Adjustable Closing Wheel Assembly for Soil Gathering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural equipment, such as closing wheel assemblies, often fail to effectively deliver soil to the furrow due to insufficient soil gathering action, particularly in varying soil types and moisture conditions, leading to poor furrow closure and seed germination.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable closing wheel assembly that allows for up to 12 degrees of angle adjustment via a coupler and bolt system, enabling better soil engagement and distribution by rotating the closing wheel relative to the seed slot, thereby enhancing soil gathering and furrow closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the closing wheel assembly uses a fixed angle design, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot effectively adapt to varying soil types and moisture conditions, resulting in poor soil gathering action and furrow closure
Solution Approach 1:
The closing wheel assembly incorporates an adjustable angle mechanism that allows the closing wheel to be rotated relative to the seed slot opening, transforming a static fixed-angle design into a dynamic adjustable system. This enables adaptation to different soil conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through the use of a coupler and bolt system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the angular parameter of the closing wheel relative to the seed slot opening, allowing adjustment within a range of up to 12 degrees. This parameter modification enables the equipment to optimize soil gathering action for varying soil types and moisture conditions without fundamentally redesigning the entire assembly.
2Productivity
If the closing wheel assembly is designed with angle adjustment capability, then it can optimize soil gathering action for different soil conditions, but the structure becomes more complex requiring additional components like coupler and bolt systems
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable angle mechanism transforms the closing wheel assembly from a static to a dynamic system, enabling optimization of soil gathering action for different soil conditions while using relatively simple adjustment components.
Solution Approach 2:
By modifying the angular parameter of the closing wheel within a 12-degree range, the system optimizes productivity for varying soil conditions without requiring complex mechanical systems, achieving enhanced performance through simple parameter adjustment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the closing wheel angle is fixed relative to the seed slot opening, then the assembly is easy to manufacture and install, but it delivers insufficient soil to the furrow in varying soil types and moisture conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a simple adjustable angle mechanism using a coupler and bolt system that maintains ease of manufacture while significantly improving furrow closure performance across varying soil conditions through adjustable angular positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
By enabling adjustment of the closing wheel angle parameter (up to 12 degrees), the system maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable furrow closure in diverse soil types and moisture conditions through optimized angular settings.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for angle adjustment may be used with agriculture equipment such as planters, applicators and tillage equipment wherein deployment of a coupler upon a shaft to allow introduction of an angle is beneficial. A closing wheel assembly incorporating the assembly for angle adjustment allows control of the angle of a closing wheel to improve soil gathering action for delivery of more or less soil to the seed slot/open furrow generated by the opener or opener assembly of a planter (drill) row unit. Exemplary applications of the assembly for angle adjustment include row unit closing wheel assemblies, fertilizer applicators and strip tillage closing systems.