Pivoting Central Frame for Narrow Transport Width in Agricultural Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machines with wide working widths face challenges in achieving narrow transport widths, leading to difficulties in cornering and increased dimensions during transport, which can result in collisions and inefficient passage heights for crops.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a central frame that pivots about a central frame bearing axis, allowing main wheels to pivot with the frame, and cantilever arms with adjustable bearings and wheels that align parallel to the drawbar in transport, reducing transport width and ensuring maximum passage height, while the outrigger bearing is positioned to minimize collisions and optimize ground clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the working width of the agricultural machine is increased, then the working efficiency is improved, but the transport width increases leading to collision risks and cornering difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The agricultural machine employs a pivotal central frame that allows the machine to dynamically change its orientation relative to the drawbar. During transport, the central frame can pivot to align the working tools parallel to the direction of travel, effectively reducing the transport width and eliminating collision risks while maintaining large working width capabilities during operation.
2Length of moving object
If the main wheels are positioned closer to reduce transport width, then the transport behavior is improved, but the passage height for crops may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension and pivotal movement to resolve the conflict between transport width and passage height. The central frame pivots about a bearing axis, allowing the main wheels to be positioned optimally for narrow transport while the U-shaped configuration and tool orientation ensure adequate passage height for crops is maintained during both transport and working positions.
3Reliability
If the outrigger bearing is positioned to minimize collisions during pivoting, then the reliability is improved, but the passage height in the outrigger area may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The outrigger bearing is strategically positioned and oriented (orthogonal to the central frame bearing axis) to provide local collision avoidance functionality where needed during pivoting operations, while the overall U-shaped frame configuration and tool positioning ensure that adequate passage height is maintained in the critical crop passage areas.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~2a
Figure 2b~2c
AI summary
The invention relates to an agricultural machine (10) for cultivating grassland comprising a machine frame having a drawbar (12) for connection with a tractor and a central frame (14) connected to the drawbar (12) and supported by main wheels (22a, 22b), wherein the main wheels (22a, 22b) support the central frame (14) in both a transport and a working position, wherein at least one boom is connected to the central frame (14) via a boom bearing (20a, 20b) which defines a boom bearing axis (AA1, AA2), on which at least one working tool (26a, 26b; 30) can be arranged, wherein the working tool (26a, 26b; 30) is pivotable with the boom about the boom bearing (20a, 20b).The invention is characterized in that the central frame (14) is rotatably connected to the drawbar (12) via a central frame bearing (18) which defines a central frame bearing axis (ZA), whereby the central frame (14) can be rotated about the central frame bearing axis (ZA) to the drawbar (12), wherein the central frame (14) can be brought into a first pivot position associated with a working position and into a second pivot position associated with a transport position.