Earthmoving Vehicle Thrust Transmission via Chassis-Mounted Raking Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Earth-moving machines, such as loader-excavators, face challenges in exerting thrust on loading buckets without causing torsional stress on the articulated arm, especially when the bucket encounters resistance laterally, leading to potential malfunction and premature wear.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a support device that allows the chassis to exert thrust directly on the loading bucket in a low pick-up position, relieving the articulated arm and distributing the force through multiple support points, reducing torsional stress and enabling stronger thrusts without arm malfunction or wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the articulated arm is used to push the loading bucket forward during material pickup, then the bucket can be loaded effectively, but the articulated arm is subjected to high torsional stress that can cause malfunction and premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated thrust transmission device (pushing mechanism) is introduced as an intermediary between the chassis and the loading bucket. This device includes a pushing member that contacts the bucket and transmits thrust forces directly to it, bypassing the articulated arm. The articulated arm thus serves only for positioning and supporting the bucket, while the thrust transmission device handles the loading forces, eliminating torsional stress on the arm and improving reliability during material pickup operations.
2Ease of operation
If the articulated arm is offset laterally to improve maneuverability, then the arm can easily maneuver digging tools, but the lever arm increases and torsional stress on the arm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thrust transmission device acts as a mediator that decouples the thrust transmission function from the articulated arm. By introducing a dedicated pushing mechanism with a pushing member that directly contacts the bucket, the system can maintain lateral offset for maneuverability while the thrust forces are transmitted through the dedicated device rather than through the articulated arm, thereby reducing torsional stress despite the increased lever arm.
3Productivity
If stronger thrusts are applied to the bucket during loading, then productivity increases, but the articulated arm and its articulation with the bucket become more exposed to stress and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The thrust transmission device serves as a specialized intermediary structure designed to handle strong thrust forces during material loading. The pushing member is configured to contact the bucket and transmit these forces directly to the material being loaded, while the articulated arm is relieved of these high-stress forces and only needs to provide positioning and support, thereby enabling high-productivity loading operations without excessive stress on the arm and its joints.
Data Source
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AI summary
The machine has a chassis (102) carried by a rolling assembly (103), and an articulated arm for supporting and operating a tool e.g. loading bucket (116). The chassis exerts thrust on the loading bucket through a raking assembly in a displacement direction (A) of the machine, when the articulated arm maintains the loading bucket in a lower collecting position. A hinge is placed between a distal end of the arm and the bucket. The raking assembly is formed by a front blade and a tilting support (151).