Collision return hinge for truss of pesticide sprayer

Abstract

The invention provides a pesticide sprayer truss collision return hinge which comprises a first hinge frame and a second hinge frame which are hinged through a pin shaft, a pre-tightening spring is arranged on the pin shaft, and a concave-convex positioning structure used for limiting the initial relative position of the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame is mainly arranged between U-shaped supporting legs matched with each other of the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame. At least one pair of return springs is further connected between the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame, and the return springs are stretched to store energy when the first hinge frame or the second hinge frame is collided and relatively rotates, and provide return force for returning the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame to initial relative positions after collision force disappears; the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame are preferably cast steel integrally-formed pieces. Through the cooperation of the concave-convex positioning structure and the independent return spring, the accuracy and reliability of resetting after the hinge is collided are effectively ensured; and meanwhile, the integral strength and impact resistance durability of the hinge frame component are fundamentally improved through the cast steel integrally-formed structure, and the problem that an existing welding component is prone to breakage is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a return hinge, specifically a collision return hinge for a sprayer truss. Background Technology

[0002] The sprayer truss extends laterally during operation. Due to its considerable length (e.g., up to 30 meters), it is highly susceptible to collisions with obstacles such as trees and field ridges during field work. To prevent the truss from breaking or permanently bending under impact, existing technology typically incorporates collision-returning hinges in the middle or at sections of the truss. Common hinge structures of this type mainly consist of a U-shaped first and second hinge. The U-shaped legs of the first and second hinges are hinged together by a pin, on which a preload spring is fitted to provide preload force at the hinge. Its working principle is as follows: when the truss is subjected to a lateral impact, the external force forces relative rotation between the first and second hinges. This process causes the preload spring to undergo torsional deformation to store energy. After the impact force dissipates, the torsional restoring force of the preload spring drives the first and second hinges back to their original positions, theoretically restoring the truss to its initial straight state.

[0003] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions have the following obvious drawbacks: First, the reset mechanism is unreliable and inaccurate: under long-term and frequent torsional deformation, the preload spring is prone to fatigue, leading to a decrease or even failure of its torsional restoring force. This means that after a violent collision, the return hinge often fails to drive the truss to fully return to its initial position, resulting in permanent deformation or displacement of the truss as a whole, which seriously affects the uniformity and stability of the spraying operation.

[0004] Secondly, the structural strength and durability are insufficient: the first and second hinge frames in existing hinges are mostly made by cutting and welding sheet metal. Stress concentration occurs at the weld points, which are prone to cracking or tearing of the base material when subjected to repeated impact loads, leading to structural failure of the entire hinge, high maintenance costs, and disruption to agricultural operations.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of collision return hinge for sprayer trusses. It not only needs to have a more reliable and precise automatic reset capability to overcome the reset failure problem caused by spring fatigue, but also needs to have higher overall structural strength and impact resistance to adapt to the harsh and high-frequency field operation environment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a collision return hinge for a sprayer truss, which solves the problems of poor reset reliability and insufficient accuracy of existing structures by setting an independent return spring in conjunction with a concave-convex positioning structure; and solves the problem of easy collision breakage of hinge components due to welding by optimizing the overall structure of the hinge components.

[0007] The technical problem of this invention is solved by the following technical solution: A collision return hinge for a sprayer truss includes a U-shaped first hinge and a second hinge. The U-shaped legs of the first and second hinges are hinged by a pin. A preload spring is fitted on the pin to provide preload force at the hinge. A concave-convex positioning structure is provided between the U-shaped legs of the first and second hinges to limit their initial relative positions. At least one pair of return springs are also connected between the first and second hinges. The return springs are stretched and store energy when the first or second hinge is subjected to collision and relative rotation, and provide a restoring force to return the two to their initial relative positions after the collision force disappears.

[0008] The first hinge has a first connecting plate at the end of its U-shaped support leg, and the second hinge has a second connecting plate at the end of its U-shaped support leg. The first connecting plate and the second connecting plate are hinged together by the pin.

[0009] The concave-convex positioning structure includes a positioning protrusion disposed on the first connecting plate and a positioning groove disposed on the second connecting plate and adapted to the positioning protrusion.

[0010] The cross-section of the positioning protrusion is arc-shaped, and the positioning groove has a matching arc-shaped profile.

[0011] The second connecting plate is located inside the first connecting plate; a preload nut is threaded onto the pin, and one end of the preload spring acts on the second connecting plate, while the other end acts on the preload nut.

[0012] The first connecting plate has a first connecting shaft on each side, and the second hinge has a second connecting shaft on each side. The two ends of the return spring are respectively connected to the corresponding first connecting shaft and second connecting shaft.

[0013] The return spring is a tension spring, which has pretension when the first hinge and the second hinge are in their initial relative positions.

[0014] The centerline of the pin is inclined relative to the horizontal plane towards the second hinge.

[0015] Two return springs are symmetrically arranged, located on both sides of the return hinge.

[0016] Both the first hinge and the second hinge are integral cast steel parts.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the main improvement of this invention lies in the provision of a concave-convex positioning structure between the U-shaped support legs of the first and second hinge frames to define their initial relative positions. At least one pair of return springs are also connected between the first and second hinge frames. These return springs are stretched and store energy when the first or second hinge frame rotates relative to each other due to a collision, and provide a restoring force to return them to their initial relative positions after the collision force disappears. Preferably, the first and second hinge frames are integrally cast steel components. Through the synergistic cooperation of the aforementioned concave-convex positioning structure and the independent return springs, the accuracy and reliability of the hinge's reset after a collision are effectively guaranteed. Simultaneously, the integrally cast steel structure fundamentally improves the overall strength and impact resistance of the hinge components, solving the problem of easy breakage in existing welded components. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Top view.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a section view of section A-A, which is 2.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 One of the perspective stereoscopic views.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Another perspective stereoscopic view. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] like Figures 1-5 As shown, 1. First hinge, 11. First connecting plate, 12. First connecting shaft, 2. Second hinge, 21. Second connecting plate, 22. Second connecting shaft, 3. Pin, 4. Preload spring, 5. Concave-convex positioning structure, 51. Positioning protrusion, 52. Positioning groove, 6. Return spring, 7. Preload nut, 8. Limiting washer. The same labels in each figure represent the same parts.

[0025] A type of collision return hinge for a sprayer truss, such as Figures 1-5 As shown, it is typically installed laterally in the middle section or at the joint of a sprayer truss. When the truss, which is tens of meters long, collides laterally with obstacles such as trees or field ridges during field operations, this return hinge can absorb the impact through controlled bending and automatically and precisely return to its initial straight state after the impact force disappears, thus effectively protecting the main body of the truss from permanent deformation or breakage.

[0026] The return hinge mainly includes a U-shaped first hinge frame 1 and a second hinge frame 2. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, both the first hinge frame 1 and the second hinge frame 2 are integrally cast from high-strength cast steel using a mold, which completely eliminates the risk of stress concentration and cracking at weld points caused by traditional welding processes, giving the entire hinge excellent overall structural strength and impact fatigue resistance.

[0027] The first hinge 1 has a first connecting plate 11 integrally formed at the end of its U-shaped support leg, and the second hinge 2 has a second connecting plate 21 integrally formed at the end of its U-shaped support leg. During installation, the second connecting plate 21 is located inside the first connecting plate 11. The first connecting plate 11 and the second connecting plate 21 are coaxially connected by a pin 3, allowing the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2 to rotate relative to each other around the axis of the pin 3.

[0028] A preload spring 4 is fitted onto the pin 3 between the two second connecting discs 21. Specifically, one end of the preload spring 4 (e.g., Figure 3 The bottom ring of the spring shown directly abuts against the inner end face of the second connecting disc 21, while the pin 3 has an external thread and is threadedly connected to a preload nut 7. The other end of the preload spring 4 (as shown) Figure 3 The top coil of the spring (shown) acts on the preload nut 7. A limiting washer 8 is provided between the preload spring 4 and the preload nut 7. By tightening the preload nut 7, the preload spring 4 can be compressed or released, thereby precisely adjusting the axial clamping force (i.e., preload force) it generates between the first connecting plate 11 and the second connecting plate 21. This preload force provides the necessary rotational damping in the normal hinge state, helping to maintain the initial shape stability of the truss. The limiting washer 8 serves to evenly distribute the spring pressure, prevent the preload nut 7 from causing localized damage to the spring end face, and can also prevent the nut from loosening to a certain extent.

[0029] The core improvement of this invention lies in the addition of an independent reset-positioning system, which consists of two parts: The first part is the concave-convex positioning structure 5: such as... Figure 1 As shown, a positioning protrusion 51 protrudes from the upper end face of the first connecting plate 11. Correspondingly, a positioning groove 52 is machined on the lower end face of the second connecting plate 21, which precisely matches the shape and size of the positioning protrusion 51. In one specific embodiment, the cross-section of the positioning protrusion 51 is arc-shaped, and the positioning groove 52 is also a matching arc-shaped groove. This surface contact fit provides good guidance and low contact stress. When the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2 are in their initial "aligned" working position, the positioning protrusion 51 is completely embedded in the positioning groove 52. This structure geometrically uniquely defines the initial relative position of the two, ensuring the accuracy of the reset endpoint.

[0030] The second part is about spring 6: (as shown in the image) Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, first connecting shafts 12 are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the first connecting plate 11. Second connecting shafts 22 are symmetrically fixed on the outer wall of the second hinge 2 (or on both sides of the second connecting plate 21), with the axis of the first connecting shaft 12 and the axis of the second connecting shaft 22 being exactly parallel. At least one pair of return springs 6 are connected between the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2. In this embodiment, two return springs 6 are symmetrically arranged, both being tension springs, located on both sides of the hinge. Specifically, the two ends of each return spring 6 are hooked onto the first connecting shaft 12 and the second connecting shaft 22 on the same side, respectively. Preferably, during installation, the return springs 6 have appropriate pretension in their initial position (i.e., when the positioning protrusion 51 and the positioning groove 52 are engaged). This ensures that the return springs 6 are always in a taut, ready-to-release state.

[0031] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the centerline of the pin 3 is not horizontal, but is designed to be inclined relative to the horizontal plane towards the second hinge 2, with the angle α between it and the horizontal plane within a preferred range, such as 40°~50°. This inclined design optimizes the transmission path of the impact force on the hinge, making the rotation and reset process of the hinge smoother and more efficient when subjected to typical impacts from the outside of the truss.

[0032] The working process of this invention is as follows: When the sprayer truss is subjected to a lateral collision, the external force forces the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2 to rotate relative to each other. At this time: 1. The positioning protrusion 51 slides out of the positioning groove 52, and the concave-convex positioning structure 5 is temporarily disengaged.

[0033] 2. The return spring 6 on one side of the return hinge is quickly stretched to convert the collision kinetic energy into elastic potential energy for storage.

[0034] 3. The preload spring 4 is further compressed or twisted (depending on its type), which also stores some energy and provides additional damping.

[0035] After the impact force disappears: 1. The restoring force of the stretched return spring 6 becomes the main driving force, powerfully pulling the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2 back to the initial position.

[0036] 2. At the end of the rotation process, the positioning protrusion 51, guided by the return spring 6, slides precisely into the positioning groove 52 to achieve "hard positioning" and ensure that the first hinge 1 and the second hinge 2 are completely restored to their initial straight alignment state.

[0037] 3. The auxiliary restoring force of the preload spring 4 and the preload friction it provides help the entire reset process to proceed smoothly and maintain a stable position after reset.

[0038] Therefore, this invention solves the problem of easy breakage of the structural body by "integral casting of steel"; it solves the problem of reset failure caused by spring fatigue by replacing the traditional single pre-tensioned torsion spring with "independent return spring 6" as the main reset power; and it solves the problem of poor reset accuracy by the rigid fit of "concave and convex positioning structure 5". The three work together to realize a robust, reliable and accurate collision return hinge for a sprayer truss.

[0039] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A collision return hinge for a sprayer truss, comprising a U-shaped first hinge (1) and a second hinge (2), wherein the U-shaped legs of the first hinge (1) and the second hinge (2) are hinged together by a pin (3), and a preload spring (4) providing preload force at the hinge is fitted on the pin (3), characterized in that, Between the U-shaped support legs of the first hinge (1) and the second hinge (2), there is a concave-convex positioning structure (5) for limiting the initial relative position of the two. At least one pair of restoring springs (6) are also connected between the first hinge (1) and the second hinge (2). The restoring springs (6) are stretched and store energy when the first hinge (1) or the second hinge (2) rotates relative to each other due to a collision, and provide a restoring force to restore the two to their initial relative positions after the collision force disappears.

2. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first hinge (1) has a first connecting plate (11) at the end of its U-shaped support leg, and the second hinge (2) has a second connecting plate (21) at the end of its U-shaped support leg. The first connecting plate (11) and the second connecting plate (21) are hinged together by the pin (3).

3. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 2, characterized in that, The concave-convex positioning structure (5) includes a positioning protrusion (51) disposed on the first connecting plate (11) and a positioning groove (52) disposed on the second connecting plate (21) and adapted to the positioning protrusion (51).

4. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 3, characterized in that, The positioning protrusion (51) has an arc-shaped cross-section, and the positioning groove (52) has a matching arc-shaped profile.

5. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second connecting plate (21) is located inside the first connecting plate (11); a preload nut (7) is threaded onto the pin (3), and one end of the preload spring (4) acts on the second connecting plate (21), while the other end acts on the preload nut (7).

6. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first connecting plate (11) has a first connecting shaft (12) on each side, and the second connecting plate (21) has a second connecting shaft (22) on each side of the outer wall of the second hinge (2). The two ends of the return spring (6) are respectively connected to the corresponding first connecting shaft (12) and second connecting shaft (22).

7. A collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 6, characterized in that, The return spring (6) is a tension spring that has pretension when the first hinge (1) and the second hinge (2) are in their initial relative positions.

8. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 1, characterized in that, The centerline of the pin (3) is inclined relative to the horizontal direction of the second hinge (2).

9. The collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to claim 1, characterized in that, The return spring (6) is symmetrically arranged in two parts, located on both sides of the return hinge.

10. A collision return hinge for a sprayer truss according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Both the first hinge (1) and the second hinge (2) are integral cast steel parts.

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