Pickup Tine Support Guides for Controlled Deflection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural baler tines are susceptible to excessive deflection during crop material pickup, which can lead to damage.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of tine support guides with slots that allow deflection in one direction while limiting deflection in the opposite direction, using either open or closed slots to manage tine movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If tines are made flexible to allow deflection during crop pickup, then the pickup performance is improved, but the risk of tine damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepickup performanceVSAvoidtine damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tine is divided into a rigid portion and a flexible portion, with the flexible portion inserted through a slot in the support guide. This segmentation allows the rigid portion to maintain structural integrity while the flexible portion accommodates deflection during operation, resolving the contradiction between pickup performance and damage risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support guide with its slot acts as an intermediary between the rigid tine and the ground. The slot provides a controlled path for deflection, allowing the tine to flex during pickup while preventing uncontrolled movement that could cause damage. This intermediary structure enables both flexibility and protection simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If tines are made rigid to prevent damage, then the structural strength is improved, but the ability to accommodate deflection during pickup is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetine structural strengthVSAvoiddeflection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The tine is segmented into a rigid portion for structural strength and a flexible portion for deflection capability. The rigid portion is secured to the support guide while the flexible portion extends through a slot, allowing it to bend during pickup operations. This segmentation enables the tine to simultaneously possess both strength and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the tine have different mechanical properties: the portion secured to the support guide is rigid for strength, while the portion extending through the slot is flexible for deflection. This local differentiation of quality allows the single tine component to satisfy both contradictory requirements of strength and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12527260B2Agricultural vehicle with tine support guides that limit deflection of a tine

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC

AI summary

A pickup assembly for an agricultural vehicle includes: a rotatable reel; a plurality of tine bars coupled to the reel such that rotation of the reel moves the tine bars through a movement path; at least one tine carried by each of the tine bars; and at least one tine support guide carried by at least one of the tine bars. The at least one tine support guide includes at least one slot that allows deflection of the deflectable section of a tine in a first direction and limits deflection of the deflectable section in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.