Anti-wrapping device for agricultural pick-up head tine bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pick-up heads in agricultural equipment suffer from material build-up, which impairs rotation, causes damage, and increases fuel/energy consumption, requiring frequent cleaning and maintenance, leading to increased time, labor, and cost.
Innovation Solution
An anti-wrapping device is integrated into the pick-up head, which fills gaps between tine bars and rotates with the head to create a moving surface that minimizes material wrapping, comprising a disc with mounting holes and adjustable stems to secure the tine bars, potentially including a spring-loaded mechanism for contact maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pick-up heads are designed with tolerance gaps between components, then ease of manufacture is improved, but material wrapping and build-up increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (anti-wrapping device or filler element) that occupies the gap space between pick-up teeth and the inner portion of the pick-up head. This intermediary element prevents material from entering and wrapping around the inner portion, while not interfering with the manufacturing tolerances of the main components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention addresses the two-dimensional gap problem by adding a third dimensional element (the anti-wrapping device extending into the gap space). This creates a physical barrier that blocks material paths without requiring changes to the primary component dimensions or manufacturing precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If frequent cleaning and maintenance are performed, then material build-up is reduced, but loss of time and increased labor costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-wrapping device is installed in advance to prevent material wrapping before it occurs. By having the preventive mechanism already in place, the need for frequent cleaning and maintenance is eliminated, saving time and labor costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the pick-up head to maintain itself by preventing material accumulation in the first place. The anti-wrapping device continuously performs the protective function without requiring external intervention or maintenance, making the system self-servicing.
3Device complexity
If pick-up heads operate without anti-wrapping devices, then device complexity is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-wrapping device changes the physical parameters of the pick-up head system by adding a protective element that reduces friction and resistance. This allows the pick-up head to rotate more freely with less energy input, compensating for the added complexity through improved operational efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pick-up head (300) is provided with an anti-wrapping device to prevent materials from wrapping around the pick-up head. The pick-up head includes a plurality of tine bars (360) for carrying a plurality of pick-up teeth (330). The tine bars are rotatably supported by a drive shaft (350) and the drive shaft is secured to end plates (310,320) of the pick-up head. The anti-wrapping device is attached to an end of the tine bars (360) to fill in gaps between the tine bars and to create a surface rotatable with the tine bars that is less susceptible to wrapping.