Modular Side Delivery Rake for Front or Towed Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rakes are not interchangeable, limiting their suitability for different agricultural operations, and thus cannot be easily adapted to optimize performance based on the specific task at hand.
Innovation Solution
A modular side delivery rake with a main frame, first and second raking units, and an auxiliary frame, allowing for angular movement between working and transport positions, and connection options to both front and rear three-point hitches, enabling versatile configuration changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rakes are designed for specific operations (front mounting or towed), then they can be optimized for that specific task, but they cannot be easily adapted for other operations
Solution Approach 1:
The rake is designed with a universal mounting system that includes both a front mounting arrangement and a towed mounting arrangement, allowing the same rake to be reliably used for both front-mounted operations (such as windrow formation) and towed operations (such as forage collection), thereby achieving multi-functionality without compromising task-specific performance
2Device complexity
If rakes are designed as fixed configuration, then they are simple in structure, but they cannot be quickly reconfigured for different tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into separate, independently configurable components including a front mounting arrangement with front mounting points and a towed mounting arrangement with rear mounting points and a drawbar. This segmentation allows the rake to be quickly reconfigured between front-mounted and towed positions without requiring complex disassembly or reconfiguration procedures, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining structural simplicity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A side delivery rake includes a main frame (2), a first raking unit (4) and a second raking unit (5) angularly movable between respective working positions, in which the first raking unit (4) and the second raking unit (5) are lowered, and respective transport positions, in which the first raking unit (4) and the second raking unit (5) are raised. A coupling system (20) is arranged on a rear side (2b) of the main frame (2) and is configured for connection to a three-point hitch. A towing connector (18) is arranged on the front side (2a) of the main frame (2). The rake further includes an auxiliary frame (7), removably connectable to the coupling system (20) and equipped with supporting wheels (28), and a tow bar (8), removably connectable to the towing connector (18).