Work Vehicle Hood Damper With Compression Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dampers in work vehicles require large manual forces to open and close the hood due to inefficient application of urging force at intermediate positions, leading to difficulties in opening and closing the hood with minimal effort.
Innovation Solution
A damper configuration with a rod section and cylinder section, including a compression spring that becomes compressed between first and second members when the damper moves from the standing to intermediate position, providing additional urging force to assist in opening and closing the hood, reducing manual load requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional damper is used to support the hood, then the hood can be held in open position, but large manual force is required to open and close the hood due to inefficient force application at intermediate positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a damper and a compression spring into a single integrated supporting mechanism. The damper provides controlled damping force while the compression spring provides additional urging force, and both work together to support the hood throughout its movement range, eliminating the need for separate supporting components.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression spring is pre-compressed between the rod section and cylinder section of the damper, storing elastic potential energy in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the spring can provide immediate urging force to assist hood movement without requiring additional energy input during operation.
2Ease of operation
If the damper is positioned at intermediate angles during hood movement, then the hood can be partially opened, but the damper cannot efficiently apply urging force due to contact angle issues
Solution Approach 1:
The compression spring acts as a counterweight mechanism by providing an opposing urging force that compensates for the damper's inefficient force application at intermediate positions. The spring's elastic force counteracts the gravitational and inertial forces on the hood, maintaining operation ease throughout the full range of motion.
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
Enables the hood to be opened and closed with a small force, regardless of variations in urging force, weight, and attachment angle, while maintaining easy maintenance access and simplifying the supporting structure.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring that becomes sandwiched between a first member for the rod section and a second member for the cylinder section and starts becoming compressed by the first member and the second member
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A work vehicle of the present invention includes: a hood swingable in the up-down direction between (i) an open position, in which the hood stands to expose the engine room, and (ii) a closed position, in which the hood lies to close the engine room; and at least one damper urging the hood toward the side of the open position. The hood can be opened and closed with a small force. The work vehicle of the present invention is arranged such that the damper (22) is swingable in the up-down direction to (i) rise toward a standing position in response to the hood (20) being swung from the side of the closed position to the side of the open position and (ii) fall toward a lying position in response to the hood (20) being swung from the side of the open position to the side of the closed position. The work vehicle includes an urging mechanism (23) configured to, while the damper (22) is in a position on the side of the lying position relative to an intermediate position (C) at a particular angle, apply to the hood (20) an urging force for urging the hood (20) from the side of the closed position toward the side of the open position against the load of the hood (20). (Fig. 3)