Tillage Sweep with Concave Wings for Soil Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tillage sweeps face challenges in achieving optimal soil and trash flow across a range of operating speeds and ground conditions, leading to uneven soil surfaces, insufficient material movement at slower speeds, reduced soil lift, and uneven wear due to poor load distribution.
Innovation Solution
A tillage sweep design featuring non-flat wings with slightly concave soil-contacting surfaces that mimic a skateboard ramp, providing progressive soil action from the front to the rear, enhancing soil lift, penetration, and load distribution, while maintaining effective soil and trash flow at varying speeds and conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a V-shaped leading structure with flat side blades is used, then outward soil throw is improved, but side soil flow increases causing uneven soil surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the traditional flat side blades with concave curved surfaces. The concave shape allows soil to follow a smoother path along the blade surface, reducing abrupt lateral movement and improving soil surface uniformity while maintaining the V-shaped leading structure for effective outward soil throw.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by varying the blade surface geometry across different regions. The leading edge maintains a pronounced V-shape for aggressive soil engagement and outward throw, while the side blades transition to concave surfaces that gradually guide soil rearward. This localized differentiation of blade characteristics optimizes both soil throw and surface uniformity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If flatter sweeps with less pronounced V-shape are used, then side soil flow is reduced, but material movement becomes insufficient at slower speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The concave curvature of the side blades creates a ramp-like effect that actively propels soil rearward. This curved geometry generates continuous downward and rearward force on the soil, maintaining effective material movement even at slower operating speeds while keeping the overall sweep profile flatter to control side flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the concave blade surfaces to interact differently with soil at varying speeds. At higher speeds, the leading V-shape dominates for outward throw. At slower speeds, the concave surfaces engage more deeply with the soil, utilizing gravity and blade geometry to maintain adequate material movement without requiring high forward velocity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If flatter sweeps are used, then side flow is reduced, but soil lift decreases affecting penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the soil lift function at the leading nose portion of the sweep, which maintains a pronounced V-shape and aggressive angle. The side blades are designed with concave surfaces that focus on guiding and throwing soil rearward rather than providing primary lift. This spatial differentiation of functions allows flat overall geometry with localized lift capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave curvature of the side blades creates a ramp effect that converts some of the forward motion into vertical lift component. As soil contacts the curved surface, it is forced upward and rearward, providing additional lift assistance without requiring the entire sweep to be highly angled, thus maintaining flat overall geometry while improving penetration.
4Strength
If poor load distribution occurs, then sweep wear increases, but replacement frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing different regions of the sweep to handle specific loads appropriately. The leading nose is shaped for aggressive soil engagement and initial lift, while the concave side blades are optimized for guiding and throwing soil. This functional zonation distributes mechanical stresses more evenly across the sweep structure, preventing concentrated wear at any single location and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave curved surfaces of the side blades create a more uniform contact pattern with the soil compared to flat blades. This curved geometry distributes the soil load across a broader area of the blade surface and along its length, reducing peak stresses and preventing localized wear concentrations that would otherwise require frequent replacement.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural tillage sweep providing good soil action without ridges in the soil surface at both high and low speed operation in different soil conditions. Wings extending outwardly and rearwardly from a leading nose portion include non-flat soil contacting surfaces defining opposed outwardly and upwardly directed surfaces converging in the forward direction. The surfaces, which can be concave upwardly and outwardly, define soil throwing action that progressively increase in the rearward direction. A shallow sweep leading area provides greater upward soil lift and lesser outward soil throw compared to trailing areas. At high speeds, the leading area provides vertical lift and substantial outward throw of soil, and at lower speeds the progressive action surfaces provide additional outward throw of soil to facilitate necessary soil mixing action.