Pivot Plate Wheel Mounting for Adapter-Free Wheel Size Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing work vehicles, such as agricultural combines, face challenges in conveniently changing wheels to adapt to different field conditions, requiring time-consuming processes and storage of additional adapters.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system with a pivot plate that has different arrangements of plate mounting features, allowing the final drive to be rotated and coupled to the pivot plate in different orientations to mount differently sized wheels without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional wheel mounting systems are used, then wheels can be mounted on work vehicles, but changing wheels to different sizes requires additional adapters and is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot plate is designed with multiple sets of mounting features that can accommodate different wheel sizes and configurations. Instead of requiring separate adapters for each wheel type, a single pivot plate with multiple mounting patterns (e.g., different hole positions, spacing arrangements) can universally mount various wheel sizes by selecting the appropriate mounting feature set, thereby reducing the need for multiple specialized components
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into modular components: the pivot plate with multiple mounting feature sets, the final drive assembly, and the wheel assembly. This segmentation allows independent selection and configuration of mounting features on the pivot plate to match different wheel requirements, enabling flexible adaptation without redesigning the entire mounting system
2Productivity
If traditional wheel mounting systems are used, then wheels can be mounted on work vehicles, but the wheel changing process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot plate is pre-configured with multiple sets of mounting features during manufacturing, preparing the system in advance to accommodate different wheel sizes. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for on-site adapter selection and installation, allowing operators to quickly switch between wheel configurations by simply selecting the appropriate pre-existing mounting features on the pivot plate
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the intermediate adapter component from the wheel changing process. By integrating multiple mounting feature sets directly into the pivot plate, the system removes the need for separate adapter pieces that would otherwise need to be installed and removed during wheel changes, streamlining the process to a single direct mounting operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional adapters are stored for different wheel sizes, then wheel adaptability is improved, but storage requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple mounting feature sets that would traditionally require separate adapter components are merged into a single integrated pivot plate. The pivot plate contains multiple patterns of mounting features (different hole positions, spacing, and arrangements) all built into one component, allowing it to replace multiple separate adapters and reduce the total quantity of parts needed in the system
Data Source
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AI summary
A mounting system (220) for a work vehicle (100) includes: an axle (221); a final drive (222) coupled to the axle (221) and configured to rotate a wheel (102, 601, 602) mounted to the final drive (222); and a pivot plate (223) coupling the final drive (222) to the axle (221). The pivot plate (223) includes a first arrangement of plate mounting features (301) and a second arrangement of plate mounting features (302) that differs from the first arrangement of plate mounting features (301), the final drive (222) including at least one set of drive mounting features (311) and being rotatable from a first orientation where the at least one set of drive mounting features (311) is aligned with the first arrangement of plate mounting features (301) to a second orientation where the at least one set of drive mounting features (311) is aligned with the second arrangement of plate mounting features (302).