Mower Suspension Bearing Bracket for Headland Tilt Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesting machines face issues with unwanted tilting of the working unit in the raised headland position due to shifts in the center of gravity caused by optional equipment and uneven dirt buildup, which existing counterweights and spring elements either increase weight or impair ground contour following.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bearing bracket is used to rebalance the articulated bearing head relative to the working unit's potentially off-center center of gravity, allowing the pivot axis to be adjusted transversely to the vertical axis through the center of gravity, using mechanisms like sliding guides and actuators for precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If counterweights are mounted on the working unit to return the center of gravity to the middle of the working width, then the unwanted tilting in the raised headland position is mitigated, but the weight of the working unit increases, impairing its ability to easily follow the terrain and placing greater stress on components
Solution Approach 1:
An adjustable bearing bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the working unit and the bearing head. This bracket can be positioned at different locations along the working unit to adjust the pivot axis position, thereby compensating for center of gravity shifts without adding counterweights. The bearing bracket acts as a mediator that allows the system to adapt to different weight distributions while maintaining stability in the raised position.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing bracket is made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the pivot axis position to be dynamically changed depending on the specific working unit configuration and center of gravity location. This adjustability enables the system to adapt to different attachments and dirt buildup patterns without requiring additional weights, maintaining the working unit's ability to follow terrain contours.
2Stability of the object's composition
If spring elements are installed between the mower and machine frame to generate a moment around the pendulum axis and keep the working unit horizontal in the raised headland position, then the unwanted tilting is compensated, but the desired pendulum movements during operation are impaired and the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements and additional brackets required for generating moments are extracted from the system. Instead, the invention uses the existing bearing head and suspension mechanism in combination with an adjustable bearing bracket that can be positioned to create the necessary balancing effect through geometry alone, eliminating the need for additional spring components.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than adding active elements like springs to force the working unit into the correct position, the invention inverts the approach by adjusting the pivot axis position itself to passively achieve the desired horizontal alignment. The bearing bracket is positioned such that the pendulum axis naturally balances the working unit without requiring additional active components.
3Ease of manufacture
If a standardized suspension and machine frame are used for all models to reduce manufacturing costs and storage space requirements, then production volumes increase and conversion between versions is simplified, but the center of gravity shifts due to various attachments and optional equipment cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing bracket is designed to be adjustable along the working unit, allowing the pivot axis position to be changed to accommodate different center of gravity locations caused by various attachments and optional equipment. This maintainability of a standardized suspension system while adapting to different configurations.
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 solution prevents unwanted tilting in the headland position and maintains smooth ground contour following without increasing weight or complexity, enabling uniform ground contact across the working width.
Implementation Method 1
an upright axis is eccentrically offset from the pivot axis of the bearing head due to the center of gravity
Implementation Method 2
sliding guides and actuators for precise alignment
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine, in particular a mower, with a working unit which is suspended by means of a suspension in a pendulum-like manner and can be guided over the ground, wherein the suspension has a central, articulated bearing head in the region of an upright axis through the center of gravity of the working unit, to which the working unit is attached, wherein said bearing head has an adjustable bearing bracket for adjusting the bearing head relative to the working unit in a direction transverse to the upright axis through the center of gravity of the working unit.