Contoured Tine Mounting Base for Agricultural Pick-Up Reels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tine mounting systems in agricultural pick-up reels are prone to premature failure due to high part counts and stress concentrations, leading to increased production costs and maintenance needs, especially in baler applications where tines are subjected to higher loads.
Innovation Solution
A tine connection device featuring a contoured mounting base and clamp fastener that securely attaches tines to tine bars with reduced parts, evenly distributes stress, and prevents rotation and lateral displacement, thereby enhancing durability and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a robust tine mounting system is used to handle high loads in baler applications, then the connection strength is improved, but the part count and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural support, distributes stress across the tine bar, positions the tine in the correct orientation, and works with the clamp fastener to secure the tine. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate mounting brackets, positioners, and fastening mechanisms, thereby reducing part count while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting base is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously achieves load bearing, stress distribution, tine positioning, and orientation control. By making the mounting base universal in its capabilities, the system avoids requiring multiple specialized parts, thus reducing device complexity while ensuring robust connection for high-load baler applications.
2Reliability
If traditional mounting systems with multiple parts are used, then connection robustness is improved, but maintenance frequency increases due to more components that can fail
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple mounting components into an integrated mounting base and clamp fastener system, the number of potential failure points is reduced. Fewer separate parts mean fewer components that can wear out, loosen, or fail, thereby reducing maintenance frequency while maintaining connection robustness through the integrated design.
3Device complexity
If conventional tine mounting devices are used, then the part count is reduced, but stress concentrations cause premature tine failure
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base features contoured surfaces and strategically positioned contact points that locally distribute stress away from critical tine areas. The base geometry is specifically designed to create favorable stress distribution patterns at the tine-bar interface, preventing stress concentrations that would otherwise lead to premature tine failure, while maintaining a simple low-part-count design.
4Ease of operation
If simple mounting systems are used, then assembly is simplified, but tine orientation may not remain sufficiently fixed
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base and clamp fastener incorporate asymmetric geometries that provide inherent orientation control. The contoured surfaces and non-symmetric contact points ensure that tines can only be installed in the correct orientation, preventing rotation or misalignment during operation. This asymmetric design maintains assembly simplicity while guaranteeing stable tine orientation through geometric constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
A tine connection device for removably connecting a tine to an elongate tine bar in an agricultural harvesting machine wherein the device comprises a mounting base that is contoured to simultaneously engage the tine bar and a mounting portion of the tine and in combination with a contoured clamp fastener, restrain the mounting portion of the tine in a predetermined position relative to the tine bar. The mounting base and clamp fastener further enable a plurality of tines to be easily and uniformly connected to a tine bar while the specific contours of the mounting base and clamp fastener in adjacent contact with the tine serve to reduce stress concentrations thereby promoting extended tine service life.