WO2022018647A1 - Remorque auxiliaire - Google Patents

Remorque auxiliaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022018647A1
WO2022018647A1 PCT/IB2021/056571 IB2021056571W WO2022018647A1 WO 2022018647 A1 WO2022018647 A1 WO 2022018647A1 IB 2021056571 W IB2021056571 W IB 2021056571W WO 2022018647 A1 WO2022018647 A1 WO 2022018647A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
axle
body section
auxiliary trailer
variable
main vehicle
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2021/056571
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Marco BURGER
Original Assignee
BOTHA, Dirk Samuel
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BOTHA, Dirk Samuel filed Critical BOTHA, Dirk Samuel
Publication of WO2022018647A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022018647A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D53/00—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
    • B62D53/04—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
    • B62D53/06—Semi-trailers
    • B62D53/068—Semi-trailers having devices to equalise or modify the load between the fifth wheel and the rear wheels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D61/00—Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
    • B62D61/12—Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels

Definitions

  • road regulations also regulate the maximum number of axles in the axle unit of a freight vehicle, for example a semi-trailer. If the regulatory upper limits on the number of axles are exceeded, special or abnormal permits are required in order to legally use the vehicle on a public road. This may be a costly process and presents an additional operational burden on the transporter.
  • an auxiliary trailer comprising: a front body section having a coupler arranged to be hitched to a hitch of a main vehicle, with the connection of the coupler and hitch inhibiting vertical movement of the front body relative to the main vehicle, and a rear body section with at least one axle and that is articulatedly connected to the front body section about a hinge connection, the hinge connection having a pivot axis substantially parallel to the at least one axle, wherein either or both of the front and rear body sections includes at least one linear actuator arranged to exert a variable force on the other of the front or rear body sections to thereby induce a variable torque about the pivot axis that in turn exerts a variable force on the at least one axle that urges the at least one axle toward a ground surface and transfers a portion of the weight of the main vehicle onto the at least one axle of the auxiliary trailer, and wherein a force vector of the variable force is offset from the at least one axle.
  • auxiliary trailer may be hitched to the main vehicle and a variable torque applied about the pivot axis of the auxiliary trailer through the operation of the at least one linear actuator.
  • a resultant variable force is exerted on the axle of the auxiliary trailer (and a corresponding reaction force on coupler, hitch and main vehicle chassis), thereby causing some of the load on axles of the main vehicle to shift onto the axle of the auxiliary trailer.
  • This may distribute the total weight of the payload over the additional axle (or axles) of the auxiliary trailer, lowering the per-axle load of the vehicle as a whole.
  • auxiliary trailer being arranged to be hitched to (and thus unhitched from) the main vehicle enables the auxiliary trailer to be easily unhitched, should the payload weight of the main vehicle be such that the additional axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer are not required.
  • hitch and coupler connection to be articulated so as to enable horizontal movement of the front body section relative to the main vehicle while inhibiting vertical movement of the front body section relative to the main vehicle; for the hitch and coupler connection to be a hinge-type connection with one of the hitch and coupler comprising a vertical pivot axis that enables horizontal movement of the front body section relative to the main vehicle while inhibiting vertical movement of the front body section relative to the main vehicle.
  • the at least one linear actuator to be further arranged to selectively induce an opposite torque on the rear body section about the pivot axis that urges the at least one axle away from a ground surface such as to raise wheels mounted on the at least one axle of the rear body section above the ground surface.
  • first group of one or more linear actuators to be located at an elevated position relative to the hinge connection between the front and rear body sections, the variable force being a variable pushing force that causes the first torque
  • second group of one or more linear actuators to be located at an lowered position relative to the hinge connection between the front and rear body sections, the variable force being a variable pushing force that causes the second torque in the opposite direction as that of the first torque
  • first group of linear actuators to include between 2 and 5 linear actuators, preferably 4; and for the second group of linear actuators to include between 1 and 3 linear actuators, preferably 1 .
  • Figure 2 is an enlarged area of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the auxiliary trailer of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the auxiliary trailer of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 5 is a side elevation of the auxiliary trailer of Figure 1 illustrating forces and torque exerted on various components of the auxiliary trailer;
  • Figure 15 is a section view along the line XV-XV shown in Figure 14. DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS
  • Directional references such as front and rear refer to directions towards a front end of a vehicle and a rear end of a vehicle, respectively. References to horizontal and vertical assume the objects in question are positioned on a flat and level surface.
  • the auxiliary trailer includes two main parts: a front body section and a rear body section.
  • the front body section includes a coupler for hitching the auxiliary trailer to a hitch of a main vehicle, such as a semi-trailer for example.
  • the main vehicle may also be any other vehicle to which the auxiliary trailer is hitched, including a non- articulated or rigid truck.
  • the connection formed by the coupler and hitch (when hitched) is such that the auxiliary trailer can move in the horizontal relative to the main vehicle (i.e. pivot horizontally at the coupler/hitch connection), but inhibiting vertical movement of the auxiliary trailer relative to the main vehicle. This implies that vertical forces on the coupler of the trailer will also be exerted on the hitch and thus the chassis of the main vehicle.
  • the rear body section includes the axle unit of the auxiliary trailer and has at least one axle.
  • the rear body section is articulatedly connected to the front body section about a hinge connection.
  • This hinge connection has a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the axle or axles, and thus substantially horizontal when the trailer is positioned on a flat and level surface. This implies that the rear body section can pivot in the vertical relative to the front body section and therefore also relative to a main vehicle when the auxiliary trailer is hitched to a main vehicle.
  • the front or rear body section includes at least one linear actuator.
  • the linear actuator or actuators are arranged to exert a variable force on the other of the front or rear body sections. This, in turn, induces a variable torque about the pivot axis of the hinge connection that connects the front and rear body sections.
  • the variable torque urges the axle or axles toward a ground surface, on which the wheels of the axle or axles rests, translating into a variable force exerted by the wheels on the ground surface.
  • a corresponding reaction force is exerted on the wheels and due to their mechanical connections also on the front body section, hitch, and thus the main vehicle to which the auxiliary trailer is hitched.
  • variable force required to induce a torque about the hinge connection may be either a variable pulling force, or a variable pushing force.
  • a variable pulling force may be required so that the direction of the torque is such that it urges the axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer toward a ground surface.
  • a variable pushing force may be required so that the direction of the torque is such that it urges the axles of the auxiliary trailer towards a ground surface.
  • the direction of the force vector of the variable pulling or pushing force is offset from the axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer (i.e. the force vector does not intersect the axle. This means that no adaptation of the axle assembly itself is required, and that a stock standard axle unit may be used on the auxiliary trailer.
  • the auxiliary trailer may have two groups of linear actuators.
  • the first group may be responsible for the (first) torque and associated forces that urge the axles toward the ground, thereby shifting some of the load of the main vehicle onto the axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer.
  • Such embodiments may further include a second group of linear actuators that are responsible for a (second) torque, in an opposite direction of the first torque, which may be utilised to lift the wheels fitted onto the axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer off the ground when it is not in use.
  • Figures 1 to 10 show a first embodiment of an auxiliary trailer (100) in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure 1 and the enlarged view of Figure 2 show the trailer (100) hitched to a main vehicle (10) which, in this particular example, is a semi-trailer (12) drawn by a truck tractor (14).
  • the hitch assembly (110) by means of which the auxiliary trailer (100) is hitched to the semi-trailer (12) includes a hitch (112) retrofitted to the semi-trailer and a coupler (114) that is releasably securable to the hitch.
  • the auxiliary trailer (100) may be easily hitched and unhitched to and from the main vehicle (10) depending on whether the payload weight of the main vehicle requires the additional axle or axles of the auxiliary trailer.
  • the auxiliary trailer (100) is comprised of two major parts: a front body section (120) and a rear body section (140).
  • the coupler (114) is provided at a front end of the front body section (120), with a drawbar beam (122) extending substantially horizontally and rearwards from the coupler towards an upright mounting plate (124).
  • Triangular reinforcement plates (126) are welded into the junction of the drawbar beam (122) and the mounting plate (124).
  • a hinge connection (128) connects the rear body section (140) to the front body section (120) at the mounting plate (124).
  • the hinge connection (128) has a pivot axis substantially parallel to an axle (142) of the auxiliary trailer provided on the rear body section (140). The pivot axis of the hinge connection will therefore be orientated substantially horizontally when the auxiliary trailer is positioned on a flat and level surface.
  • linear actuators are mounted onto a rear face (125) of the mounting plate (124) at an elevated position relative to the axle (142) and, more particularly at an elevated position relative to the hinge connection (128) that articulatedly connect the front body section (120) and the rear body section (140).
  • the linear actuators are air springs (148) that may be connected to a pneumatic system of a main vehicle to which the auxiliary trailer is hitched.
  • the auxiliary trailer may have an independent pneumatic system.
  • the air springs (148) are mounted in an orientation to expand in a generally rearward direction from the rear face (125) of the mounting plate (124) when air pressure to the air springs are increased, and their opposite ends abut the face (153) of the abutment plate (152).
  • the air pressure to the air springs (148) may be varied so as to exert a variable pushing force (FAS) onto the abutment plate (152).
  • the pushing force from the air springs (FAS) is exerted onto the abutment plate (152) at an elevated position relative to the hinge connection (128), causing a variable torque (T H ) about the hinge connection (128) that connects the front body section (120) and the rear body section (140).
  • T H variable torque
  • the direction of the torque is clockwise as viewed from the side shown in Figure 5, and thus urges the rear end of the rear body section (140), and thus also the axle (142), towards the ground surface (160).
  • a force is exerted on the ground surface comprising a weight (FATW) of the auxiliary trailer (100) as well as a variable vertical component (F T ) of a force on the axle caused by the variable torque (TH).
  • variable force (FAS) of the air springs (148) increases the variable torque (T H ) which, in turn, increases the total magnitude of FAXLE.
  • F r reaction force
  • F T variable upward force
  • the auxiliary trailer in accordance with the invention may be used in a method (200) for reducing the per-axle load of a vehicle.
  • the method includes hitching (202) the coupler (114) provided on a front body section (120) of the auxiliary trailer (100) to the vehicle (12), the connection of the coupler and hitch being configured to inhibit vertical movement of the front body relative to the vehicle.
  • the auxiliary trailer (100) includes a rear body section (140) with at least one axle (142) and is articulatedly connected to the front body section (120) about a hinge connection (128).
  • the hinge connection (128) has a pivot axis substantially parallel to the at least one axle (142).
  • One or more linear actuator (148) provided on one or both of the front (120) and rear (140) body sections is operated (204) to exert a variable force (FAS) on the other of the front or rear body sections.
  • a force vector of the variable force (FAS) is offset from the at least one axle (142).
  • a variable torque (T H ) is induced (206) about the pivot axis (128) that exerts a variable force (F T ) on the at least one axle, urging the at least one axle toward a ground surface.
  • the variable force exerted on the at least one axle (142) transfers (208) a portion of the weight of the vehicle onto the at least one axle of the auxiliary trailer.
  • Figures 12 to 15 show a second embodiment of an auxiliary trailer (200) in accordance with this invention. Like reference numerals to those in Figures 1 to 10 refer to like features in the first embodiment (100).
  • the auxiliary trailer has a first group of linear actuators and, more particularly, a first group of air springs (202).
  • This first group of air springs (202) are essentially similar to the air springs (148) of the first embodiment, except that they are an array of four air springs, whereas the first embodiment had only three. Their functionality will therefore not be repeated here in the interest of conciseness.
  • the reason for the additional air spring in this second embodiment of the auxiliary trailer (200) will become apparent.
  • the main vehicle (20) shown in broken lines
  • the auxiliary vehicle (200) makes provision for this application in lowering the mounting plate (124) and the abutment plate (153). This, in turn, reduces the radial distance between the hinge connection (128) and the air springs (202). With only three air springs, the same force (FAS) would therefore result in a smaller torque (TH).
  • an additional air spring is therefore added to increase the applied force (FAS), thus resulting in the same torque (TH).
  • This auxiliary trailer (200) also includes a second group of linear actuators and, more particularly, also an air spring (204).
  • an air spring For convenience reference will be made to the “lower air spring”. Although there is only one air spring in the second “group” of air springs, it forms a separate functional group from the first group of air springs (202).
  • the lower air spring (204) is mounted to the mounting plate (124) below the hinge connection (128). Therefore, and as shown more clearly in Figure 15, a pushing force (F L ) exerted by the lower air spring (204) against a lower abutment plate (206) on the rear body section will result in a torque (T L ) about the hinge connection (128) in an opposite direction.
  • This torque (TL) urges the axle (142) away from the ground surface (160) and allows the wheels (143) to be raised off the ground surface. This may be desired if the load carrying ability of the auxiliary trailer (200) is not immediately required.
  • the first group (202) (or “upper air springs”) need to be depressurized so as not to provide an opposing force and torque.
  • the upper air springs (202) when operated, so as to shift some of the load of the main vehicle (20) onto its axle (142), the lower air spring (204) will need to be depressurized, so not so interfere with an opposing force and torque.
  • the invention therefore provides a means of transferring load carried by a main vehicle (e.g. a semi-trailer) axle unit to the axle or axle unit of the auxiliary trailer, which is hitched behind the main vehicle, thereby increasing the payload while maintaining per-axle loads within physical and regulatory limits.
  • a main vehicle e.g. a semi-trailer

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

Une remorque auxiliaire (100, 200) est divulguée, qui présente une section de corps avant (120) et une section de corps arrière (140). La section de corps avant (120) présente un dispositif d'accouplement (114) agencé pour être attelé à un attelage d'un véhicule principal (12), avec le raccordement du dispositif d'accouplement (114) et de l'attelage inhibant un mouvement vertical du corps avant par rapport au véhicule principal (12). La section de corps arrière (140) présente au moins un essieu (142) et est raccordée de manière articulée à la section de corps avant (120) autour d'un raccordement articulé (128) avec un axe de pivotement sensiblement parallèle à l'essieu/aux essieux (142). La ou les deux sections de corps avant et arrière (120, 140) comporte(nt) au moins un actionneur linéaire (148) agencé pour exercer une force variable sur l'autre des sections de corps avant ou arrière (120, 140) pour induire ainsi un couple variable autour de l'axe de pivotement (142). Cela pousse l'essieu/les essieux (142) en direction d'une surface de sol (160). Un vecteur de force de la force de poussée variable est décalé par rapport audit au moins un essieu (142).
PCT/IB2021/056571 2020-07-24 2021-07-21 Remorque auxiliaire WO2022018647A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA2020/04587 2020-07-24
ZA2020/04587A ZA202004587B (en) 2020-07-24 2020-07-24 Auxiliary trailer

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2022018647A1 true WO2022018647A1 (fr) 2022-01-27

Family

ID=77392296

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2021/056571 WO2022018647A1 (fr) 2020-07-24 2021-07-21 Remorque auxiliaire

Country Status (2)

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WO (1) WO2022018647A1 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA202004587B (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5393084A (en) * 1993-06-28 1995-02-28 Kleysen; Hubert T. Swivel bunked double trailers for containers
US20090273157A1 (en) * 2008-12-05 2009-11-05 Jeffrey Brian Scheuren Sub-trailer for a vehicle or a trailer
WO2015042169A1 (fr) * 2013-09-17 2015-03-26 Banwart Donald D Chariot de convertisseur motorisé et dispositif de fixation

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5393084A (en) * 1993-06-28 1995-02-28 Kleysen; Hubert T. Swivel bunked double trailers for containers
US20090273157A1 (en) * 2008-12-05 2009-11-05 Jeffrey Brian Scheuren Sub-trailer for a vehicle or a trailer
WO2015042169A1 (fr) * 2013-09-17 2015-03-26 Banwart Donald D Chariot de convertisseur motorisé et dispositif de fixation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA202004587B (en) 2021-08-25

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