Segmented Agricultural Wheel Body Design for Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural tool wheels face challenges with complex shapes that complicate manufacturing and mounting, and high stresses due to inclined orientations, leading to increased mass and costs.
Innovation Solution
A wheel body formed by two flanges with a central and peripheral part, where the second flange is metal and the first flange is plastic, reducing material usage and stress concentrations, with improved balancing and tire retention mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the wheel body is made massive to withstand high stresses from inclined orientations, then the mechanical resistance is improved, but the wheel mass increases leading to higher manufacturing and transport costs
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel body is divided into two separate flanges (first flange and second flange) that are mounted one on the other. This segmentation allows each flange to be optimized for specific functions: the first flange provides structural strength to withstand stresses, while the second flange has a reduced volume design. The combined structure achieves the required mechanical resistance without the need for a fully massive wheel body, thereby reducing overall mass while maintaining strength.
2Reliability
If the rim is shaped in a special way to prevent tire separation, then the tire retention is improved, but the wheel body shape becomes complex complicating manufacture and tire mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The complex rim shape required for tire retention is achieved through the assembly of two simpler flanges rather than a single complex piece. The first flange and second flange are each relatively simple in shape, but their combination creates the necessary complex rim geometry that prevents tire separation. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing of individual components while achieving the complex overall shape needed for reliable tire retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The two flanges are mounted one on the other to form the complete wheel body. This merging of two simpler components creates the complex rim structure needed for tire retention, while allowing each component to be manufactured separately with simpler processes. The combination achieves both tire retention reliability and manufacturing simplicity.
3Ease of manufacture
If two similar flanges are assembled face to face to form the wheel body, then the tire mounting is facilitated, but the manufacturing requires more material and time compared to optimized designs
Solution Approach 1:
The two flanges are made of different materials with different properties optimized for their specific functions. The first flange is made of a material suitable for structural strength and stress resistance, while the second flange is made of a different material optimized for its specific role in tire retention and mounting. This local differentiation of material quality allows each flange to be manufactured efficiently with appropriate materials, reducing overall material usage while maintaining ease of tire mounting.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
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Figure 7~8
AI summary
A field tool (1) comprises a first flange (7) and a second flange (9) which are mounted one on top of the other to form a wheel body (3). The first flange (7) has a central portion (71), a peripheral portion (73) of generally annular shape, and at least one arm (75) connecting the central portion (71) and the peripheral portion (73) to each other. The second flange (9) is analogous to the peripheral portion (73) of the first flange (7). In the assembled state, the wheel body (3) has a rim (121) formed jointly by the peripheral portion (73) of the first flange (7) and the second flange (9), and a hub formed by the central portion (71) of the first flange (7).