Integral Mounting Tabs on Agricultural Sprayer Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-clearance agricultural sprayers face issues with bolted connections that loosen over time, leading to vibrations and undesired movement between accessory-supporting brackets and the frame, which complicates assembly and affects the stability of on-board systems.
Innovation Solution
A chassis frame design featuring integral mounting tabs and permanently welded brackets, providing secure and stable mounting points for accessories, reducing the risk of loosening and vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If brackets are bolted to the frame for supporting accessories, then assembly is simplified and installation is easier, but the connections loosen over time causing vibrations and undesired movement
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting tabs are integrally formed with the frame members during the extrusion process, merging the mounting feature directly into the frame structure. This eliminates separate bolting operations while maintaining ease of assembly, and simultaneously prevents loosening by creating a monolithic structure where the tab and frame are one piece.
2Reliability
If brackets are welded to the frame, then connection stability and vibration resistance are improved, but assembly time increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting tabs are formed as integral projections during the frame extrusion process itself, before final assembly. This preliminary formation of mounting features eliminates the need for subsequent welding or bolting operations, reducing assembly time while maintaining the stability benefits of a permanent connection.
3Strength
If mounting tabs are provided as integral projections, then structural integrity is improved and loosening is prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting tabs are created by modifying the extrusion parameters and tooling during the frame manufacturing process. By changing the die design and extrusion parameters, the integral tabs are formed as a natural part of the profile extrusion, avoiding additional manufacturing steps or complex assembly operations despite the increased geometric complexity of the final product.
Data Source
AI summary
A chassis frame including a top plate, a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate, a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate, a plurality of mounting tabs extending from at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate and being integrally formed therewith, and a plurality of mounting brackets permanently coupled to at least one of the top plate and the plurality of side plates.