Replaceable Spiked Drive Roller for Off-Road Traction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spiked rollers used in vehicles for difficult terrain suffer from reduced penetration due to soil lodging in deep corners and produce noise, limiting their effectiveness and usability.
Innovation Solution
The use of replaceable, pyramid or cone-shaped projections with a screw bolt connection and a ring collar for centering, made from wear-resistant plastic, which minimizes noise and ensures deep penetration by preventing soil accumulation in corners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional intersecting triangle spikes are welded onto the roller shell, then the roller provides good grip on steep terrain, but soil or biological material becomes lodged in deep corners reducing penetration depth over time
Solution Approach 1:
The spike profile is changed from intersecting triangles with deep corners to a rounded contour with continuously curved surfaces. This curvature prevents material from lodging in corners while maintaining the penetration capability and grip performance on steep terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric parameters of the spikes are optimized by using a specific contour function that defines the rounded shape. This parameter change from angular to curved geometry eliminates the material lodging problem while preserving the mechanical interlocking action with the ground.
2Force
If traditional triangle spikes are used, then the roller provides adequate traction, but considerable noise is produced when driving on concrete or asphalt
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded contour of the spikes reduces noise by eliminating the sharp impacts associated with angular triangle shapes. The curved surfaces allow for smoother contact with the ground and reduced vibration when driving on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt, while maintaining adequate traction through the penetration capability.
3Reliability
If the entire roller is made from wear-resistant plastic, then noise is minimized and wear resistance is improved, but the roller loses the replaceability of individual spikes
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is designed as a composite structure where the roller shell is made from wear-resistant plastic but the spikes are separate replaceable components. This segmentation allows individual spikes to be replaced when worn while maintaining the noise-minimizing plastic construction of the main roller body.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller combines different materials strategically: the roller shell uses wear-resistant plastic for noise reduction and durability, while the spikes use a different material optimized for ground contact and penetration. This composite approach allows each component to have properties optimized for its specific function.
4Duration of action of moving object
If pyramid or cone-shaped projections are used, then soil accumulation in corners is prevented and deep penetration is maintained, but the connection method between tip and base becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pyramid or cone shape is achieved through a rounded contour design that eliminates corners where material could lodge. This curved geometry maintains deep penetration capability while the connection structure uses a simple screw bolt through a disc with a ring collar, avoiding complex assembly mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The vehicle has a drive roller with a roll shell (1), where projections (6) are provided on a surface of the roll shell. The projections are provided with a cone point (7) and the projections are designed as pyramid or cone-shaped barb. The projections and the drive roller are designed as a single-piece and the cone point is detachably connected with a base (8). The cone point comprises a threaded bore. An independent claim is also included for a method of manufacturing a drive roller.