Hollow Box Circle Assembly for Stronger, Lower-Wear Moldboards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drawbar-circle-moldboard assemblies in work machines, such as motor graders, face challenges in cost-effectiveness and maintenance due to the use of roll-formed or fabricated ring plates, which are expensive and difficult to customize, leading to increased wear and potential bending issues under force.
Innovation Solution
A drawbar-circle-moldboard assembly featuring a circle member formed from a hollow box section, which provides structural support and is easier to produce and customize, incorporating a ring bearing with an inner and outer ring to reduce wear and interface size, and utilizing drive members to rotate the circle member relative to the drawbar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If roll-formed or fabricated ring plates are used for the circle assembly, then the structure can support the moldboard, but the production cost increases and customization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The circle assembly is divided into multiple segments that can be produced separately and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each segment to be manufactured more easily and enables customization by producing different segment configurations without requiring complete redesign of the entire circle assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction for the circle assembly, combining multiple materials or structural components to achieve the required strength and stiffness. This composite approach allows optimization of each component for its specific function while reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
2Ease of manufacture
If roll-formed or fabricated ring plates are used for the circle assembly, then the structure can be produced, but maintenance difficulty increases due to wear and bending issues
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the circle assembly into replaceable components, wear-prone parts can be individually replaced without replacing the entire circle assembly. This significantly reduces maintenance time and cost while improving ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented design allows worn or damaged segments to be discarded and replaced with new or refurbished segments. This approach simplifies maintenance by enabling quick replacement of worn components while recovering and reusing the remaining functional parts of the circle assembly.
3Reliability
If larger ring bearings are used to reduce wear, then the bearing capacity increases, but the interface size and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by concentrating bearing capacity in specific high-wear areas rather than uniformly increasing the entire bearing interface. This allows adequate wear protection at critical locations while maintaining a compact overall interface size and reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing excessive bearing capacity throughout the entire interface, the patent applies bearing support selectively where it is most needed. This partial action approach achieves sufficient wear reduction while avoiding the complexity and size increase that would result from uniformly oversized bearings.
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 reduces production costs, minimizes maintenance, and enhances structural stiffness, allowing the assembly to handle more force without bending, while enabling customization without significant cost increases.
Implementation Method 1
The circle assembly includes a circle member and a ring bearing. The ring bearing has an inner ring and an outer ring, in which the inner ring is connected to the circle member and the outer ring is connected to the drawbar.
Implementation Method 2
the at least one driving member is configured to engage the ring bearing to rotate the circle member relative to the drawbar
Data Source
AI summary
A drawbar-circle-moldboard assembly for a work machine includes a drawbar, a circle assembly, and a moldboard. The drawbar is configured to be pivotably connected to a frame of the work machine. The circle assembly is rotatably connected to the drawbar and includes a circle member formed from a hollow box section. The moldboard is connected to the circle assembly.