Adjustable Drop Transmission Assembly for Variable Shaft Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The requirement for distinct transmission and associated housing configurations for each work vehicle form due to varying drop heights between components increases production costs and complexity, as gear centers and angles of engagement need to change to accommodate different vertical drop heights.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable transmission assembly with a quill structure that can be oriented to vary the vertical spacing between input and output shafts, allowing a common transmission to accommodate different drop heights by changing the shaft positioning without altering the housing or gear arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If distinct transmission and housing configurations are used for each work vehicle form to accommodate varying drop heights, then the gear centers and angles of engagement can be optimized for each configuration, but the production costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The quill structure is made adjustable between two orientations, allowing the input shaft vertical position to be dynamically changed. This enables a single transmission assembly to adapt to different drop heights in various work vehicle forms, eliminating the need for multiple distinct configurations while maintaining optimized gear engagement through the two predetermined orientations
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission assembly is designed with universal applicability across different work vehicle forms. The quill structure's ability to assume two orientations allows the same transmission assembly to serve multiple functions - accommodating both first and second drop heights - thereby reducing production complexity while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If distinct transmission and housing configurations are used for each work vehicle form to accommodate varying drop heights, then the gear centers and angles of engagement can be optimized for each configuration, but the production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission assembly is designed with universal applicability across different work vehicle forms. The quill structure's ability to assume two orientations allows the same transmission assembly to serve multiple functions - accommodating both first and second drop heights - thereby reducing production complexity while maintaining reliability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the quill structure is used to vary vertical spacing between shafts by changing orientation, then a single transmission assembly can accommodate different drop heights, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The quill structure is made adjustable between two orientations, allowing the input shaft vertical position to be dynamically changed. This enables a single transmission assembly to adapt to different drop heights in various work vehicle forms, eliminating the need for multiple distinct configurations while maintaining optimized gear engagement through the two predetermined orientations
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission assembly for a work vehicle includes a housing that accommodates first and second transmission shafts, a gear arrangement that provides a selective gear reduction for transmission of power between the first and second transmission shafts, and a quill structure secured to the housing that supports the first transmission shaft. The quill structure is couplable to the housing in a first orientation and a second orientation to vary a vertical spacing between the first and second transmission shafts. A bearing bore in the quill structure is formed at a vertically offset location of the quill structure and receives the first transmission shaft. The vertical spacing between the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft may be set at a first vertical distance or at a second vertical distance based on the quill structure being coupled to the housing in the first orientation or in the second orientation, respectively.