Breakaway Boom Hinge Damper Assembly for Over-Pivot Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional damper systems for agricultural sprayers, such as rubber stops, shock absorbers, and gas dampers, require attachment to both boom sections, limiting travel and increasing stress at the mounted connection points, adding resistance and stored energy, and are often expensive and heavy, leading to increased load on the boom.
Innovation Solution
A damper system with a housing containing compression elements and a plunger, coupled to a stop bracket, which prevents over-pivoting and reduces load impact by elastically deforming upon contact, thereby distributing the force across multiple components to minimize stress on the boom sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional damper mechanisms (rubber stops, shock absorbers, gas dampers) are attached to both boom sections, then impact loads are reduced, but the amount of travel is limited and stress at the mounted connection point increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the damper mechanism from the conventional two-attachment-point design and relocates it to a single attachment point on one boom section. The damper assembly is mounted on one bracket while the stop interacts with the other bracket, eliminating the need for attachment to both boom sections and thereby reducing stress at connection points while maintaining impact load reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The stop acts as an intermediary element between the damper assembly and the second bracket. It transfers the impact force from the moving boom section to the stationary bracket through controlled interaction, allowing the damper to reduce impact loads without requiring direct attachment to both boom sections
2Force
If conventional damper mechanisms are attached to both boom sections, then impact loads are reduced, but resistance and stored energy increase during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The damper assembly is designed to be dynamic rather than continuously resistive. The damper only engages when needed to reduce impact loads during breakaway, while allowing free rotation during normal operation. The stop interacts with the second bracket only during impact events, not continuously, thereby minimizing resistance and stored energy during boom rotation
3Force
If conventional damper mechanisms with multiple attachment points are used, then impact loads are reduced, but the components become expensive and heavy, increasing load on the boom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the unnecessary second attachment point and associated heavy components from one boom section. The simplified design attaches the damper assembly to only one bracket, eliminating redundant components and reducing overall weight while maintaining the core function of impact load reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The damper assembly uses simpler, lighter components compared to conventional shock absorbers or gas dampers. The design prioritizes functionality over durability of individual components, using replaceable elements like the stop and compression elements that can be easily replaced rather than designing for long component life, thereby reducing overall system weight and cost
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 damper system effectively reduces impact loads and prevents over-pivoting of the breakaway boom section, enhancing the operational efficiency and reducing the stress on the boom sections without the need for extensive attachment, thus minimizing the overall weight and cost of the system.
Implementation Method 1
At least one compression element is disposed within the cavity of the housing... the at least one compression element is configured to elastically deform in response to the force exerted by the plunger to reduce load impact
Data Source
AI summary
A breakaway hinge assembly includes a first bracket coupled to a boom section, a second bracket coupled to a breakaway boom section, and a damper system. The damper system includes a first damper assembly coupled to a stop bracket of the first bracket and a second damper assembly coupled to an upper bracket arm of the first bracket. Each damper assembly includes a housing, at least one rubber element disposed within the housing, a plunger having a first end in contact with the at least one rubber element, and a stop coupled to a second end of the plunger. The first and second brackets are pivotably coupled to each other so that the breakaway boom section pivots between a first position and a second position. The damper system is configured to prevent over-pivoting and reduce impact load of the breakaway boom section when pivoting to the first and second positions.