Tractor Hood Support Wire Loop Spring Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support mechanisms for tractor hoods, such as gas struts and prop rods, are either expensive, prone to failure, unstable, or difficult to use, failing to securely and stably hold the hood in an open position with a high parts count.
Innovation Solution
A wire loop or bar pivotably mounted to a bracket, biased by a spring, that detents into a pocket under the hood to securely hold it in a raised position, providing stability and simplicity with a low parts count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas struts or gas springs are used to support the hood, then the hood can be raised and held stable, but the cost increases and reliability decreases due to wear and gas charge loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive gas struts with a simple wire loop or bar support mechanism that is economical and disposable. The wire loop can be easily replaced if needed, providing a cost-effective alternative to expensive gas charge mechanisms while maintaining support functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential support function from complex gas strut mechanisms and implements it through a simple wire loop or bar with spring assistance. This removes unnecessary complexity while retaining the core functionality of holding the hood open.
2Stability of the object's composition
If prop rods are used to support the hood, then the hood can be held open, but the hood becomes unstable and may sag because the prop rods engage away from the center of mass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the wire loop or bar to engage the hood at or near its center of mass, providing stable support. The spring assistance is applied locally at the engagement point to provide the necessary lifting force without compromising overall stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded mechanism provides a counterbalancing force that assists in raising the hood and maintains it in the open position. The spring acts as a counterweight system, reducing the effort needed to operate the support mechanism while ensuring stable positioning.
3Ease of operation
If prop rods are used to support the hood, then the hood can be held open, but the support mechanism is difficult to use and engage
Solution Approach 1:
The wire loop or bar support mechanism is designed to be self-servicing through its simple pivot and detent engagement system. The spring-loaded design automatically provides the necessary force to engage and hold the hood, reducing the need for manual adjustment or complex operation procedures.
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
The solution provides a stable, economical, and low-maintenance way to keep the tractor hood open without sagging, using a simple design with reduced components.
Implementation Method 1
A spring urges the wire loop or bar to pivot and help move the tractor hood toward the raised position
Data Source
AI summary
A hood support for a tractor includes a bracket attached to an engine compartment under the tractor hood, a rod bent into a U-shaped loop having a pair of ends pivotably mounted to the bracket, and a spring coiled around one of the ends urging the U-shaped loop toward a raised position. A pocket under the tractor hood is dimensioned to receive the U-shaped loop and support the hood in the raised position.