Idler Link Piping Layout to Protect Grease Feed Lines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grease feeding systems for construction machines, such as hydraulic shovels, face challenges including complex idler link structures, high manufacturing costs, and a high risk of damage to grease pathways and distribution valves due to collisions with earth and sand.
Innovation Solution
A grease feeding piping arrangement structure for construction machines that features a flat plate-shaped idler link with pin holes for pivotally supporting the link, a protruding part extending opposite to the working attachment, and a grease feeding piping arrangement space within the idler link that is shaped to prevent protrusion beyond the link's edges, thereby protecting the piping from damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hollow grease pathway is formed inside the idler link, then the grease feeding piping is protected from damage, but the structure of the idler link becomes complicated and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The idler link is divided into two separate components: the link body and the grease pathway component. The grease pathway component is a separate piece that can be attached to or integrated with the link body, allowing the grease pathway to be formed without complicating the basic link structure. This segmentation enables protection of the grease feeding piping while keeping the link structure relatively simple and manufacturable.
2Reliability
If a thin plate-shaped lid body is welded to cover the grease groove, then the grease pathway is protected, but the lid or welded part may be damaged by collision with earth and sand
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of directly welding a thin lid to cover the grease groove (which creates vulnerable welded joints), the invention uses a separate grease pathway component that serves as an intermediary structure. This component can be designed with sufficient thickness and strength to resist collision damage, and its attachment method can be optimized to avoid weak welded joints, thereby protecting the grease pathway from both damage and the harmful effects of earth and sand collision.
3Ease of manufacture
If grease feeding piping is arranged on the idler link surface, then the structure is simple, but the piping is easily damaged by collision with earth and sand
Solution Approach 1:
The grease feeding piping is nested within or integrated with the grease pathway component, which itself is attached to or formed as part of the idler link. This nested arrangement protects the piping from external damage while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The piping does not need to be separately mounted on the link surface, reducing exposure to collision damage while keeping the manufacturing process straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
In a construction machine where an arm, a working attachment, and a distal end portion of an extensible cylinder are coupled via a power link and an idler link, to achieve protection of a grease feeding piping when the grease feeding piping is arranged in the idler link, and to ensure that the structure of the idler link is not complicated. In an idler link, there is formed a protruding part which protrudes in a direction opposite to a bucket from a link body part of the idler link; there is provided a grease feeding piping arrangement space which extends in a link length direction, toward right and left inside of right and left outer side faces of the protruding part, with at least either one side of the side opposite to the bucket or right and left inward sides open; and a grease feeding piping is arranged in the grease feeding piping arrangement space, in a state of not protruding in a direction opposite to the bucket beyond a protruding distal end portion face of the protruding part and not protruding toward right and left inside beyond right and left inner side link faces of the link body part.