Agricultural Suspension Guide Element for Lateral Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suspension devices for agricultural machines face challenges in stabilizing and guiding tillage and sowing implements under asymmetric loads, leading to tilting and twisting due to transverse and lateral forces, which can cause dislocation of elastic bearing elements and hinder pivoting motion.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an additional guide element with a guide surface and/or slide surface, designed to match the contour and cross-section of the flange tube and bearing sections, which suppresses axial shifting and twisting by forming a plain bearing, and can be composed of different materials with varying hardness to optimize elastic characteristics and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If elastic bearing elements with greater Shore hardness are used to improve lateral support, then lateral support is improved, but pivoting motion capability decreases due to greater preload forces
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing system is segmented into two distinct functional components: guide elements (made of harder material) for lateral support and stabilization, and elastic bearing elements (made of softer material) for pivoting motion and shock absorption. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different material properties are assigned to different parts of the bearing system. The guide elements use harder material (higher Shore hardness) to provide rigid lateral support and prevent dislocation, while the elastic bearing elements use softer material to maintain pivoting capability and absorb shocks. Each local region has the quality needed for its specific function.
2Strength
If material quality or hardness of bearing elements is increased to improve lateral support, then lateral support is improved, but risk of excessive preload forces increases which hinders pivoting motion
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing system is divided into guide elements and elastic bearing elements with distinct material properties. The guide elements use harder material for reliable lateral support, while the elastic bearing elements use softer material to ensure reliable pivoting motion, eliminating the trade-off between these two reliability aspects.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements act as intermediaries that take over the lateral support function, allowing the elastic bearing elements to focus solely on pivoting motion and shock absorption. This mediator approach ensures that lateral support forces do not translate into excessive preload on the pivoting mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If asymmetric arrangement of implements is used to achieve intended use, then implement functionality is improved, but transverse and lateral forces increase causing tilting and twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are designed with asymmetric contours that match the asymmetric load patterns generated by asymmetric implement arrangements. The guide surfaces are shaped to counteract the specific tilting and twisting moments produced by inclined coulter disks or other asymmetric configurations, providing stabilization tailored to the actual operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements convert the harmful tilting and twisting forces generated by asymmetric implement arrangements into beneficial guided motion. By providing guide surfaces that accommodate and control these forces, the system transforms potential instability into controlled, predictable movement patterns that maintain suspension device integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively absorbs transverse forces, prevents dislocation of bearing elements, and maintains sufficient pivoting motion by reducing surface pressure and wear, ensuring stable lateral support and guidance even under high loads.
Implementation Method 1
At least one elastic bearing element is provided between the bearing section and the section of the carrier tube or flange tube surrounded thereby, which elastic bearing element undergoes an at least partial deformation by pivoting motions of the pivot arm
Implementation Method 2
The at least one guide element is designed in such a manner that it largely suppresses the axial shifting or twisting, as the case may be, and forms a plain bearing
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension device of an agricultural machine is intended for the mounting and elastic bearing of an implement, with a pivot arm carrying the implement, which pivot arm is elastically or pivotably mounted by means of at least one bearing section at a flange tube, which flange tube extends transversely to the work direction, with the bearing section surrounding the flange tube circumferentially and approximately coaxially, and with at least one elastic bearing element positioned between the bearing section and the section of the flange tube surrounded thereby, which elastic bearing element extends with its longitudinal axis essentially parallel to the pivoting axis of the pivot arm and to the longitudinal axis of the flange tube. Lateral support of the suspension device is provided by a guide element is on the suspension device having at least one guide surface for the lateral support and guidance of the implement.