Dipper Door Trip Assembly With Spherical Joints for Impact Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mining machines face challenges in efficiently releasing dipper doors to unload material due to mechanical inefficiencies and wear issues in the dipper door trip assembly, leading to frequent maintenance and potential failure during high-impact operations.
Innovation Solution
A dipper door trip assembly with a trip motor, actuation elements, and a linkage assembly that includes lever arms, rods, and spherical joints, which provide mechanical advantage, reduce wear, and absorb impact, allowing for reliable and efficient release of the dipper door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional dipper door trip assembly is used, then the dipper door can be released to unload material, but mechanical inefficiencies and wear issues occur leading to frequent maintenance and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spherical joints in the linkage assembly that replace conventional pinned connections. These spherical joints allow for multi-axis rotation and accommodate misalignment between connected components, significantly reducing wear and mechanical inefficiencies while maintaining the ability to release the dipper door reliably during material unloading operations
2Strength
If a rigid linkage assembly is used for the dipper door trip, then structural integrity is maintained, but impact forces cause increased wear and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the rigid linkage assembly into a dynamic system by incorporating spherical joints that can rotate and adjust during operation. These joints allow the linkage to absorb and dissipate impact forces through controlled movement, preventing force concentration that would lead to wear and failure while maintaining overall structural integrity of the assembly
3Device complexity
If conventional pinned joints are used in the linkage assembly, then the structure is simple, but mechanical inefficiencies and wear increase during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional pinned joints with spherical joints in the linkage assembly. While spherical joints are slightly more complex than simple pins, they provide multi-axis rotation capability that accommodates misalignment and reduces wear significantly. The spherical design maintains relative structural simplicity while eliminating the mechanical inefficiencies associated with rigid pinned connections
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 enhances the durability and reliability of the dipper door trip assembly, reducing maintenance frequency and minimizing the risk of failure during material unloading operations, while maintaining structural integrity and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a rod coupled to the lever arm about a first joint, a latch lever bar coupled to the rod about a second joint, and a latch bar coupled to the latch lever bar, wherein activation of the trip motor causes generally linear movement of the latch bar and latch bar insert, and wherein the first and second joints permit the rod to move in multiple degrees of freedom
Data Source
AI summary
A mining machine includes a boom, a handle coupled to the boom, a dipper coupled to the handle, and a dipper door pivotally coupled to the dipper. The mining shovel also includes a dipper door trip assembly including a trip motor coupled to the boom, a trip drum coupled to the handle, a linkage assembly coupled to the dipper door, a first actuation element extending directly from the trip motor to the trip drum, and a second actuation element extending directly from the trip drum to the linkage assembly.