Drawbar Hitch Mount Assembly with Pivoting Receiver
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawbar hitch mount assemblies for towing implements are complex and require numerous components, leading to stress during travel over uneven surfaces and difficulties in adapting to varying drawbar geometries, especially during sharp turns.
Innovation Solution
A drawbar hitch mount assembly with a housing featuring a receiver chamber and orthogonal pivot elements that allow the drawbar receiver to pivot relative to the towing vehicle, incorporating an automatic hitch pin deployment mechanism and a swivel gearbox arrangement to maintain a straight PTO driveline, reducing stress and simplifying attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional drawbar hitch arrangement is used, then the implement can be attached to the towing vehicle, but the arrangement causes significant stress during travel over uneven surfaces and during sharp turns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the drawbar receiver pivotable relative to both the implement frame and the drawbar. The receiver can pivot about a first axis relative to the frame and about a second axis relative to the drawbar, allowing the system to dynamically adapt to uneven surfaces and angular deviations during sharp turns, thereby reducing stress while maintaining simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the hitch arrangement into distinct pivotable components: the drawbar receiver is separated from the implement frame and connected through pivot elements. This segmentation allows independent movement of the receiver relative to both the frame and the drawbar, enabling stress reduction without requiring a completely complex reconfiguration of the entire hitch system
2Stability of the object's composition
If a swivel gearbox hitch system is used to maintain a straight PTO driveline, then angular deviations are minimized, but the mechanism becomes relatively complicated with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics by allowing the drawbar receiver to pivot about a first axis relative to the implement frame while the lower gearbox pivots about a second axis. This dynamic arrangement maintains approximate alignment of the PTO driveline during sharp turns without requiring a completely complex swivel gearbox mechanism, as the pivotable receiver absorbs much of the angular deviation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the drawbar receiver and the lower gearbox into an integrated assembly where the receiver is pivotally connected to the frame and the gearbox is pivotally connected to the receiver. This merging simplifies the overall mechanism by combining multiple pivot functions into a unified structure rather than requiring separate complex mechanisms
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing drawbar hitch assemblies are used, then attachment can be made, but numerous components are required leading to difficult adaptation to varying drawbar geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drawbar receiver pivotable about a second axis relative to the drawbar itself. This allows the receiver to adapt to varying drawbar geometries and orientations dynamically, accommodating different drawbar designs without requiring multiple specialized components or complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the pivotable drawbar receiver assembly that can accommodate multiple drawbar geometries and orientations through its dual-axis pivot capability. The same basic assembly structure can adapt to various implement types and drawbar configurations, reducing the need for multiple specialized components
Data Source
AI summary
Drawbar hitch mount assemblies for towing an implement such as a mower conditioner are disclosed. The assemblies include a hitch receiver capable of pivoting relative to the implement and/or towing vehicle.