Soil-Working Tool End Bit With Rounded Guide Formations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for attaching and detaching wear parts on soil-working tools, such as ploughs and harrows, often experience unreliable contact due to burrs or wedged objects, leading to potential detachment during use, especially when the 'male' and 'female' parts do not inter-fit perfectly, resulting in insecure attachment and risk of the wear part falling off.
Innovation Solution
A replaceable end bit with rearwardly oriented openings featuring rounded faces that engage with protruding coupling means on a holder part, where the distance between these faces increases towards the trailing edge, allowing for a wedging connection that secures the end bit by friction, enabling easy attachment and detachment using a hammer or tool, and includes a wear indicator for timely replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If V-shape guide formations are used for attaching wear parts, then the attachment system provides a wedging connection for engagement, but if burrs or hard objects are present on the faces, pointwise contact occurs leading to unreliable attachment and risk of detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the V-shape guide formations with rounded guide formations having concave rounded faces. This curvature allows the rounded faces to inter-fit and distribute contact pressure over a larger area, preventing pointwise contact that occurs with V-shapes when burrs or hard objects are present. The rounded geometry inherently accommodates minor imperfections while maintaining reliable attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded guide formations are designed to preemptively accommodate potential defects such as burrs or hard objects that may be present on the mating surfaces. By using rounded rather than sharp V-shaped faces, the design anticipates and cushions against the harmful effects of such imperfections before they can cause pointwise contact and attachment failure.
2Reliability
If rounded guide formations with concave rounded faces are used for engagement, then contact is distributed over a larger area improving reliability, but the attachment system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the rounded guide formations: they provide guidance during attachment, distribute contact pressure over larger areas for reliable engagement, and inherently accommodate manufacturing imperfections. This merging of functions achieves high reliability without requiring additional separate components or complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded guide formations concentrate the quality improvement (rounded geometry for pressure distribution) precisely where it is needed - at the contact surfaces between the wear part and holder. This localized application of rounded geometry provides the reliability benefit without requiring the entire attachment system to be redesigned with complex mechanisms.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the end bit is designed for 180-degree reversal, then the longevity of the wear part is prolonged through balanced wear, but the attachment system requires precise alignment of rounded faces
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded guide formations are positioned asymmetrically relative to the centerline of the wear part, with offset distances that create a specific geometric relationship. This asymmetric positioning ensures that when the wear part is reversed 180 degrees, the rounded faces align with the corresponding rounded portions on the holder, enabling precise re-engagement without requiring complex alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the rounded guide formations and rounded portions with reciprocal geometries that are mirror images of each other. This inversion symmetry ensures that when the wear part is flipped 180 degrees, the rounded faces naturally align with the corresponding rounded portions on the holder, facilitating easy reversal while maintaining manufacturing precision through inherent geometric compatibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures reliable attachment and extended longevity of the wear parts by distributing contact over a larger area due to rounded faces, allowing 180-degree reversal and balanced wear, reducing abrasive effects on the holder part and extending its lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a replaceable end bit for a soil-working tool, which end bit is retained by friction
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a replaceable end bit for a soil-working tool, which end bit is retained by friction and wherein, at its trailing edge (5), the end bit is provided with one or more openings (6) that is/are oriented rearwardly relative to the end bit and for receiving coupling means (21, 41) from a holder part (20, 40). The openings (6) may have rounded faces (8), and the faces (8) may face towards each other. The distance between the rounded faces (8) is increased with the distance from the trailing edge (5) of the end bit. The invention also relates to a holder part for a replaceable end bit for a soil- working tool, which end bit is retained by friction, and wherein the holder part (20, 40) is provided with pairs of protruding coupling means (21, 41), which protruding coupling means (21, 41) are provided with a space, where the distance between the two protruding coupling means (21, 41) is reduced with the distance from their end faces (23).