Hydraulic Quick Coupler Ejection Control for Consistent Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic quick couplers on agricultural tractors experience unpredictable release behavior due to varying manual pulling forces, leading to inconsistent and potentially unreliable disengagement of hydraulic connections, which can result in damage from overloading.
Innovation Solution
An actuating arrangement that uses a pressurized control chamber or electrical actuator to move the coupler cartridge into an ejection position, independent of manual pulling force, ensuring uniform and reproducible triggering behavior, and includes features like membrane accumulators, throttle valves, and sensors for tear-off protection and operator assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manual ejection lever is used to assist pulling out the hydraulic plug, then the manual force required is reduced, but the release behavior becomes unpredictable due to varying pulling forces and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical ejection lever system with an automated actuating arrangement that uses hydraulic pressure or electrical actuators to move the coupler cartridge. This substitution eliminates the variability introduced by manual operation while maintaining the ejection function, thereby improving release behavior consistency without sacrificing ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service ejection through automatic detection of overload conditions or manual activation via control elements. The actuating arrangement automatically responds to triggering conditions (such as excessive pulling force detected by sensors) and ejects the hydraulic plug without requiring manual intervention, ensuring consistent and reliable release behavior.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the coupling connection is designed to release when pulling force exceeds a specific amount, then tear-off protection is provided, but the release timing varies unpredictably due to position and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors that detect pulling forces and provide feedback to the control arrangement. When the detected force exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control arrangement activates the actuating arrangement to eject the hydraulic plug. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent and reliable release timing while maintaining tear-off protection, eliminating the unpredictability caused by varying positions and orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical force-threshold release mechanism with a sensor-based detection system combined with an automated actuating arrangement. This substitution allows for more precise and consistent detection of overload conditions, ensuring reliable release timing while maintaining the tear-off protection function.
3Reliability
If an actuating arrangement with control chamber and pressure source is used, then uniform and reproducible triggering behavior is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating arrangement is designed to perform multiple functions: it can be activated automatically by sensors detecting overload conditions, or manually through control elements. The same hydraulic control chamber and actuator mechanism handle both activation modes, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining uniform and reproducible triggering behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the manual activation control elements with the automatic sensor-based activation system into a single integrated actuating arrangement. The control chamber, actuator, and coupling cartridge work together as a unified mechanism that responds to either manual or automatic triggering, thereby achieving reliable uniform behavior without excessive complexity.
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 reliable and timely release of hydraulic connections, protecting against overloading and reducing manual effort, ensuring consistent operation regardless of the tractor's orientation or position relative to the towed implement.
Implementation Method 1
the actuating arrangement comprises a control chamber which may be pressurized and in which the coupler cartridge is mounted such that the coupler cartridge may be urged into the ejection position by the build-up of pressure inside the control chamber
Implementation Method 2
a membrane accumulator, which may be pretensioned by a pressure source, is able to be connected in a pressurized manner to the control chamber of the actuating arrangement via an activation valve
Implementation Method 3
the coupler cartridge is mounted inside the coupler housing so as to be axially deflectable counter to a centering spring force from an operating position
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for releasing a coupling connection of a hydraulic quick coupler includes a hydraulic coupling for receiving a hydraulic plug. The hydraulic coupling has a coupler housing and a coupler cartridge displaceably mounted therein such that when the hydraulic plug is pushed in, the coupler cartridge adopts an operating position locking the hydraulic coupling. The arrangement also includes an actuating arrangement. The coupler cartridge is movable via the actuating arrangement from the operating position to an ejection position for releasing the hydraulic plug. The coupler cartridge is actuated by an external force operably controlled by a control arrangement.