Portable Hydraulic Control Assembly for Forklift-Based Implement Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic control systems for agricultural implements are cumbersome and expensive to maneuver in confined spaces, such as storage facilities, requiring large tractors for testing and maintenance, which are difficult to maneuver and costly to operate.
Innovation Solution
A portable hydraulic connection and control assembly mounted on a forklift truck, allowing for easy connection to the auxiliary hydraulic fluid pressure system of the forklift, enabling the testing of hydraulic components without the need for a tractor, with a frame and valve system that includes releasable hydraulic fluid lines and connectors for actuation of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tractor is used to provide hydraulic pressure for testing agricultural implements in storage facilities, then the hydraulic testing function is achieved, but the equipment becomes difficult to maneuver in confined spaces and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hydraulic control functionality from the tractor and relocates it to a portable control system that can be independently positioned and maneuvered in confined storage facilities. The portable system includes its own hydraulic pump, control valves, and fluid distribution network, separating the testing capability from the heavy tractor platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable hydraulic control system is designed to provide universal hydraulic testing capability for multiple different agricultural implement configurations. It can service various implements with different hydraulic requirements through a centralized fluid distribution system that routes pressurized fluid to different test points as needed.
2Reliability
If a tractor is used to provide hydraulic pressure for testing agricultural implements, then the hydraulic testing function is achieved, but operational costs increase due to the expensive equipment requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive tractor platform with a purpose-built portable hydraulic control system that is more cost-effective for the specific testing application. The system uses standard hydraulic components (pump, valves, hoses, manifolds) rather than requiring a complete tractor platform, significantly reducing equipment cost while maintaining testing capability.
3Productivity
If quick disconnect connections are used for hydraulic fluid lines in field operation, then the hydraulic connection efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases when adapting for portable testing
Solution Approach 1:
The portable control system incorporates a universal quick disconnect interface that maintains the efficiency benefits of rapid connection and disconnection while integrating multiple functions into a single platform. The system can quickly connect to different implement types using standardized quick disconnect couplings, reducing system complexity through interface standardization.
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
Enables cost-effective and convenient testing of hydraulic components in storage facilities, leveraging the maneuverability of forklift trucks to overcome the challenges of using large tractors in restricted spaces, reducing operational costs and improving accessibility for testing and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a first set of hydraulic fluid lines configured to be releasably connected to the auxiliary hydraulic fluid pressure system of the mobile work vehicle and configured to be releasably connected to a hydraulically actuated component
Implementation Method 2
A valve is interposed in said first set of hydraulic fluid lines and mounted on said frame and has at least a pair of hydraulic fluid inputs and a pair of hydraulic fluid outputs to control flow of hydraulic fluid through said first set of hydraulic fluid lines
Data Source
AI summary
A portable frame is configured to be transported by the forks of a fork lift truck and has hydraulic lines releasably connectable to the auxiliary hydraulic fluid pressure system of the fork lift truck. A valve and a set of hydraulic lines are mounted on the portable frame for releasable connection to the hydraulic fluid lines of a tillage machine so that an inexpensive fork lift truck may be utilized to test operation of hydraulically actuated tillage components.