Agricultural Harrow Link Assembly with Bulbous Socket Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harrow systems with integral links face challenges in maintenance and repair, as damaged components often require discarding the entire link, leading to material property compromises and increased costs due to the need for thicker, heavier harrow discs and potentially weaker construction methods.
Innovation Solution
A link assembly design featuring a harrow member portion with a bulbous end and a socket, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, with a lock mechanism to secure the links, enabling individual link replacement and reducing material wastage by optimizing the properties of each component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If links are made integral (welded or cast as one piece), then assembly and disassembly is simplified, but maintenance and repair become difficult as damaged components require discarding the entire link
Solution Approach 1:
The link is divided into separate components (harrow disc, loop portion, hook portion) that can be assembled and disassembled independently. This allows individual components to be replaced without discarding the entire link, resolving the contradiction between simplified assembly and difficult repair.
2Strength
If the harrow disc is made thicker and heavier to achieve acceptable strength in integral links, then strength is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the harrow disc from the link portions, each component can be optimized independently. The harrow disc can be made with appropriate thickness and weight for its specific function without being constrained by the need to form an integral strong structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different components can be made from different materials optimized for their specific functions. The harrow disc can use materials optimized for strength and wear resistance, while the loop and hook portions use materials optimized for joining functions, avoiding the need to over-engineer the entire integral structure.
3Ease of operation
If integral links are used, then assembly is simplified, but material properties are compromised as the same material must satisfy different functional requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Different components of the link assembly can be made from different materials with different properties optimized for their specific functions. The harrow disc can have high wear resistance and toughness, while the loop and hook portions can have different material properties suited for joining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The link assembly becomes a composite structure with different materials used in different components. This allows each component to have the optimal material properties for its function rather than being constrained by a single material that must satisfy all requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A link assembly (3) and system (203) including a first link portion (7, 207) and a second link portion (9, 209). The first link portion (7, 207) includes a bulbous end (13). The second link portion (9, 209 a socket (15). To link adjacent link assemblies (3) or the first link portion (7, 207) to the second link portion (9, 209), the bulbous end (13) is received in the socket (15). In one example, the link assembly (3) is part of an agricultural ground engaging chain (1) having harrow member portions (5). In other examples, the link assembly and system (203) are used to link first element (204) and second elements (206) to one another. This may be used to join or anchor vehicles, structures and the like.