Forage Harvester Crawler Track Lifting Mechanism for Turf Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Forage harvesters with crawler tracks cause significant damage to turf during turning maneuvers due to pronounced shearing forces introduced into the subsoil, as the large contact surface of the crawler belt shears off the ground during curvature.
Innovation Solution
The forage harvester is equipped with two lifting elements on each crawler track that can lift the front main wheel off the ground, reducing the contact surface and shearing forces, and a control device automatically triggers this lift based on the steering angle, allowing for reduced damage during turns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the crawler track uses a large contact surface to distribute weight, then the forage harvester can operate on unstable subsoil, but shearing forces damage the turf during turning maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the crawler track system adaptable through movable front main wheels that can be lifted off the ground. The lifting elements enable the front main wheels to transition between contacting and non-contacting states with the ground, allowing the system to dynamically adjust its contact surface area based on operational requirements such as turning maneuvers versus stable ground operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The crawler track is segmented into front and rear main wheels that can be independently controlled. The lifting elements are positioned to specifically lift the front main wheels, creating a segmented approach where different parts of the crawler track have different contact states with the ground, reducing shearing forces at the front during turning while maintaining rear wheel contact.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the front main wheel is lifted off the ground to reduce shearing forces, then turf damage is minimized, but the contact surface for force transfer is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the contact state of the front main wheels based on operational conditions. During turning maneuvers, the front main wheels are lifted to minimize shearing forces, while during straight-line operation or when additional force transfer is needed, they can be lowered to increase the contact surface area for force transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting elements are positioned and configured to proactively lift the front main wheels before significant shearing damage can occur during turning maneuvers. The control system detects turning conditions and activates the lifting elements in advance to prevent harmful shearing forces from being introduced into the subsoil.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If lifting elements are added to the crawler track, then shearing forces are reduced during turning, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting elements are designed to serve multiple functions: they lift the front main wheels to reduce shearing forces during turning, and can also be used to adjust the crawler track's contact with the ground for operating on uneven or unstable terrain. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems and justifies the added complexity through enhanced versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically detects when turning maneuvers are occurring and activates the lifting elements without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operational state and making appropriate adjustments to the crawler track configuration, reducing the complexity of manual control mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a forage harvester (1) for chopping crops (2) located in a working field (19), comprising at least two crawler tracks (6) arranged at opposite ends of a front axle of the forage harvester (1), the crawler tracks (6) each comprising two main wheels (7, 8) arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the forage harvester (1) and opposing each other, at least one auxiliary wheel (9) arranged between the main wheels (7, 8) and at least one running belt (10) spanning the main wheels (7, 8).In order to provide a forage harvester by means of which shear forces introduced into the respective subsoil during the execution of a turning maneuver of the forage harvester can be reduced, two lifting devices (12, 18) arranged on the crawler tracks (6) are proposed according to the invention, by means of which the front of the two main wheels (7, 8) can be brought into a lifting position from a zero position, in which the front main wheel (7) is at least substantially at the same height level as the associated rear main wheel (8), in which the front main wheel (7) is lifted off relative to the rear main wheel (8).