Frangible Tracking Wheel Support for Harvester Obstacle Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvester pickup assemblies face challenges in maintaining optimal running height and avoiding damage from ground obstacles, such as rocks and ditches, which can lead to high forces on tracking wheels and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The pickup assembly incorporates a tracking wheel support mechanism with a frangible connection between the support arm and the support member, allowing the tracking wheel to rotate out of the way of obstacles, thereby preventing damage to the support member and other components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the tracking wheel is rigidly connected to the support member, then the structural strength is improved, but the damage risk from obstacles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is designed to be dynamically configurable between a restrained state (normal operation) and an unrestrained state (obstacle encounter). The frangible member maintains the support arm in a restrained position during normal operation to provide structural strength, but breaks when subjected to excessive force from obstacles, allowing the support arm to rotate and absorb the impact, thereby protecting the tracking wheel and other components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tracking wheel is height adjustable, then the adaptability to ground variations is improved, but the complexity of the support mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the support member attached to the pickup assembly frame, the support arm that can rotate relative to the support member, and the frangible member that connects them. This segmentation allows the support arm to independently rotate when encountering obstacles while maintaining the height adjustability function through the frangible connection, thereby managing complexity through functional decomposition.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the frangible member breaks, then the protection from obstacles is improved, but the reliability of the tracking wheel position decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible member is designed as a sacrificial component that is replaced after breaking. It is made from relatively inexpensive materials and is intended to be a consumable part that protects more valuable components (tracking wheel, support member, pickup assembly frame). After breaking, the frangible member is replaced to restore the restrained connection, thereby maintaining long-term reliability through periodic replacement of this disposable protective element.
Data Source
AI summary
A pickup assembly of an agricultural harvester comprising a pickup assembly frame and tracking wheels. The tracking wheels are each supported for rotation by a tracking wheel support mechanism attached to the pickup assembly frame. The tracking wheel support mechanism comprises a support arm and a support member. A proximal end of the support arm is rotatably connected to the support member (320) about a support member axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the tracking wheel. The support arm is restrained against rotation relative to the support member by a frangible member which is configured to break when exposed to a predetermined load condition.