Overlapping Blade Segments for Moldboard Erosion and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blade assemblies for surface working machines face issues with wear, erosion, and manhandling due to long blade segments, which lead to increased weight, cost, and operational challenges, particularly with tool retention and moldboard protection.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of overlapping blade segments with recessed and extension sections and a tool shield retainer clip to enhance strength, reduce erosion, and facilitate single-operator handling, while utilizing all available connection holes for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If blade segments are made as long as possible to reinforce the thinner moldboard, then the strength of the moldboard is improved, but the size and weight of the blade segments increase making them difficult to manhandle
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple detachable blade segments that can be individually mounted on the moldboard. This allows the blade to be segmented into manageable sizes for easy handling while maintaining overall structural integrity through multiple connection points distributed along the moldboard length.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple blade segments are combined to form the complete blade assembly. By merging several shorter segments rather than using one long segment, the invention achieves both ease of handling (each segment is manageable) and overall strength (multiple segments work together to reinforce the moldboard).
2Ease of operation
If multiple shorter blade segments are used to reduce the size of individual segments for easier handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the strength of the assembly is reduced at the join regions
Solution Approach 1:
The connection regions between blade segments are designed with enhanced local strength characteristics. The moldboard includes reinforced connection areas with multiple connection holes and increased structural support at join regions, allowing shorter segments to be used while maintaining overall assembly strength through locally optimized connection details.
3Strength
If longer blade segments are used to reduce the number of joins, then the assembly strength is improved, but the moldboard is more susceptible to erosion and washout at the join regions
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is segmented into multiple shorter segments with multiple join regions. Each join region is designed with specific geometric features including overlapping sections and multiple connection holes that create a distributed connection pattern, reducing the concentration of erosion forces at any single join point while maintaining overall assembly strength.
4Ease of operation
If shorter blade segments are used to allow for easier handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the number of joins increases leading to increased erosion and erosion of the moldboard
Solution Approach 1:
The connection regions between blade segments are designed with enhanced local strength characteristics. The moldboard includes reinforced connection areas with multiple connection holes and increased structural support at join regions, allowing shorter segments to be used while maintaining overall assembly strength through locally optimized connection details.
Data Source
AI summary
A blade assembly for use on a surface working machine includes a moldboard. The moldboard includes a lower mounting section including a mounting edge for mounting a plurality of blade sections thereto. The blade assembly further includes a plurality of blade segments for detachable connection to the lower mounting section of the moldboard and adapted to overlap with any adjacent blade segment when mounted to the moldboard. Each blade segment includes a front face for forward machine orientation, a back face opposite the front face, a right edge including a first overlap section, and a left edge including a second overlap section. The first overlap section shaped for overlap with the second overlap section of an adjacent blade segment so that when mounted to the moldboard adjacent blade segments substantially abut each other.