Operating Lever-Potentiometer Linkage Without Elongate Holes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work vehicles with interlocking mechanisms between operating levers and potentiometers often experience operational failures due to dust accumulation, leading to resistance and detection errors, as they rely on elongate holes that can cause connecting play and inaccuracies in speed change operations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a damper-connected interlocking mechanism where the pivot axis of the operating lever and the rotary axis of the potentiometer share a common axis, eliminating the need for elongate holes, and positioning the input part closer to the potentiometer to ensure smooth operation and accurate detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If an elongate hole is used to connect the input part and output part with a connecting pin, then the interlocking mechanism can be assembled, but dust accumulation causes resistance and operational failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidoperational reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the elongate hole from the interlocking mechanism. By using a through hole instead, it removes the source of dust accumulation that causes operational failures, while still achieving the necessary connection between input and output parts through the connecting pin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a through hole (open structure) instead of an elongate hole (enclosed structure). The through hole allows easier cleaning and prevents dust trapping, maintaining connectivity while avoiding the harmful dust accumulation effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Ease of operation

If the connecting pin is adapted to slide smoothly in the elongate hole, then ease of operation is improved, but connecting play develops between input part and output part

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation smoothnessVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the elongate hole that causes connecting play. By using a through hole with the connecting pin, it eliminates the clearance and play between input and output parts, ensuring accurate detection while maintaining operational smoothness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If a conventional interlocking mechanism with elongate hole is used, then device complexity is reduced, but detection error occurs due to connecting play

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanism simplicityVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the problematic elongate hole feature while keeping the overall mechanism simple. The through hole design eliminates connecting play and detection errors without adding significant complexity to the interlocking mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enhances the reliability and accuracy of speed change operations by preventing dust-related failures and ensuring precise detection, thereby improving the overall performance of the work vehicle's speed control system.

Implementation Method 1

a damper which is connected to the input part and which acts on the operating lever

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3884758B1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3884758B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3884758B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3884758B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a work vehicle, a pivot axis (P1) of an operating lever (12) and a rotary axis (P2) of a potentiometer (13) are located on a same axis. An interlocking mechanism (22) includes an input part (23) which inputs power of the operating lever (12) following the operating lever (12) about the pivot axis (P1) as a pivot, and an output part (24) which is supported to a rotary operation shaft (13b) and outputs power of the input part (23) to the rotary operation shaft (13b). The input part (23) and the output part (24) are operably connected via a connecting pin (25).