|
Trucks with lifting and tilting tailgates play a significant role in transportation. These tailgates need to have both lifting and flipping (folding and unfolding) capabilities. Currently, hydraulic cylinders are commonly used in tailgate lifting mechanisms. For small and medium-sized trucks (below 3.5 tons), a single hydraulic cylinder is often employed along with a flipping control mechanism to facilitate both lifting and flipping motions. The flipping control mechanism can be of two types: 1. Cam-controlled, and 2. Rocker-arm locking. Moreover, enhancing the payload capacity, improving stability, and reducing maintenance costs are also crucial areas for research. This study focuses on the flipping control mechanism of truck tailgates and aims to conduct relevant research and innovative design. Firstly, an analysis of existing patents and products will be performed to identify their advantages, disadvantages, and features. Based on this analysis, an innovative and practical flipping control mechanism that meets industry demands will be proposed as a novel design solution. Additionally, the lifting mechanism will be optimized to make the hydraulic cylinder more efficient. Engineering drawings will be created using SolidWorks to verify the feasibility of the innovative design. Next, the dimensional data of the lifting mechanism will be input into Design Expert for optimization. Subsequently, Altair Inspire will be utilized for motion simulation and driving force analysis to ensure alignment with the research objectives. Finally, a prototype of this innovative design will be developed in collaboration with the partnering manufacturing company.
|