Agricultural Wheel Weight with Conical Centering and Coding Formations

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing additional wheel weights for agricultural machines can lead to wheel imbalance due to eccentric attachment, resulting in discomfort, especially at higher speeds, as they do not effectively prevent unintended rotation and ensure precise centering.

Innovation Solution

A design featuring a first load disk with a conical contact surface and a second load disk with counter-conical shoulders, along with spacer domes and coding formations, ensures precise centering and secure attachment, preventing wobbling during rotation by engaging key formations for mutual centering and stabilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a conical mounting system is used to attach the weight disk to the intermediate disk, then the assembly is simplified, but the weight disk can still be fastened eccentrically leading to wheel imbalance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidcentering precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The conical contact surface performs pre-positioning of the second load disk relative to the first load disk during assembly. This preliminary action guides the disks into approximate alignment before final centering is achieved by the coding formations, combining ease of assembly with precise centering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coding formations (cam and recess pairing) introduce asymmetric features on the otherwise rotationally symmetric load disks. These asymmetric elements engage to prevent unintended rotation and ensure precise radial centering, resolving the contradiction between simple conical mounting and precise positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Device complexity

If the load disks are attached without coding formations, then the device complexity is reduced, but unintended rotation occurs causing wheel imbalance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidcentering stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Coding formations with cam and recess pairings are introduced on the load disks. These asymmetric features engage to prevent unintended rotation and ensure precise radial centering, resolving the contradiction between simple conical mounting and precise positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The coding formations act as intermediary elements between the two load disks, providing a mechanical interface that ensures precise centering and prevents rotation. These formations mediate the connection to achieve both simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If spacer domes are added to position load disks in the axial direction, then positioning precision is improved, but the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial positioning precisionVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer domes are integrated directly into the end faces of the load disks, merging the positioning function with the existing disk structure. This eliminates the need for separate positioning components while achieving precise axial positioning, resolving the contradiction between precision and component count.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spacer domes serve multiple functions: they provide axial positioning, maintain spacing between disks, and contribute to the overall structural integrity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3102847B1Ballast weight for a wheel
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 DEERE & CO
  • EP3102847B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3102847B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3102847B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to an additional weight for a wheel for ballasting a drive axle of an agricultural machine.