Work Vehicle Movable Front Weight for Traction and Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional work vehicles with front weights tend to have a center of gravity positioned backward, leading to reduced traction and increased risk of the front weight contacting obstacles during turns, and are often too large for small trucks due to the protrusion of the front weight.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle with a front weight that is movable between a back and front position using a support mechanism and drive actuator, allowing the front weight to be positioned forward for increased traction during work travel and rearward for reduced protrusion during turns and transportation, thereby optimizing body balance and dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a large-sized front weight is used or the front weight is positioned forward to increase traction, then the traction of the body is improved, but the front weight protrudes forward by a large amount causing the body to have a large front-back dimension
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight is made movable between a front position and a back position along the longitudinal axis of the body. During work travel, the front weight is positioned at the front to maximize traction. During turn travel or conveyance, the front weight is repositioned to the back to reduce the front-back dimension and avoid contact with obstacles or truck walls.
2Force
If a large-sized front weight is used to increase traction, then the traction of the body is improved, but the front weight is more likely to come into contact with obstacles during turn travel
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight's position is dynamically adjusted based on the operational mode. During straight work travel, it is positioned forward to enhance traction. During turn travel, it is repositioned to the back to clear the turning path and prevent contact with ridges or obstacles.
3Force
If the front weight is positioned forward to increase traction, then the traction of the body is improved, but the work vehicle may not be loaded on a small-sized truck
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight is repositioned to the back position before loading onto a truck for conveyance. This reduces the overall front-back dimension of the work vehicle, enabling it to be loaded onto small-sized trucks that would otherwise be inaccessible.
4Force
If the front weight protrudes forward to increase traction, then the traction of the body is improved, but the work vehicle requires early turn to avoid contact with ridge
Solution Approach 1:
The front weight is repositioned to the back before initiating a turn, allowing the work vehicle to make the turn at the intended location without needing to start the turn earlier. This maintains work efficiency by eliminating unnecessary early turning maneuvers.
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle includes: a body frame; a front weight at a front end portion of the body frame; a support mechanism supporting the front weight in such a manner that the front weight is movable in a front-back direction relative to the body frame; and a drive actuator configured to move the front weight in the front-back direction relative to the body frame between (i) a back position, at which the front weight is close to the body frame, and (ii) a front position, at which the front weight is far from the body frame.