Tractor Steering Shaft Sealing via Elastic Lip
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tractor designs face challenges in achieving quietness in the driver's compartment while preventing outside dust and noise from entering, due to the transmission of noise and vibration from the power steering unit through the sealing members.
Innovation Solution
A tractor configuration that includes an elastic sealing member with a ring-shaped lip portion that is elastically clamped to the power steering unit, combined with an anti-vibration member, effectively seals the gap between the power steering unit and the through-hole, preventing dust and noise from entering the driver's compartment and attenuating vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a plate-shaped sealing member is provided between the base plate and the through-hole to prevent dust entry, then dust prevention is improved, but noise and vibration are readily transmitted to the driver's compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid plate-shaped sealing member with a flexible ring-shaped elastic sealing member that has a lip portion. This flexible membrane structure effectively blocks dust while its elastic properties allow it to absorb and attenuate noise and vibration, preventing their transmission to the driver's compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the elastic sealing member with an anti-vibration member to create a composite sealing structure. This composite design integrates the dust-blocking function of the sealing member with the vibration-damping function of the anti-vibration member, simultaneously addressing both dust prevention and noise reduction requirements.
2Reliability
If a sealing member is provided to seal the gap between the base plate and the through-hole, then sealing performance is improved, but the sealing member transmits vibration to the driver's compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid plate-shaped sealing member is replaced with a flexible ring-shaped elastic sealing member featuring a lip portion. This flexible membrane maintains effective sealing against dust while its elastic characteristics enable vibration absorption and attenuation, preventing vibration transmission to the driver's compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic sealing member acts as an intermediary element between the power steering unit and the driver's compartment. It mediates between the need for reliable sealing and the need to block vibration transmission, using its elastic properties to decouple the vibration path while maintaining the sealing function.
3Reliability
If a rigid sealing member is used to prevent dust entry, then sealing reliability is improved, but quietness in the driver's compartment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid sealing member is replaced with a flexible ring-shaped elastic sealing member with a lip portion. This flexible membrane provides sufficient sealing reliability to prevent dust entry while its elastic properties allow it to absorb and attenuate noise and vibration, thereby maintaining quietness in the driver's compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the sealing member from rigid to elastic. This parameter change enables the sealing member to simultaneously maintain sealing reliability and provide noise and vibration attenuation, improving the acoustic environment in the driver's compartment.
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 configuration provides a reliable sealing effect, suppressing noise and vibration transmission to the driver's compartment, ensuring a quieter environment while maintaining robustness and long-term sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic sealing member that is provided in an inner circumferential portion of the through-hole, and includes a supported portion that is supported to the inner circumferential portion and a ring-shaped lip portion that protrudes downward from one end of the supported portion; and an anti-vibration member, wherein the power steering unit is mounted to the partitioning member via the anti-vibration member, the ring-shaped lip portion is elastically clamped to an upper face of the power steering unit
Implementation Method 2
since vibration generated by the power steering unit is attenuated by the anti-vibration member used in the mounting of the power steering unit, such vibration is not readily transmitted to the driver's compartment via the support member
Data Source
AI summary
A tractor includes: a driver's compartment; an engine compartment; a partitioning member that partitions the driver's compartment and engine compartment and has a through-hole; a steering wheel provided in the driver's compartment; a power steering unit disposed on the engine compartment side; a steering shaft that extends from the steering wheel and is connected to the power steering unit; an elastic sealing member provided in an inner circumferential portion of the through-hole; and an anti-vibration member. The elastic sealing member includes a supported portion supported to the inner circumferential portion and a ring-shaped lip portion protruding downward from one end of the supported portion. The power steering unit is mounted to the partitioning member via the anti-vibration member, the ring-shaped lip portion is elastically clamped to the upper face of the power steering unit, and the steering shaft is connected to the power steering unit while inserted in the through-hole.