Crawler Track Shoes with Segmented Arrow Teeth for Clod Expulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crawler vehicle tracks with arrow-shaped teeth fail to effectively fracture and expel clods when navigating curved portions due to evenly distributed stress from elastic deformation, which prevents clod removal from arrow-shaped channels.
Innovation Solution
The track design incorporates a gap between the complementary front and rear portions of each arrow-shaped tooth, allowing for concentrated elongation and stress transmission as the shoes part, ensuring crosswise fracturing and expulsion of clods along curved sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the track uses continuous arrow-shaped channels formed by closely spaced shoes, then noise is reduced and clod detachment is improved, but clods cannot be effectively fractured and expelled when the track rounds curved portions
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous arrow-shaped tooth is segmented into separate front and rear portions with a gap between them. This segmentation allows the gap to open during curved track operation, creating concentrated stress that fractures clods, while maintaining the continuous arrow-shaped channel structure for noise reduction during straight running.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between the front and rear portions of the arrow-shaped tooth is designed to vary dynamically - closed during straight running to maintain continuous channels for low noise, and opened during curved portions to create concentrated stress for clod fracturing. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between continuous channel benefits and clod expulsion effectiveness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the shoes are closely spaced to form continuous arrow-shaped channels, then elastic deformation promotes clod expulsion, but the evenly distributed stress fails to fracture clods crosswise
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous tooth structure is divided into discrete front and rear portions separated by a gap. This segmentation transforms the stress distribution from evenly distributed to concentrated at the gap location, enabling effective clod fracturing while preserving the overall continuous channel structure for stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap between the front and rear portions acts as an intermediary element that concentrates stress. This gap allows the elastic deformation energy to be focused at a specific location rather than distributed evenly, enabling the stress concentration needed for clod fracture while maintaining the structural integrity of the continuous channels.
3Ease of operation
If the arrow-shaped teeth are made continuous without gaps, then the track maintains smooth operation, but clods remain lodged inside the channels and impair traction
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous tooth is segmented into front and rear portions with a controllable gap. This allows the track to operate smoothly when the gap is closed during straight running, while enabling clod expulsion when the gap opens during curved portions, thus resolving the contradiction between smooth operation and traction efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap between the tooth portions is designed to dynamically open and close based on track operation conditions. During straight running, the gap remains closed for smooth operation; during curved portions, the gap opens to fracture and expel clods, improving traction efficiency. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between smooth operation and clod expulsion.
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
This design ensures the crosswise fracture and expulsion of clods, reducing vibration and noise by preventing clashing of tooth portions and enhancing clod detachment, while maintaining the benefits of the V-ribbed agricultural tire design.
Implementation Method 1
the shoes are preferably made of elastomeric material, and are supported and connected to one another by a belt of internally reinforced elastomeric material, the elastic reactions of which keep the shoes packed together
Implementation Method 2
a low noise level, by virtue of the arrow-shaped teeth gradually contacting the ground, as opposed to the 'hammering' effect of a track with conventional shoes with teeth crosswise to the travelling direction
Data Source
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AI summary
A metal track (10) for crawler vehicles (2), the track (10) having a metal chain (10a) hinged with substantially rectangular metal shoes (17), each of which has a work surface with arrow-shaped teeth defined by a front portion (24) of one arrow-shaped tooth (23) and a rear portion (25) of another arrow-shaped tooth (23) spaced apart (G) on the work surface and complementary in shape; each portion (24, 25) of arrow-shaped tooth (23) cooperating with a complementary portion (25, 24) on a respective adjacent shoe (17) to define a complete arrow-shaped tooth (23).