Tractor Exhaust Cleaner Orientation for Compact Engine Packaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tractors require an increased mounting height of the engine bonnet to accommodate exhaust-gas cleaning devices of different sizes, leading to a longer engine compartment and higher bonnet mounting height, which is inefficient in terms of space utilization.
Innovation Solution
The tractor design includes a first exhaust-gas cleaning device above the engine with its long side parallel to the vehicle-body lateral width direction and a second device behind the engine with its long side also parallel to the vehicle-body lateral width direction, allowing for a lower bonnet mounting height and shorter engine compartment length by optimizing the placement and connection of these devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple exhaust-gas cleaning devices are installed in the engine compartment, then exhaust gas cleaning capability is improved, but the mounting height of the engine bonnet increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of exhaust-gas cleaning devices from vertical stacking (one above another) to horizontal arrangement (side by side). Specifically, devices are mounted with their long sides extending in the vehicle width direction rather than the vertical direction, allowing multiple devices to coexist in the engine compartment without increasing bonnet height.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine compartment space is segmented into different zones: one region above the engine for mounting smaller cleaning devices, and another region behind the engine for mounting larger devices. This spatial segmentation allows multiple devices of different sizes to be accommodated without requiring increased overall height.
2Reliability
If multiple exhaust-gas cleaning devices are installed in the engine compartment, then exhaust gas cleaning capability is improved, but the front-back length of the engine compartment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vehicle width direction (lateral dimension) to arrange exhaust-gas cleaning devices, rather than extending them in the front-back direction. By orienting the long sides of devices parallel to the vehicle width direction, the footprint in the longitudinal dimension is minimized, keeping the engine compartment length short.
3Ease of manufacture
If exhaust-gas cleaning devices are arranged with long sides parallel to vehicle-body longitudinal direction, then mounting is simplified, but the engine compartment length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately orients the long sides of exhaust-gas cleaning devices parallel to the vehicle-body lateral width direction instead of the longitudinal direction. This dimensional reorientation reduces the longitudinal footprint while maintaining ease of mounting through standardized interfaces and exhaust gas introduction portions that extend appropriately.
Data Source
AI summary
A tractor includes: a vehicle body; an engine bonnet that forms an engine compartment; an engine disposed in the engine compartment; a first exhaust-gas cleaning device that is disposed in the engine compartment and purifies exhaust gas discharged by the engine; and a second exhaust-gas cleaning device that is disposed in the engine compartment and purifies the exhaust gas, the first exhaust-gas cleaning device being disposed above the engine such that a long side of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device is substantially parallel to a vehicle-body lateral width direction, the second exhaust-gas cleaning device being disposed behind the engine such that a long side of the second exhaust-gas cleaning device is substantially parallel to the vehicle-body lateral width orientation, and a maximum vertical length of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device is shorter than a maximum longitudinal length of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device.