Agricultural Trailer Coupling with Retractable Ball Head Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing towing devices for agricultural working vehicles lack a compact design with a storage solution for ball head plates, leading to inefficiencies in space utilization and operational clarity between working and transport positions.
Innovation Solution
A towing device with vertically aligned side walls and a plate carrying a coupling member that can be locked in a transport position, inclined downwards, providing a secure storage option for the ball tray and allowing for a clear distinction between working and transport positions, while enabling a height-adjustable coupling device with multiple hitch variants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ball head plate is kept in a fixed working position, then coupling operations are convenient, but space utilization during transport is reduced and operational clarity between positions is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The ball head plate is designed to be movable between a working position (horizontal, protruding rearward) and a transport position (vertical, retracted), allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by providing ease of operation during coupling while optimizing space utilization during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball head plate transitions from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation, utilizing the vertical dimension to store the plate when not in use. This dimensional change allows the coupling device to maintain operational convenience while eliminating protrusion during transport, thereby improving space utilization.
2Area of stationary object
If the ball head plate is made movable between positions, then space utilization improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning mechanism is segmented into discrete elements: guide grooves for linear movement, locking pins for position fixation, and inclined planes for position indication. This segmentation simplifies the overall mechanism by breaking down the complex positioning function into manageable, independent components that work together to achieve reliable position change and locking.
3Area of stationary object
If the side walls are positioned close together, then the hitch width is reduced, but the force and tension distribution becomes less optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls feature locally optimized geometries with drawn-in lower ends that create smaller guide distances in specific regions. This local modification allows the hitch width to be reduced in the critical lower area where space is constrained, while maintaining adequate force and tension distribution through the overall structural design of the coupling device.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a trailer coupling device for an agricultural work vehicle, with two side cheeks 12 supported at the rear of the vehicle and vertically aligned, and a plate 32 carrying a coupling element 34, which can be positioned in a working position relative to the side cheeks 12.