Faceted Furrow Closing Wheel Teeth for Soil Shedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing furrow closing devices are inefficient in maintaining closed furrows due to soil clogging and re-opening, which hinders seed germination and root development.
Innovation Solution
A furrow closing device featuring a closed loop with faceted teeth and channels that allow for easy soil shedding, preventing clogging and promoting efficient furrow closure, comprising a hub with extendable flanges and a snap-fitting sectioned loop made of ultra-high molecular weight plastic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing furrow closing devices use smooth or conventional tooth surfaces, then soil can accumulate on the teeth during operation, but this causes furrow re-opening and hinders seed germination and root development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by giving each tooth a specific faceted geometry with different surface orientations. The front face has a first facet angled at 15-45 degrees and a second facet angled at 45-60 degrees, creating localized surface properties that optimize soil engagement and shedding. This non-uniform local geometry prevents soil accumulation while maintaining effective furrow closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved faceted surfaces on the teeth rather than flat or sharp edges. The facets are designed with specific angular ranges (15-45 degrees and 45-60 degrees) that create smooth transitional surfaces. These curved faceted surfaces allow soil to roll off the teeth efficiently, preventing clogging while maintaining reliable furrow closure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the loop is made as a single solid piece, then manufacturing is simpler, but the device becomes more prone to failure and harder to assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the loop into multiple sectioned segments that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together using friction fit or snap-fit connections. This segmentation allows each section to be produced separately with optimized tooling, reduces material stresses, and enables easy replacement of individual sections if damaged, thereby improving both manufacturability and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A furrow closing wheel assembly includes a closed loop that has an inner surface, an outer surface, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface. Each of the first and second lateral surfaces has a channel therein. Flanges positioned on a hub are extendable into the channels to couple the hub to the loop. A plurality of teeth extends upwardly from the outer surface. Each of the teeth has a front face, a rear face, a first side, a second side and an apex positioned distal to the loop. Each the front faces is faceted such that the front faces are absent of a substantial planar surface lying in a plane that is orientated parallel to an axis of rotation of the loop. The front face of each of the teeth is a leading face of the teeth extending into soil when the loop is positioned on the hub.