Front Loader Sub Frame Guide Pin Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing front loader attachment mechanisms face difficulties when the vehicle body is inclined, leading to prolonged attachment times due to challenges in smoothly engaging members on both sides.

Innovation Solution

A front loader design featuring a boom, main frame, and sub frame with specific engaging and guide portions that facilitate easy attachment by guiding the second engaging portion into the first engaging portion, even when the vehicle body is inclined, using a guide pin and opening member to ensure proper alignment and engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle body is inclined with respect to the front loader, then the attachment mechanism must accommodate the inclination, but it becomes difficult to smoothly engage the engaging members on both sides

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to vehicle body inclinationVSAvoidsmooth engagement of engaging members
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A guide portion is introduced as an intermediary element between the engaging members. The guide portion includes a guide surface that guides the engaging member during engagement, ensuring proper alignment even when the vehicle body is inclined. The guide surface works in conjunction with a guide hole to create a controlled engagement path that accommodates inclination while maintaining smooth engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide portion performs preliminary alignment action before the actual engagement of the engaging members. By providing a guide surface and guide hole that establish the correct relative position and orientation beforehand, the system prepares the engagement path in advance, allowing the engaging members to engage smoothly even under inclined conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle body is inclined with respect to the front loader, then the attachment mechanism must accommodate the inclination, but attachment time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to vehicle body inclinationVSAvoidattachment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The guide portion acts as a mediator that automatically aligns the engaging members during the attachment process. This eliminates the need for manual adjustment or repeated attempts to engage the members correctly, thereby reducing attachment time while maintaining adaptability to vehicle body inclination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide portion enables the attachment mechanism to self-align and self-correct during engagement. The guide surface and guide hole work together to automatically position the engaging members correctly without external intervention, allowing the system to accommodate inclination efficiently and reduce attachment time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle body is inclined with respect to the front loader, then the attachment mechanism must accommodate the inclination, but proper alignment of engaging portions becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to vehicle body inclinationVSAvoidalignment precision of engaging portions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide portion serves as a precision intermediary that ensures accurate alignment between engaging portions. The guide surface provides a controlled path with specific geometric characteristics that maintain precise alignment relationships, compensating for vehicle body inclination and ensuring that engaging members align correctly during attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide portion establishes preliminary alignment with high precision before the engaging members make full contact. The guide surface and guide hole create a predetermined alignment path that ensures accurate positioning, allowing the system to maintain manufacturing precision even when accommodating vehicle body inclination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3708717B1Front loader and working machine
Publication Date: 2022.02.16 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3708717B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3708717B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3708717B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A front loader includes a boom, a main frame attached to a vehicle body, and a sub frame supporting the boom. The sub frame is attached to the main frame and configured to be detached from the main frame. The front loader includes a first engaging portion provided on the main frame, a second engaging portion provided on the sub frame and configured to be engaged with the first engaging portion when the sub frame is attached to the main frame, a guide portion provided on the main frame and configured to guide the second engaging portion to be engaged with the first engaging portion, and an opening member provided on the sub frame and provided with an opening portion to which the guide portion is inserted when the second engaging portion is engaged with the first engaging portion.