Harvester Drive Coupler With Offset-Compensating Centering Mandrel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harvesting vehicles lack a simply and compactly constructed drive coupler for efficient power transmission between the vehicle and attachments.
Innovation Solution
A drive coupler design featuring a centering mandrel fixedly engaged with a coupling disk, a slide piece translatorily connected via universal joints, and spring elements covering the joints to ensure a secure and compact connection, allowing for offset compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a traditional drive coupler construction is used, then power transmission between vehicle and attachment is achieved, but the construction is complex and occupies excessive installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the centering mandrel and coupling disk into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate centering mechanisms. The coupling disk serves dual functions as both the power transmission element and the centering element, reducing the number of parts while maintaining reliable drive connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling disk is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: power transmission, centering, and offset compensation. By making the coupling disk universal, the patent reduces device complexity while ensuring reliable operation under various operating conditions.
2Volume of moving object
If a compact drive coupler is designed, then installation space is reduced, but offset compensation capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable coupling disk that can translate relative to the drive hub along a defined path. This dynamic capability allows the coupling disk to compensate for offsets between the drive shaft and attachment drive shaft, while the compact design keeps the overall volume minimal.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling disk acts as an intermediary element between the drive hub and the attachment. It mediates the offset compensation by translating along a controlled path, enabling adaptive connection while maintaining a compact form factor.
3Ease of manufacture
If universal joints are exposed without coverage, then assembly is simplified, but protection and pre-orientation capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element serves dual purposes: it protects the universal joints from external damage and provides pre-orientation capability for the coupling disk. By combining protection and orientation functions into a single element, the patent maintains assembly simplicity while enhancing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element provides beforehand cushioning by pre-orienting the coupling disk and protecting the universal joints before operation begins. This pre-protection ensures reliable operation without requiring complex assembly procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a simple, compact, and secure drive connection that effectively compensates for offsets, ensuring efficient power transmission with minimal installation space.
Implementation Method 1
the drive coupler has at least one spring element which is arranged between the coupling disk and the drive hub and covers the universal joints on the outside at least in some portions
Data Source
AI summary
Harvesting vehicle, in particular forage harvester or combine harvester, comprising a mounting frame (10), wherein the mounting fame (10) is designed to couple an attachment to the mounting frame (10) and via the mounting frame (10) to the harvesting vehicle, and comprising a drive coupler (16) which engages with the mounting frame (10) and which is designed to form a drive connection between the attachment and the harvesting vehicle in order to transmit a drive power provided by the harvesting vehicle in the direction of the attachment, wherein the drive coupler (16) has a drive hub (17) which can be coupled to the harvesting vehicle, a coupling disk (19) which can be coupled to the attachment and a centering mandrel (22) which cooperates with the attachment, wherein the centering mandrel (22) is fixedly engaged with the coupling disk (19), a slide piece (24) which can be displaced in a translatory manner relative to the drive hub (17) is coupled fixedly in terms of rotation to the drive hub (17), and wherein the slide piece (24) is connected to the coupling disk (19) via universal joints (30, 31) such that the centering mandrel (22) can be displaced together with the coupling disk (19) and the slide piece (24) in a translatory manner relative to the drive hub (17).