Ground Scraper Angled Hitch and Oscillating Apron
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ground scrapers face issues such as limited capacity, inefficiency in material collection, clogging in wet conditions, difficulty in maneuverability, and complex design, leading to incomplete excavation and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A ground scraper design featuring an angled hitch assembly with pivotally mounted draft arms, a hydraulically operated apron with oscillating bearings, and pivotally mounted wheels with shock absorbers, allowing for unimpeded movement and improved capacity, maneuverability, and reduced stress on components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the apron opens a small distance to retain excavated material, then material retention is improved, but complete expulsion of ground material requires multiple passes reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The apron is made dynamically adjustable through a hydraulic cylinder that controls its angular position relative to the bowl. The apron can be positioned in different orientations: closed position for material retention during transport, and open position for complete material expulsion. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize for either retention or expulsion efficiency depending on the operational phase.
2Quantity of substance
If the bowl size is increased for large earthmoving applications, then capacity is improved, but the opening into the bowl becomes relatively smaller making material collection inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The apron's dynamic positioning capability allows it to be fully opened during the scraping phase to maximize material collection into a large bowl, then closed securely during transport to retain all material. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring that the relatively small opening does not hinder collection efficiency while the large bowl capacity is fully utilized for transport.
3Device complexity
If fixed position wheels are used to support the scraper, then structural simplicity is improved, but high stress is imparted on wheels and frame when scraper is used on undulating terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The wheels are mounted on pivotable axles that allow them to adjust their position dynamically in response to undulating terrain. This dynamic adjustment enables the wheels to maintain optimal contact with the ground surface, distributing loads more evenly across the frame and reducing peak stresses on individual wheels and frame components, while maintaining relatively simple fixed axle assemblies.
4Stability of the object's composition
If large separation between walking wheels is used to support the scraper, then structural stability is improved, but maneuverability is reduced making it difficult to turn
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable axle assembly allows the wheel separation distance to be dynamically adjusted. During turning operations, the axles can pivot to reduce the effective wheelbase, improving maneuverability. During straight-line travel or when structural stability is needed, the axles maintain their fixed position providing maximum stability. This dynamic adjustability resolves the contradiction between stability and maneuverability.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the scraper is designed with many parts to handle various functions, then functionality is improved, but maintenance complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The apron serves multiple functions: it acts as a closure for material retention during transport, can be positioned at intermediate angles for controlled discharge, and can be fully opened for complete emptying. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each operation, simplifying the overall design and reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining versatile functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A ground scraper (10) including: a bowl (12) for holding excavated ground material; a cutting edge (14) mounted at a mouth of the bowl (12) for excavating the ground material; an apron (26) pivotally mounted to the bowl (12) for closing the mouth of the bowl (12); and a hitch assembly (28) including a draft tube (32) and a pair of draft arms (34) extending from the draft tube (32) and pivotally coupled to the bowl (12). Each draft arm (34) including a first portion (36) angled with respect to a second portion (38).