Inching Valve Floor-Frame Layout for Flexible Work Machine Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing working machines face challenges in arranging the inching valve due to space constraints, require separate filters for inside and outside air, and need a large space for air switching components, limiting flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The inching valve is attached to the floor frame below the operator's seat, with a cable connection to the pedals, allowing flexibility in mounting position and vibration suppression, and the air-conditioning system integrates inside and outside air filters and switching components in a compact configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the inching valve is installed directly under the pedal, then the control responsiveness is improved, but the mounting flexibility is reduced due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
A cable is introduced as an intermediary element to transmit the operator's pedal input to the inching valve. The cable connects the pedal (operated by the operator) to the inching valve (mounted on the floor frame), allowing the valve to be positioned away from the pedal while maintaining responsive control. This mediator enables flexible mounting positions without sacrificing control speed.
2Reliability
If separate filters are provided for inside-air and outside-air, then the air filtration effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the inside-air filter and outside-air filter into a single integrated filter unit. The filter housing contains filtering elements that process both inside-air and outside-air streams sequentially or simultaneously, reducing the number of separate filter components needed. This consolidation maintains effective air filtration while simplifying the overall system structure and reducing space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single filter housing and filtering elements serve dual purposes: filtering inside-air that enters through the cabin and filtering outside-air that enters through the air intake. This universal filter design eliminates the need for separate dedicated filters for each air source, reducing device complexity while maintaining filtration effectiveness for both air streams.
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 configuration improves the flexibility of the inching valve's mounting position, suppresses vibrations, and enables compact and efficient air filtration and switching, enhancing operational efficiency and ease of maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
one end portion of a cable is attached to the brake arm, the other end portion of the cable is attached to the inching valve
Implementation Method 2
a hydraulic drive unit configured to drive a traveling device with a hydraulic pressure
Implementation Method 3
the valve main body changes the flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic driving device
Implementation Method 4
a filter housing portion configured to house a filter that catches dusts included in the inside-air or outside-air introduced by the inside-air/outside-air switching portion
Data Source
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AI summary
To improve flexibility of a mounting position of an inching valve (338). A working machine (1) includes a machine body (2), a traveling device (17) travelably supporting the machine body (2), a hydraulic driving device (353) to hydraulically drive the traveling device (17), a floor frame (72) supported on the machine body (2) via a mounting member (303), a pedal (111L, 111R) operable to brake the traveling device (17), the inching valve (338) to change a flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic driving device (353) according to operation of the pedal (111L, 111R), and a cable (336) operably connecting the pedal (111L, 111R) to the inching valve (338). The pedal (111L, 111R) and the inching valve (338) are attached to the floor frame (72).