Hard Metal Insert With Protruding Teeth For Agricultural Cutting Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural cutting tools face challenges in achieving extended longevity and universal applicability, as current solutions require individual development for specific applications and lack sufficient protection against hard materials, leading to reduced service life and increased maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A hard metal insert with protruding teeth that absorb impacts, positioning cutting-active areas behind the teeth to prevent damage, allowing for universal application across various agricultural devices and efficient stockpiling, featuring a zigzag structure with adjustable tooth distances and coatings for enhanced durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If cutting-active areas are positioned at the front of the insert, then cutting performance is improved, but vulnerability to damage from hard materials increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting performanceVSAvoidresistance to damage from hard materials
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Teeth are positioned in front of the cutting-active areas to preemptively intercept and absorb impacts from hard materials like stones before they can reach the vulnerable cutting edges. This preliminary protective action allows the cutting-active areas to remain exposed for effective cutting while being shielded from damage by the sacrificial teeth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If individual carbide tips are tailored for specific applications, then cutting performance for specific tasks is optimized, but device complexity and development time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting performance for specific applicationsVSAvoidapplication-specific development requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insert design incorporates a universal tooth pattern that can absorb impacts across various agricultural applications (soil cultivation, straw chopping, bale cutting) without requiring application-specific customization. The teeth serve as a general-purpose protective element that adapts to different working conditions, eliminating the need for separate development programs for each application area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The insert is divided into distinct functional zones: teeth for impact absorption and cutting-active areas for material cutting. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining a standardized overall design that can be universally applied across different agricultural implements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If teeth are raised to absorb impacts, then protection of cutting areas is improved, but material wear on teeth increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of cutting-active areasVSAvoidwear on teeth
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The teeth are designed as sacrificial, short-living protective elements that are intentionally positioned to absorb wear and damage from hard materials. While the teeth themselves will wear down, this protects the more valuable cutting-active areas from damage, extending the overall service life of the insert. The teeth can be replaced or the insert renewed while preserving the cutting edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3701781B1Hard metal insert for an agricultural device
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 BOEHLERIT GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3701781B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3701781B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7
  • EP3701781B1 patent drawingFigure 8~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a hard metal insert (1) for an agricultural device, for example a hoeing tine or a mower blade, comprising cutting-active areas (2) which are effective in a cutting direction. According to the invention, teeth are provided at least partially between the cutting-active areas (2), which project beyond the cutting-active areas in a top view.