Agricultural Crawler Track Linkage for Even Wheel Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crawler tracks for agricultural machines face complexity in design and coordination of piston-cylinder units to evenly distribute forces across main and support wheels, particularly under varying ground conditions.
Innovation Solution
A crawler track system with a single coupling link between the support wheel arm and rear main frame, eliminating the need for additional piston-cylinder units, ensures even force distribution by maintaining contact of all wheels with the ground during obstacles, and incorporates a spring element or active piston-cylinder unit for torque compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple piston-cylinder units are used to distribute forces evenly across main and support wheels, then force distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex coordination system for multiple piston-cylinder units. By using a single piston-cylinder unit connected to the support wheel arm, the design removes the need for coordinating multiple actuators while maintaining force distribution through the natural kinematic coupling of the support wheel arm mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The support wheel arm serves multiple functions: it supports the support wheels, transmits forces from the main frames, and provides a mounting point for the single piston-cylinder unit. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate force distribution mechanisms for each wheel.
2Ease of operation
If additional piston-cylinder units are added to maintain wheel contact during obstacles, then ride comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for additional piston-cylinder units by leveraging the existing support wheel arm mechanism. The single piston-cylinder unit controls the support wheel arm's position, which passively maintains all wheels' contact with the ground during obstacle traversal without requiring active control of multiple actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The support wheel arm and support wheels form a self-regulating system. When the main frames encounter obstacles, the kinematic coupling through the support wheel arm automatically adjusts the support wheels' positions to maintain ground contact, eliminating the need for additional active control components.
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 system provides reliable and continuous force transfer to the ground, simplifies design, and enhances ride comfort by damping sudden forces, while maintaining even force distribution without additional components.
Implementation Method 1
The crawler track (1) has a spring element (25), whose two ends interact with the two main frames (5, 6) in such a way that spring forces induced by the spring element (25) act directly on the two main frames (5, 6)
Implementation Method 2
The crawler track (1) has a piston-cylinder unit (28), whose first end (40) interacts with the front main frame (5) and whose second end (41) interacts with the rear main frame (6), in such a way that the piston-cylinder unit (28) is designed and configured to dampen movements that the support wheels (9, 10) and the rear main frame (6) perform relative to each other
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a crawler track (1) for an agricultural machine (2), comprising a front main wheel (3), a rear main wheel (4), a front main frame (5) associated with the front main wheel (3), a rear main frame (6) associated with the rear main wheel (4), at least two support wheels (9, 10), a running belt (11) spanning the main wheels (3, 4) and a pivot point (12) by means of which the crawler track (1) can be pivotably connected to a body (42) of the machine (2) by forming a machine axle (13), wherein the two main frames (5, 6) are pivotably coupled to each other about a common pivot axis (14), wherein the support wheels (9, 10) are arranged on a common support frame (15), wherein the support frame (15) is pivotably connected to the front main frame (5) by means of a support wheel arm (17).In order to provide a crawler track for an agricultural machine which is simpler in design than the prior art, a coupling element (18) is proposed according to the invention which is coupled at a swing end (19) of the coupling element (18) to the support wheel swing arm (17) and at a frame end (20) of the coupling element (18) to the rear main frame (6) and thereby couples the support wheel swing arm (17) and the rear main frame (6) together.