Reversible Pin Retainer for Axle Assembly Tolerance Misalignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing axle assemblies in work machines, such as mining trucks, face challenges in securely retaining pins that couple dog bone linkages due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to potential movement and instability during assembly and operation.
Innovation Solution
A retainer with a body that can be reversed between two states to securely engage and retain the pin, featuring through-holes that align with apertures to accommodate different orientations, ensuring the pin is immovably coupled to the axle or chassis, thereby addressing the issue of manufacturing tolerances and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a pin is used to couple the dog bone linkage to the axle or chassis, then the linkages can be assembled with the axle, but manufacturing tolerances cause misalignment between the pin holes and apertures, making it difficult to insert and secure the pin
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer incorporates an adjustable mechanism that allows the operator to modify the position of the pin relative to the dog bone linkage and axle/chassis. This adjustment capability compensates for manufacturing tolerances and misalignments, enabling the pin to be securely inserted and retained even when initial alignment is imperfect
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer acts as an intermediary component between the pin and the dog bone linkage/axle assembly. It provides a mediating structure that facilitates the connection by accommodating misalignments and enabling secure retention of the pin through its adjustable and reversible design
2Manufacturing precision
If the pin is retained in a fixed position to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, then alignment flexibility is improved, but the pin may move or become unstable during assembly and operation
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed with reversible and adjustable characteristics, allowing it to adapt its configuration during assembly and operation. This dynamic design enables the retainer to maintain pin stability while accommodating manufacturing tolerances, as it can be adjusted to different positions and securely retained in each position
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer is configured to be positioned and secured in advance to establish stable pin retention. By being installable in multiple positions and securely fastened before operation, it pre-establishes stable pin accommodation that prevents movement during subsequent assembly and operation
3Reliability
If a complex retention mechanism is used to securely retain the pin and accommodate misalignments, then pin retention reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed as a multi-functional component that combines adjustment capability, retention function, and reversibility in a single integrated structure. This universal design achieves reliable pin retention without requiring multiple separate components, thereby maintaining reliability while controlling complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A retainer for retaining a pin with a section of a work machine. The retainer includes a body to be reversed between a first state and a second state to secure the pin with the section in each of the first state and the second state. The body defines a retaining portion and a securing portion. The securing portion is fixedly coupled to the retaining portion and defines through-holes. In the first state, the through-holes are aligned with apertures of the section for coupling the body to the section such that the retaining portion acquires first orientations relative to the section to engage the pin according to the first orientations. In the second state, the through-holes are aligned with the apertures for coupling the body to the section such that the retaining portion acquires second orientations relative to the section to engage the pin according to the second orientations.