Movable Front Weight for Tractor Ballast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural tractors face challenges in efficiently varying front axle ballast to adapt to changing working conditions, leading to suboptimal weight distribution, increased fuel consumption, reduced payload, and safety risks due to high center of gravity and protruding weights.
Innovation Solution
A link arrangement with two side-mounted links allows the front weight to be moved longitudinally, lowering its center of gravity when closer to the vehicle, enabling easier installation and removal, and adjusting the ballast to optimize weight distribution, maneuverability, and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If front weights are fixedly installed at a predetermined place at the front part of the vehicle body, then the ballast is stable and reliable, but the adaptability to changing working conditions deteriorates and the device complexity increases due to expensive equipment requirements for assembly and disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight is made movable instead of fixed, allowing it to be positioned in different locations along the vehicle body. The link arrangement enables the front weight to be shifted between a first position (close to vehicle) and a second position (remote from vehicle), providing adaptability to different working conditions while maintaining reliability through controlled movement mechanisms
2Reliability
If front weights are arranged at the front part of the vehicle body, then the ballast effectiveness is improved, but the vehicle length increases and maneuverability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight can be dynamically positioned between a first position close to the vehicle body and a second position remote from it. When not needed for ballasting, the weight can be moved to a compact position that minimizes vehicle length and improves maneuverability, while still providing effective ballast when positioned forward
3Reliability
If additional weight is arranged in front of the vehicle body above the vehicle axis, then the ballast function is achieved, but the center of gravity increases and safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight can be positioned in a first location close to the vehicle body where it has a lower center of gravity, reducing safety risks during road travel. The weight can be moved to a second location when ballasting is required, providing dynamic adjustment between safety and ballast functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The link arrangement acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables controlled movement of the front weight between different positions. This mediator allows the system to transition between safe road-travel configuration (weight close to vehicle) and effective ballasting configuration (weight remote from vehicle)
4Reliability
If heavy ballast additional weights are used, then the ballast capacity is improved, but the fuel consumption increases and payload capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using heavy fixed ballast weights, the system uses a lighter front weight that can be dynamically positioned. The front weight provides ballast only when needed for specific working conditions, reducing unnecessary weight during road travel and thereby lowering fuel consumption while maintaining adequate ballast capacity when required
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The vehicle (10) i.e. tractor (12), has a front-end weight (28) attached at a front part of a vehicle body (14) over a handle bar arrangement (26). The weight is movable from a position closer to the vehicle to a position away from the vehicle over the arrangement. The arrangement has upper and lower handle bars (30, 32) arranged lateral to the weight. The bars are arranged at the vehicle body on one end and at the side of the weight on another end such that the weight in the position closer to the vehicle takes a low center of gravity position than in the position away from the vehicle.