Hydropneumatic Track Roller Suspension for Agricultural Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural vehicles with full-track designs face challenges in maintaining uniform pressure distribution and reducing wear on track belts during road travel, while also ensuring efficient tractive force transfer and comfort, due to fluctuations in ballast and tractive forces.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a suspension system using hydropneumatic spring elements that can be acted upon by fluid, allowing for controlled load distribution and adjustment along the length of the track roller unit, reducing abrupt load changes and adapting to varying loads, thereby reducing track bar wear and enhancing tractive force efficiency and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the vehicle is designed to be nose-heavy to achieve uniform pressure distribution under track roller units during pulling work, then tractive force transfer is improved, but wear of track belt increases during road travel and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a dynamic ballast adjustment system that automatically modifies the front ballast position and magnitude based on real-time detection of vehicle operating state (field work vs. road travel). During field work, the system maintains nose-heaviness for optimal tractive force transfer, while during road travel, it reduces or relocates ballast to minimize track belt wear. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the vehicle to optimize for different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors to detect operating conditions (such as ground speed, implement attachment status, and terrain type) and uses this feedback to automatically adjust ballast configuration. The control unit processes sensor data and actuates ballast adjustment mechanisms accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that maintains optimal pressure distribution for current conditions without manual intervention.
2Stress or pressure
If fixed ballast is attached to achieve uniform pressure distribution, then initial pressure balance is improved, but adaptability to varying tractive forces and working conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ballast system transitions from fixed to dynamic, enabling real-time adjustment of ballast magnitude and position in response to varying tractive forces and working conditions. The system detects changes in operational state (such as implement type, soil conditions, and speed) and automatically modifies ballast configuration to maintain optimal pressure distribution across different scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key parameters (ballast mass, ballast position, ballast height) based on detected operating conditions. The control unit adjusts these parameters dynamically to optimize pressure distribution for different tractive force requirements, soil types, and working speeds, thereby maintaining adaptability across diverse agricultural operations.
3Productivity
If hydraulic force is applied to hold pressure distribution constant during field work, then tractive force efficiency is improved, but front deflector roller relief during road travel increases wear
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic suspension system operates dynamically, adjusting its support force based on detected operating mode. During field work, the hydraulic cylinders maintain constant pressure distribution to maximize tractive force efficiency. During road travel, the system automatically reduces or reverses hydraulic force to relieve the front deflector roller, thereby minimizing track belt wear. This dynamic control is achieved through sensor-based detection of vehicle speed and operational state.
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
This solution provides uniform support and reduced wear on track belts, increases tractive force efficiency, and enhances driving comfort by uniformly accommodating vehicle weight and adjusting load distribution, minimizing soil compression and pitching oscillations.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element, which can be acted upon by fluid, for the suspension of the roller or the group of rollers with respect to the roller unit body is assigned to each roller or group of rollers
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural vehicle having a full-track design with a vehicle structure on each side of which, relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis, a track roller unit is arranged. The track roller unit has roller unit body to which a front deflector roll, a rear deflector roller and a plurality of yoke-type track rollers arranged therebetween are coupled, and an endlessly closed track belt that wraps around the rollers/roller. All the rollers are suspended with respect to the roller unit body in that assigned to a roller or a group of rollers in each case is a spring element, which is acted upon by fluid, for the suspension thereof with respect to the roller unit body.