Tracked Undercarriage Pivot Limiting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lighter agricultural vehicles, such as forage harvesters, face risks of damage due to uncontrolled pivoting of crawler tracks on uneven terrain, especially in poor weather conditions, leading to potential collisions with the vehicle and damage to components like the cardan shaft.
Innovation Solution
Equipping the agricultural vehicle with crawler tracks on both the front and rear axles, including auxiliary wheels for full-surface contact and a limiting mechanism that allows the crawler tracks to pivot within a controlled angle range, preventing uncontrolled movement and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the crawler tracks are allowed to pivot freely on uneven terrain, then the vehicle can adapt to poor weather conditions and maintain contact with the ground, but the crawler tracks may twist uncontrolled and hit the vehicle housing causing damage to components like the cardan shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a limiting mechanism that changes the pivot angle parameter from unlimited to constrained within a specific range. The limiting means (blocking means and movement means) physically restrict the pivot angle to prevent excessive twisting while still allowing sufficient adaptation to terrain variations, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting mechanism acts as an intermediary between the crawler track and the vehicle housing. It mediates the pivot motion by allowing controlled movement within the angle range while blocking excessive movement that would cause damage to the cardan shaft and housing, thus protecting the system while maintaining functionality
2Weight of moving object
If the vehicle uses a lighter mass design compared to combine harvesters, then the vehicle is more suitable for forage harvesting operations, but the crawler tracks follow uneven terrain more clearly and increase the risk of uncontrolled pivoting and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by constraining the pivot angle parameter within a defined range using the limiting mechanism. This prevents the crawler tracks from following uneven terrain beyond safe limits, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving the vehicle's lighter mass design advantage for forage harvesting operations
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to an agricultural vehicle (1) with two tracked undercarriages (2) arranged on either side of the vehicle (1), which interact with the vehicle (1) at opposite ends (3) of a front axle (4) of the vehicle (1), wherein the tracked undercarriages (2) are each pivoted to the front axle (4) at a pivot point (10) such that the tracked undercarriages (2) can each pivot about a pivot axis (11) parallel to the front axle (4) relative to the vehicle (1). In order to provide an agricultural vehicle and a tracked undercarriage in which the risk of damage is at least reduced, the invention proposes at least one limiting means (12) by means of which a pivot angle range (13) can be limited or restricted within which a tracked undercarriage (2) associated with the limiting means (12) can pivot about the pivot axis (11) relative to the rest of the vehicle (1).