초록 ▼

Disclosed are systems and methods for a folding vehicle trailer. The trailer design is able to be made of various lengths and widths from as well as multiple axle configurations. This trifold design is compact and allows for vertical stacking of sectionalized components to minimize space, while main

Disclosed are systems and methods for a folding vehicle trailer. The trailer design is able to be made of various lengths and widths from as well as multiple axle configurations. This trifold design is compact and allows for vertical stacking of sectionalized components to minimize space, while maintaining great flexibility and simplicity for the end user.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A utility trailer configured to be towed behind a vehicle that facilitates alteration between an open configuration and a compact configuration comprising: a center trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular center frame chassis;a center bed floor disposed on said center frame;a wheeled axle

1. A utility trailer configured to be towed behind a vehicle that facilitates alteration between an open configuration and a compact configuration comprising: a center trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular center frame chassis;a center bed floor disposed on said center frame;a wheeled axle and suspension system supporting said center frame; and,a pair of collapsible center side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said center frame such that said center side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said center bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said center bed floor in a compact configuration;a front trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular front frame chassis;a front bed floor disposed on said front frame;a pair of collapsible front side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said front frame such that said front side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said front bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said front bed floor in a compact configuration; and,a collapsible front end barrier pivotally attached to the front portion of said front frame such that said front end barrier may maintain a normal orientation, or a parallel orientation extending forward of said front bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said front side barriers in a compact configuration;a rear trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular rear frame chassis;a rear bed floor disposed on said rear frame;a pair of collapsible rear side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said rear frame such that said rear side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said rear bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said rear bed floor in a compact configuration; and,a collapsible rear end barrier pivotally attached to the rear portion of said rear frame such that said rear end barrier may maintain a normal orientation, or a parallel orientation extending rearward of said rear bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said rear side barriers in a compact configuration;a tongue that facilitates connection between said center trailer section and said vehicle;a rearward offset hinge mechanism comprising two offset braces joined by a rear pivot, that pivotally joins said center trailer section and said rear trailer section such that the pivot point of said junction is offset above said center bed floor by a distance of half the combined thickness of said collapsed center side barrier, said collapsed rear side barrier, said rear end barrier, combined with said rear pivot diameter, thereby allowing said rear trailer section to stack directly upon said collapsed center trailer section thereby minimizing the overall stack height of said center and said rear trailer sections; and,a forward offset hinge mechanism comprising two forward offset braces joined by a forward pivot, that pivotally joins said center trailer section and said front trailer section such that the pivot point of said junction is offset above said center bed floor by a distance of half the combined thickness of said collapsed center side barrier, said collapsed rear side barrier, said rear end barrier and said rear trailer section, said collapsed forward side barrier, said front end barrier, combined with said forward and rear pivot diameter, thereby allowing said front trailer section to stack directly upon said collapsed rear trailer section when it is stacked directly upon said center trailer section thereby minimizing the overall stack height of said center, said rear and said front trailer sections. 2. A utility trailer configured to be towed behind a vehicle that facilitates alteration between an open configuration, a compact configuration and a stored configuration comprising: a center trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular center frame chassis;a center bed floor disposed on said center frame;a wheeled axle and suspension system supporting said center frame; and,a pair of collapsible center side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said center frame such that said center side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said center bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said center bed floor in a compact configuration or stored configuration;a front trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular front frame chassis;a front bed floor disposed on said front frame;a pair of collapsible front side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said front frame such that said front side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said front bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said front bed floor in a compact configuration or stored configuration; and, a collapsible front end barrier pivotally attached to the front portion of said front frame such that said front end barrier may maintain a normal orientation, or a parallel orientation extending forward of said front bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said front side barriers in a compact configuration or stored configuration;a rear trailer section comprising: a rigid rectangular rear frame chassis;a rear bed floor disposed on said rear frame;a pair of collapsible rear side barriers pivotally attached to opposing lateral sides of said rear frame such that said rear side barriers may maintain a normal orientation to said rear bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said rear bed floor in a compact configuration or stored configuration; and,a collapsible rear end barrier pivotally attached to the rear portion of said rear frame such that said rear end barrier may maintain a normal orientation or a parallel orientation extending rearward of said rear bed floor in an open configuration, and fold approximately parallel to, and stacked upon, said rear side barriers in a compact configuration or stored configuration;a tongue that facilitates connection between said center trailer section and said vehicle, said tongue that remains fixed upon the centerline of said center trailer section in said open configuration, and said tongue that rotates in the plane of said center trailer bed to a normal position to said centerline of said center trailer section in said stored configuration;a rearward offset hinge mechanism comprising two offset braces joined by a rear pivot, that pivotally joins said center trailer section and said rear trailer section such that the pivot point of said junction is offset above said center bed floor by a distance of half the combined thickness of said collapsed center side barrier, said collapsed rear side barrier, said rear end barrier, combined with said rear pivot diameter, thereby allowing said rear trailer section to stack directly upon said collapsed center trailer section thereby minimizing the overall stack height of said center and said rear trailer sections;a forward offset hinge mechanism comprising two forward offset braces joined by a forward pivot, that pivotally joins said center trailer section and said front trailer section such that the pivot point of said junction is offset above said center bed floor by a distance of half the combined thickness of said collapsed center side barrier, said collapsed rear side barrier, said rear end barrier and said rear trailer section, said collapsed forward side barrier, said front end barrier, combined with said forward and rear pivot diameter, thereby allowing said front trailer section to stack directly upon said collapsed rear trailer section when it is stacked directly upon said center trailer section thereby minimizing the overall stack height of said center, said rear and said front trailer sections;at least two lower castors positioned on the underside of said center trailer section oriented in a rearward direction; and,at least two upper castors positioned on the underside of said rear trailer section oriented in a forward direction in said open configuration and oriented in a rearward direction in a compact configuration that allow said trailer to be rotated approximately 90 degrees along a centerline from front to back in a compact configuration, to support the weight of said trailer in with said upper castors and said lower castors by raising said tongue from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. 3. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said tongue additionally pivots laterally in the plane of the center bed floor to contribute to said compact configuration or collapsed stowed position for storage. 4. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said tongue pivotally engages and disengages saddles when pivotally moving in and out of said collapsed stowed position; and wherein said saddles restricts torsion, vertical and horizontal movement of said tongue. 5. The utility trailer of claim 4, wherein said saddles that engage said tongue and further restricts said torsion, vertical and horizontal movement, and pivotal movement of said tongue. 6. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said center side barriers of said center trailer sections engage and disengage from said front and rear section side barriers to allow alteration of said open configuration to said compact configuration. 7. The utility trailer of claim 1, further comprising a second wheeled axel and suspension system supporting said center frame. 8. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said trailer can be towed in said open configuration and said compact configuration. 9. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said front side barriers, said center side barriers and said rear side barriers have an interior side barrier adjoining tab and an exterior side barrier adjoining tab which interlock with adjacent said side barriers, thereby allowing adjacent said side barriers to engage and disengage when transforming from said compact configuration to said open configuration, and from said open configuration to said compact configuration. 10. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein said front side barriers, said center side barriers and said rear side barriers have an interior side barrier adjoining tab and an exterior side barrier adjoining tab which interlock with adjacent said side barriers, thereby allowing all adjacent said side barriers to be raised and lowered as a single unit to said open configuration. 11. The utility trailer of claim 2, wherein said tongue additionally pivots laterally in the plane of the center bed floor to contribute to said compact configuration or collapsed stowed position for storage. 12. The utility trailer of claim 2, wherein said tongue pivotally engages and disengages saddles when pivotally moving in and out of said collapsed stowed position; and wherein said saddles restricts torsion, vertical and horizontal movement of said tongue. 13. The utility trailer of claim 12, wherein said saddles that engage said tongue and further restricts said torsion, vertical and horizontal movement, and pivotal movement of said tongue. 14. The utility trailer of claim 2, wherein said center side barriers of said center trailer sections engage and disengage from said front and rear section side barriers to allow alteration of said open configuration to said compact configuration. 15. The utility trailer of claim 2, further comprising a second wheeled axel and suspension system supporting said center frame. 16. The utility trailer of claim 2, which facilitates said towing behind a vehicle in said open configuration and said compact configuration. 17. The utility trailer of claim 2, wherein said front side barriers, said center side barriers and said rear side barriers have an interior side barrier adjoining tab and an exterior side barrier adjoining tab which interlock with adjacent said side barriers, thereby allowing adjacent said side barriers to engage and disengage when transforming from said compact configuration to said open configuration, and from said open configuration to said compact configuration. 18. The utility trailer of claim 2, wherein said front side barriers, said center side barriers and said rear side barriers have an interior side barrier adjoining tab and an exterior side barrier adjoining tab which interlock with adjacent said side barriers, thereby allowing all adjacent said side barriers to be raised and lowered as a single unit to said open configuration.