Mower Knife Connecting Arrangement Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mower knife drives experience increased wear due to positional or manufacturing tolerances and deformations, leading to malpositions and inclined positions of the movement axis relative to the mower knife axis, resulting in frictional and bending forces during operation.
Innovation Solution
A connecting arrangement with a compensation mechanism allowing rotational movements around three axes and linear movements along two axes, using separate bearings for each degree of freedom, enabling independent adjustments and reducing wear by accommodating manufacturing and assembly deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct linear driving connection is used between the gearbox and mower knife, then the structure is simple and assembly is easy, but increased wear occurs due to positional and manufacturing tolerances causing malposition and inclination of the movement axis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connecting arrangement with a driving element and an output element as intermediary components between the gearbox and the mower knife. The driving element connects to the gearbox output journal while the output element connects to the mower knife, with a compensating mechanism linking them to accommodate misalignments and prevent direct transmission of tolerances to the knife, thereby reducing wear while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a compensating mechanism that allows for parameter changes in the relative positioning between the driving element and output element. This mechanism can adjust for positional and manufacturing tolerances by permitting small angular and linear deviations, thereby maintaining optimal alignment during operation and reducing wear caused by fixed rigid connections.
2Manufacturing precision
If a rigid connecting arrangement is used to maintain precise alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional compensation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic compensating connection. The connecting arrangement includes elements that can move and adjust dynamically during operation, such as pivoting joints and sliding connections, allowing the system to adapt to manufacturing tolerances and maintain precision without requiring overly complex fixed alignment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting arrangement acts as an intermediary that absorbs and compensates for manufacturing imprecisions. By placing flexible connecting elements with compensation capabilities between the rigid gearbox and the mower knife, the system achieves precise alignment through the intermediary's ability to accommodate tolerances rather than requiring perfect manufacturing precision throughout the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting arrangement (1) for connecting a mower knife drive to a mower knife (7), that moves back and forth along a knife or X-axis, has a driving element (2) and an output element (3). The driving element (2) connects the connecting arrangement (1) to the mower knife drive. The output element (3) connects the connecting arrangement (1) to the mower knife (7). The driving element (2) and the output element (3) rotate relative to one another about three mutually perpendicular axes of rotation (X, Y, Z). Also, the driving element (2) and output element (3) can be moved relative to one another along at least two of the axes of rotation (Y, Z).