle. A winch 8 is supported on a post 37 which extends upwardly from the coupler beam 12. The winch 8 winds a line 9 which comprises a winch cable that terminates at tying off point 39 at the trailing end of the trailer. It will be observed that the line 9 is strung between a point rearward of the drawbar pivot 19, e.g. the 10 tying off point 39 and a point forward of the drawbar pivot 19, e.g. the winch 8. The coupler beam 12 also has fastened to it a jockey wheel 10 for supporting the leading end of the trailer while it is in the towing configuration but uncoupled from the towing vehicle. Referring now to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, there is presented a side view of the trailer 100 15 as it progresses from the towing configuration shown in FIG. 3, through an intermediate configuration shown in FIG. 4 to the tilting configuration of FIG. 5 and thence to a final storage configuration as shown in FIG. 6. With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, as the winch 8 is wound, the winch cable 9 is placed under tension so that it lifts the leading edge of the trailer chassis 14 and 20 slightly rotates the coupler beam 12 about pivot 35 to the position indicated in FIG. 4. The combination of links 12, 3, 13 and 14 form a four bar linkage system that keeps the coupler 4 within a normal angular range for the coupler 4 to maintain coupling with a vehicle towbar. Consequently, it is possible to operate the winch 25 and proceed from the towing configuration of FIG. 3 toward the storage configuration of FIG. 6 without having to decouple the coupler 4 from the towing vehicle. Further operation of the winch takes up the line 9 and thereby rotates the drawbar 3 which acts on the drawbar linkage 6 to move the axle frame 7 and axle 5 30 towards the rear of the trailer 2. As the wheels 27 move rearward they abut the rear portion of mudguard 47 which then gives way by swinging about hinge 49.

9 As the winch 8 is wound further, more of line 9 is taken up which increases the angle of the tray 1 and chassis 14 to the ground so that a tipping position is attained as depicted in FIG. 5. The tipping position may be convenient for discharging some types of cargo from the tray 1, whether or not the winch 8 is 5 wound further. Further winding of winch 8 brings the trailer to the storage position that is illustrated in FIG. 6. In the storage position the trailing end of the trailer becomes the trailer's base. The combination of links 12, 3, 13 and 14 form a four bar linkage system that keeps the coupler 4 within a normal angular range for the coupler 4 to maintain 10 coupling with a vehicle towbar. Consequently, as previously mentioned it is possible to operate the winch and proceed from the towing configuration of FIG. 3 toward the storage configuration of FIG. 6, for example in an intermediate tilting configuration, while maintain coupling of the coupler 4 with the towing vehicle With reference to Figure 6, it will be observed that the length of the footprint that is 15 taken up by the trailer 100 in the storage configuration is a distance "d" which is less than approximately a third of the distance "1" being the length of the footprint taken up by the trailer in the towing configuration shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, approximately more than three times as many trailers may be stored on a given storage area in this configuration. 20 The coupler 4 can be uncoupled from the tow vehicle (not shown) at any position up to near the storage position and the front of the trailer can be supported by the jockey wheel 10. The centre of gravity of the trailer 100 moves rearward as the wheels, 27, axle 5 and axle frame 7 move towards the rear of the trailer. Ultimately, in the storage 25 position shown in FIG. 6, the centre of gravity is located between the jockey wheel 10 and the upper section 15 of the tray 1 at the rear of the trailer. The motion of the centre of gravity towards the rear of the trailer (i.e. the base of the trailer in the storage configuration) confers trailer stability in the storage configuration. A further embodiment of the invention is seen in FIG. 7 where a trailer 102 is 30 shown in the tip position.

10 In this second embodiment of the invention the sliding axle frame 7 of the first embodiment is replaced with a pivoting axle frame 16 hinged to a fixture 17 that is fast with the trailer chassis 14. A side view of this embodiment is indicated in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a side view in the towing configuration and FIG. 10 shows the trailer in 5 storage configuration. FIG. 11. Illustrates a trailer 104 which is a variation of the first embodiment 100 of the invention. In the trailer 104 the coupler 4 is rigidly fixed to the drawbar 3 whereas in the earlier embodiment of trailer 100 it was fastened to a coupler beam 12 that was pivotally connected to the drawbar 3 and also to a coupler link 13. 10 Since trailer 104 of FIG. 11 does not include either the pivoting coupler beam 12 or the coupler link 13, it is unable to maintain a coupling angle as it proceeds from the trailing configuration to the storage configuration. Consequently trailer 104 is unable to remain coupled to the tow vehicle and the coupler 4 needs to be supported as it assumes the storage configuration. Alternatively the coupler may 15 simply slide on the ground. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 shown trailer 104 in an intermediate tilt configuration and in fully collapsed storage configuration respectively. It will be realised that the rigidly fixed coupler of the embodiment of trailer 104 might also be used with the pivoting axle frame embodiment illustrated by trailer 20 102. The left hand side of FIG. 13A shows the trailer 100 of Figure 1, in the towing configuration with its footprint indicated beneath it by a hatched square which is of length "" The right hand side of FIG. 13A also shows the trailer 100 but in its towing configuration, which has a footprint of length "d". This side by side 25 comparison shows the greatly reduced storage footprint that is afforded by the various embodiments of the invention. Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated as trailer 106 in FIG. 14. The trailer 106 has a coupler 18 which is a swivel type in that it includes a tow ball socket 41 that is connected by a pivot 43 between support arms 45.

11 The pivotal connection allows the coupler 18 to remain coupled to the tow vehicle as it progresses from the towing configuration of FIG. 14, through the intermediate tipping configuration of FIG. 15 to the storage configuration of FIG. 16. Although the preceding description contains sufficient detail for a person skilled in 5 the art to understand and practice the invention, it should not be construed that the scope of the invention is limited to the exemplary embodiments but rather as providing a description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the winch 8 of the previously described embodiments, which acts to progress the trailers described 10 herein from the towing configuration to the storage configuration could be otherwise. For example, the winch might be be replaced with a mechanism, such as an electric motor, that rotates one of the rotating members or, with an extendable ram that moves one point relative to another. Such a variation would not materially alter the nature of the invention. Thus the 15 scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims rather than the specific examples provided. In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term "comprises" and its variations, such as "comprising" and "comprised of" is used throughout in an 20 inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or 25 modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims (11)

1. A trailer having a leading end and a trailing end in a towing configuration, the trailer comprising: 5 a chassis; a coupler for attachment to a towing vehicle at the leading end; and a wheel assembly coupled to the chassis and including trailer wheels; wherein the wheel assembly is arranged for movement of the trailer wheels rearward to assume a storage configuration having a reduced footprint relative 10 to a footprint of the towing configuration.

2. A trailer according to claim 1, wherein the coupler is mounted at a leading end of a drawbar, the drawbar being pivotal relative to the chassis. 15

3. A trailer according to claim 2, wherein the wheel assembly is slidingly engaged by at least one member of the chassis.

4. A trailer according to claim 3, wherein the wheel assembly and the drawbar are interconnected by a linking member whereby rotation of the 20 drawbar relative to the chassis causes translation of the wheel assembly along the chassis to thereby bring the wheels rearward to assume the storage configuration.

5. A trailer according to claim 2, wherein the wheel assembly is coupled 25 by at least one wheel assembly pivot to a point fast with the chassis.

6. A trailer according to claim 5, wherein the wheel assembly and the drawbar are interconnected by a linking member whereby rotation of the drawbar causes rotation of the wheel assembly about said pivot to thereby 30 bring the wheels rearward to assume the storage configuration. 13

7. A trailer according to any one of claims 2 to 6, including a winch arranged to tension a line strung between a point rearward of the drawbar pivot and a point leading the drawbar pivot whereby operation of the winch rotates the drawbar to thereby bring the wheels rearward. 5

8. A trailer according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the coupler is pivotally attached to a leading end of the drawbar by a coupler beam for the coupler to maintain a coupling angle with the towing vehicle as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration toward the storage configuration. 10

9. A trailer according to claim 8, including a coupler link member pivotally interconnected between the coupler beam and a point fast with the chassis to thereby constrain the coupler beam to maintain a suitable angle for the coupler to couple with a vehicle as the trailer proceeds from the towing 15 configuration toward the storage configuration.

10. A trailer according to claim 9 including a jockey wheel fastened to the pivotally attached coupler beam whereby the jockey wheel maintains ground contact as the trailer proceeds from the towing configuration toward the 20 storage configuration.

11. A trailer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the coupler includes a mating portion that is arranged to swivel in order that the mating portion may maintain a coupling angle with the towing vehicle as the 25 trailer proceeds from the towing configuration to the storage configuration.