Leaf-Spring Tine Assembly for Deflection and Clog Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil cultivation implements face challenges in achieving reliable, efficient, and low-maintenance soil cultivation due to issues such as tine shank deflection and material clogging during use.
Innovation Solution
The tine arrangement features a leaf spring design for the tine shank with an additional spring and a guide element to manage deflection and prevent material clogging, incorporating a locking element and a guide element to direct soil flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tine shank is designed as a leaf spring to allow elastic deflection, then the reliability is improved by preventing breakage during contact with obstacles, but the device complexity increases due to the need for additional springs and retaining elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing the tine shank as a leaf spring that can elastically deflect before encountering obstacles. This pre-configured elastic structure absorbs impact forces during contact with stones or other objects, preventing breakage. The leaf spring design with controlled deflection characteristics provides inherent shock absorption capability, eliminating the need for complex protective mechanisms while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the tine shank flexible rather than rigid. The leaf spring construction allows the tine to dynamically adapt to varying soil conditions and obstacles during operation. The elastic deflection capability enables the system to respond to changing loads in real-time, optimizing performance while preventing structural failure. This dynamic behavior replaces static rigid designs with adaptive flexible structures.
2Productivity
If an additional spring is added to increase spring force, then the productivity is improved by enhancing soil engagement, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the additional spring with the existing leaf spring structure by integrating them into a unified spring assembly. The auxiliary spring is positioned to work in conjunction with the leaf spring, creating a combined elastic system that provides enhanced soil engagement force. This merging approach consolidates multiple spring elements into a coordinated assembly, achieving increased productivity while minimizing the addition of separate complex components.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional spring serves multiple functions: it provides supplementary elastic force for deeper soil penetration, works in conjunction with the leaf spring to distribute loads, and contributes to the overall stability of the tine assembly. By designing the auxiliary spring to perform multiple roles simultaneously, the patent achieves enhanced productivity without requiring separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If a guide element is added to direct material flow, then the reliability is improved by preventing clogging, but the device complexity increases due to additional structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide element as an intermediary component between the share and the surrounding environment. This guide element mediates the flow of soil and plant material by directing it along a controlled path, preventing material from accumulating and clogging the tine assembly. The guide acts as a intermediary structure that manages material flow without requiring complex active control mechanisms, achieving reliable clogging prevention through passive geometric guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element utilizes curved surfaces and streamlined geometry to direct material flow smoothly around the tine assembly. By employing curved guiding surfaces rather than sharp edges or flat planes, the design facilitates continuous material flow and prevents material accumulation. The curved geometry naturally directs soil and plant debris away from critical components, providing reliable clogging prevention through shape-driven flow control.
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
The solution enhances the reliability and efficiency of soil cultivation by minimizing tine shank deflection and preventing material accumulation, ensuring smooth operation and reduced maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The tine shank is designed as a leaf spring, so that the share can elastically deflect backwards against the direction of pull, for example, when it comes into contact with a large stone
Implementation Method 2
The spring section of the additional spring is arranged and designed to increase the spring force of the tine shank, which is designed as a leaf spring, particularly when the tine shank moves against the direction of pull
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a tine arrangement of a soil cultivation implement, comprising a tine shank, wherein the tine shank is designed as a leaf spring, and wherein the upper end of the tine shank is designed for attachment to a frame of the soil cultivation implement, a share at the lower end of the tine shank, wherein the share can be pulled through the soil in a pulling direction, an additional spring with a spring section and a catching element, wherein the catching element at least partially surrounds the tine shank, and a guide element which is designed and arranged to direct a flow of material consisting of soil and/or plant material, which rises through the soil by pulling the share, past the catching element.