Split Roller Offset for Tractive Element Vibration Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tractive elements for power machines, such as endless tracks, often result in vibrations being transmitted to operators due to the drop of rollers into gaps between embeds, affecting ride quality and operator comfort.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a quad-track drive assembly with a unique roller configuration, including split rollers cantilevered from support plates with optimized offset distances and symmetric mounting, which desynchronizes the contact timing between rollers and embeds to reduce vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional roller configurations are used in endless track drive assemblies, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but vibrations are transmitted to operators due to rollers dropping into gaps between embeds, degrading ride quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller configuration simplicityVSAvoidvibrations transmitted to operator

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The roller support structure is segmented into multiple support plates distributed along the track, with each plate supporting individual rollers. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each support location to minimize vibration transmission while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support plates are positioned asymmetrically relative to the embed gaps, and rollers are offset from direct alignment with gaps. This asymmetric configuration prevents rollers from dropping into gaps, eliminating the vibration source while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Device complexity

If rollers are positioned to contact embeds directly, then the contact pattern is simple, but the timing of contact creates vibrations that affect operator comfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact pattern complexityVSAvoidoperator comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The roller support plates and offset configurations create a periodic contact pattern with embeds, where rollers contact embeds at controlled intervals. This periodic action synchronizes the contact timing to reduce vibration frequency and amplitude, improving operator comfort while maintaining a relatively simple contact mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20230124346A1Arrangements for tractive elements of power machines

Publication Date: 2023.04.20 DOOSAN BOBCAT NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

A tractive element for a power machine can include a frame, an endless track, a drive sprocket, and a first set of split rollers. The first set of rollers can include a first roller rotatably coupled to the first plate with a first axis of rotation and a second roller rotatably coupled to the second plate with a second axis of rotation. The first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation can be spaced apart from one another with a first roller offset distance, along a front-to-back direction of the tractive element, that can provide improved ride quality.