Traction Assist Apparatus for Work Machine Boom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Work machines face reduced traction in harsh environments with large inclines and varied surfaces, making it difficult to maintain control and efficiently move payloads to their intended destination.
Innovation Solution
A traction assist apparatus is integrated into the work machine, featuring a boom assembly with pivotally coupled sections and a tether support structure, allowing for secure attachment points for tethers that improve traction by distributing load and maintaining engagement with the ground surface, especially in uphill and downhill operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If work machines operate in harsh environments with large inclines and varied surfaces, then the work machine can access certain areas and perform work, but traction is reduced and control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tether support structure and attachment points as intermediary elements between the work machine and the external environment. These intermediaries allow the machine to anchor itself to external structures or surfaces, providing the necessary traction and control in harsh environments without requiring direct ground contact for all force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a vertical dimension to traction assistance by positioning attachment points at different heights on the boom assembly. This multi-level attachment system allows tethers to be configured at optimal angles and positions, creating force vectors in multiple dimensions to improve both traction and stability on inclines.
2Reliability
If a tether support structure with multiple attachment points is added to the boom assembly, then traction and control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tether support structure is designed with multiple attachment points that can serve different functions depending on the operating conditions. The same structure can provide traction assistance, stabilize the machine on inclines, and offer multiple anchoring options, making it a multi-functional component that addresses various traction challenges without requiring separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The boom assembly with its pivotally coupled sections provides dynamic positioning capability for the attachment points. This allows the attachment points to move and adjust their position relative to the work machine body, enabling optimal tether configuration for different terrain conditions and work scenarios without requiring a fixed, overly complex structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A work machine extending in a fore-aft direction includes a frame, a ground-engaging mechanism, a boom assembly to the frame, and a traction assist apparatus. The ground-engaging mechanism is configured to support the frame on a surface. The traction assist apparatus is coupled to the boom assembly. The traction assist apparatus has an attachment point for securing a tether.