FIELD

In particular, this disclosure relates to a trailer system for carrying as load. More specifically, it relates to a trailer system for carrying as load with a split option.

BACKGROUND

The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.

A freight trailer is typically hooked with a truck by means of a mechanical coupling device. The load carried by the trailer is superimposed onto the truck for wheel traction.

The conventional or existing trailers used in the transport industry are available in different configuration and sizes, specific to the applications. But the predominantly used trailer is a standard 40 feet trailer, to achieve maximum capacity utilization of the truck-trailer combination and achieve cost benefits. But the usage of such vehicles is limited to certain routes and applications because of site accessibility issues.

However, to solve the problems of the standard trailers size, the split trailer is manufactured with a split option. With this feature, the trailer can be split at areas of congestion into two independent trailers and driven separately. The trailer can also be joined together into a single unit when on longer routes.

There is felt, therefore, the need of a trailer system for carrying a load that alleviates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a trailer system for carrying a load.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a trailer system for carrying a load with a split trailer. Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a trailer system for carrying a load having a sliding boogie.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a trailer system for carrying a load with the trailer part having a telescopic gooseneck frame.

Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a trailer system for carrying a load having an adjustable wheelbase.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure envisages a trailer system for carrying a load. The trailer system comprising a front trailer part; a rear trailer part configured to be interlocked with the front trailer part to form a trailer system in combined configuration, and capable of being separated to form a trailer system in separated configuration. Further, it comprises a wheeled chassis and a kingpin provided on the trailer part for facilitating attachment to a tractor vehicle. A sliding-bogie with a coupler and wheel attachment unit is provided on the front trailer part, which is configured to slide longitudinally along the chassis. When the front trailer and the rear trailer part are interlocked, the sliding-bogie of the front trailer part is extended until it interlocks with the bottom of the rear trailer part.

In an embodiment, the trailer system includes kingpin mechanism configured to interlock the rear trailer part with the coupler on the sliding bogie of the front trailer part to form the trailer system.

In an embodiment, the rear trailer part has the telescopic gooseneck that slides longitudinally along the trailer axis. The telescopic gooseneck of the rear trailer part interlocks with the rear of the front trailer part through a lock and pin mechanism wherein said lock and pin mechanism capable of being actuated by hand and a pneumatic system. When split, the telescopic gooseneck of the rear trailer is retracted to decrease the overall length of the rear trailer part. Advantageously, the shorter length of the rear trailer allows more flexibility in last mile deliveries.

In another embodiment, the rear trailer part includes a sliding rear-axle with wheels attached thereto to enable changing of the tractor-trailer wheelbase to a predetermined value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

A trailer system for carrying a load of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1A and IB shows a perspective view of a split trailer having a front trailer part wherein the sliding-bogie lies below the chassis during the retract position of the chassis in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2A and 2B shows a perspective view of a front trailer part wherein the sliding-bogie is in extended position in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3A and 3B shows a perspective view of a rear trailer part with a sliding rear-axle and a telescopic gooseneck in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 4A, 4B and 4C shows a perspective view of a rear trailer system with different position of a sliding rear-axle in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 5A and SB shows a perspective view of a trailer system during engagement position in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure SC shows a perspective view of a trailer system during dis-engagement position of front trailer part and the rear trailer part in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND DRAWING

400- Trailer system

400a- Trailer system in combined configuration

400b- Trailer system in separated configuration

300-Chassis

200- Rear trailer part 150- Slidable bogie

100- Front trailer part

70- Coupler

60- Wheel

50- Telescopic gooseneck frame

30- Adjustable height jack

20- Slidable rear-axle

10- Kingpin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.

The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms “a”, “an”, and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “including”, and “having”, are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The particular order of steps disclosed in the method and process of the present disclosure is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element is referred to as being “mounted on”, “engaged to”, “connected to”, or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.

The terms first, second, third, etc., should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure as the aforementioned terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region or section from another component, region, or section. Terms such as first, second, third etc., when used herein do not imply a specific sequence or order unless clearly suggested by the present disclosure.

Terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, and the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between different elements as depicted from the figures.

A trailer is typically hooked with a truck by means of a mechanical coupling device. The load carried by the trailer is superimposed onto the truck for wheel traction.

The conventional trailers used in the transport industry are available in different configuration and sizes specific to the applications. But the predominantly used trailer is a standard 40 feet trailer, to achieve maximum capacity utilization of the truck-trailer combination and achieve cost benefits. However, the usage of such vehicles is limited to certain routes and applications because of site accessibility issues.

Further, the conventional split trailers are equipped with an additional lift-axle provided at the front trailer part, which thereby increases the tare weight of the tractor-trailer system. Also, the additional lift-axle increases the investment cost, cost of operation due to wear and tear, service cost, and cost of lost opportunity due to the dead weight.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a trailer system 400 for carrying a load with a split trailer configuration. The split trailer comprises of a front trailer part 100 and a rear trailer part 200 capable of interlocking to form a trailer system in combined configuration 400a. The trailer parts having a wheeled chassis and a kingpin, wherein the wheels of the front trailer 100 and rear trailer 200 are mounted on two independent bogies with a longitudinally sliding connection to a respective chassis 300.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 1A and figure IB. Figure 1A shows the schematic view of the split trailer comprises the front trailer part 100, which is configured with an arrangement of a sliding bogie 150 with a coupler and wheel attachment unit attached that slide longitudinally along the trailer axis to a predefined length. The bogie 150 is configured with a coupler 70 which lies substantially below the chassis 300 during the retract position of the sliding-bogie 150.

When the front trailer 100 and a rear trailer part 200 interlock, the sliding bogie 150 of the front trailer part 100 is extended until it interlocks with bottom of the rear trailer part 200, as shown in figure 2A and figure 2B. By this way the wheelbase of the tractor and trailer combination can be adjusted to a predetermined value as per the legal standards of the country of operation. Similarly, when split, the sliding-bogie 150 is retracted to decrease the wheelbase of the front trailer. Thus, the chassis 300 is configured to extend and to retract longitudinally, as per user requirements as indicated by the figure IB and figure 2B.

The forward position or retract position corresponds to the optimum wheelbase of the front trailer part 100, which is separated from the rear trailer part 200, as shown in figure 2B.

Advantageously, the sliding bogie 150 configured with the front trailer part 100, eliminates the requirements for additional axle in the tractor and trailer combination, and thus, it reduces capital cost, service cost and tare weight of the trailer.

In another embodiment, the rear trailer part 200 has a telescopic gooseneck 50 that slides longitudinally along the trailer axis. The telescopic gooseneck 50 of the rear trailer part 200 interlocks with the rear of the front trailer part 100 through a lock and pin mechanism actuated either by hand or pneumatic systems. When split, the telescopic gooseneck 50 of the rear trailer is retracted to decrease the overall length of the rear trailer part 200. Advantageously, the rear trailer part has a sliding rear-axle 20 with wheels attached similar to the front trailer 100 that helps in adjusting the tractor-trailer wheelbase as required as shown in figure 3A-B and 4A-C.

In one embodiment of the present invention as shown in figure 5A-C, the forward position corresponds to the optimum trailer length required for interlocking with the front trailer part 100 to form single trailer unit. And, the rearward position corresponds to the optimum trailer length required when the rear trailer part 200 is separated from the front trailer part 100.

Thus advantageously, the length of the rear trailer part 200 can be adjusted longitudinally as desired by the user. The shorter length of the rear trailer permits better flexibility in last mile deliveries and avoid congestion in heavy traffic areas.

Preferably, the length of the rear trailer part 200 is greater than that of the front trailer part 100 to enable the interlocking with the front trailer part 100.

As per another embodiment of the present invention, the front and the rear trailer parts 100, 200 are interlocked to form the trailer system in combined configuration 400a, as shown in figure 5 A and 5B. The front trailer part 100 engages with the tractor by means of king-pin mechanism. And, the rear trailer part 200 is extended by means of the telescopic gooseneck 50 to interlock with the coupler 70 provided on the sliding bogie 150 of the front trailer part 100. The coupler 70 provided on the sliding bogie 150 engages with the kingpin 10 provided on the gooseneck of the rear trailer part 200 and thus forms the trailer system in combined configuration 400a. Similarly, when split, the gooseneck can be retracted to reduce the length of the rear trailer part 200 similar to the front trailer part 100 and thus forms the trailer system in separated configuration 400b, thereby improving accessibility to loading or unloading points.

The wheelbase of the tractor and trailer combination is adjustable to a predetermined value as per the legal standards of the country of operation.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. TECHNICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a trailer system for carrying a load that:

• is easy to drive to a variety of loading or unloading locations;

• easily engages and disengages from the trailer;

• does not require any extra fixtures for fitment;

• has telescopic gooseneck type arrangement to reduce the length of the trailer platform;

• includes a sliding bogie which eliminates the need for additional axle in the tractor and trailer combination, thus, it reduces capital requirement and weight of the trailer; and

• has adjustable wheelbase.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveals the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.