Agricultural Spreader Arm Pivot Mechanism for Inertial Force Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural devices used for spreading mediums over soil face issues with inertial forces during acceleration and deceleration, leading to unwanted movement of spreader arms that can damage components and increase wear on vehicles, and existing solutions like rigid connections are laborious and cause excessive wear on vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The use of a support frame with pivotally connected spreader arms and tension-loadable connecting elements that absorb inertial forces, transmitting them to the support frame rather than the vehicle, thereby reducing unwanted movement and wear on the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid connection is used between the spreader arm and the vehicle, then the inertial forces of the spreader arm are absorbed and pivot movement is reduced, but many forces are transmitted to the vehicle causing accelerated wear of vehicle components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary connection system between the spreader arm and vehicle, consisting of a support frame with coupling elements and tension-loadable connecting elements. This intermediary structure absorbs inertial forces during acceleration and deceleration, preventing direct force transmission to the vehicle while maintaining spreader arm stability. The support frame acts as a buffer that isolates the vehicle from harmful inertial forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is segmented into distinct functional components: the support frame with coupling elements for vehicle attachment, and separate tension-loadable connecting elements that specifically handle inertial forces. This segmentation allows the system to independently manage stability requirements while protecting the vehicle from excessive forces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid connection is used between the spreader arm and the vehicle, then the spreader arm pivot movement is reduced, but the connection needs to be manually mounted after bringing the spreader arm into working position, making the solution laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic system where the spreader arm can be positioned and connected independently. The tension-loadable connecting elements are designed to be engaged after the spreader arm is brought into working position, allowing flexible operation while maintaining stability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The spreader arm is brought into the working position first, and then the connecting elements are engaged. This preliminary positioning action allows the arm to be correctly placed before the stabilizing connections are made, simplifying the overall operation sequence.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively reduces the movement of spreader arms during vehicle acceleration and deceleration, enhancing the stability of the agricultural device and minimizing wear on vehicle components by absorbing inertial forces within the support frame.
Implementation Method 1
the inertial forces of the spreader arm may constitute a problem. Accelerating may also be referred to as speeding up, and slowing down also as decelerating. When accelerating, as a result of inertia, the spreader arm may pivot
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an agricultural device, in particular for spreading a movable medium over agricultural soil, comprising a support frame having a front side and a rear side, wherein the support frame is provided with at least one coupling element for coupling the support frame to a vehicle, such as a tractor, at least one spreader arm directly or indirectly pivotally connected to the support frame, which spreader arm is movable between an extended position, wherein the at least one spreader arm extends at least partially, preferably substantially, transversely to the driving direction of the vehicle, and a transport position, wherein the at least one spreader arm extends substantially in the driving direction of the vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for use of an agricultural device.