Pivoting Pressing Wheel for Planter Width Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural planters face challenges in transporting their large width, as existing solutions require time-consuming processes and risk losing pressing wheels, which can affect seed growth due to inadequate soil contact.
Innovation Solution
The agricultural planter incorporates a pivoting pressing wheel that can be vertically pivoted to reduce the planter's width during transport, remaining connected and eliminating the need for tools, thus minimizing the risk of loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the planter is folded into a reduced width configuration for transport, then the transportability is improved, but the pressing wheels must be removed which increases the risk of loss and requires additional tools and time
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing wheel is designed with a pivoting mechanism that allows it to dynamically change its position between a horizontal operating configuration and a vertical transport configuration. This dynamic adjustment enables the planter to be folded for transport without removing the pressing wheels, eliminating the time-consuming removal and reattachment process while maintaining the reduced width necessary for transportability.
2Length of moving object
If the pressing wheels are removed before transport, then the width is reduced for transportability, but the risk of losing pressing wheels increases which affects seed growth
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing wheel remains permanently attached to the row unit through a pivoting connection that allows it to stay connected during transport. The wheel can pivot between configurations but never completely detach, ensuring it cannot be lost while still enabling the planter to achieve reduced width for transportability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing wheel is designed to nest within or alongside other row unit components when in the vertical transport configuration. This nesting arrangement allows the pressing wheel to be compactly stored in a space-efficient manner while remaining attached to the row unit, preventing loss during transport and reducing the overall width of the planter.
3Reliability
If the pressing wheel is made permanently fixed, then the reliability is improved, but the ability to reduce width during transport is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing wheel incorporates a pivoting mechanism that provides permanent attachment through a reliable connection while allowing dynamic repositioning between horizontal and vertical configurations. This dynamic capability enables the planter to reduce its width for transport without compromising the reliability of the pressing wheel attachment.
4Ease of manufacture
If tools are required to attach/detach pressing wheels, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting mechanism is designed to be manually operable without requiring tools. The pressing wheel can be easily pivoted between configurations by hand, significantly improving the ease of operation during transport preparation while maintaining simplicity in manufacturing through the use of straightforward pivot connections.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural planting apparatus includes a chassis and a row unit carried by the chassis that defines a width. The row unit includes a unit body carried by the chassis; a metering device carried by the unit body; at least one furrowing disc carried by the unit body; at least one closing disc carried by the unit body behind the furrowing disc(s); a restraining member carried by the mounting body; and a pressing wheel carried by the unit body, pivotally movable about an axis of rotation relative to the unit body, positionable behind the closing disc(s), and reversibly connectable to the restraining member. The pressing wheel has a constrained pivoting configuration when connected to the restraining member that resists pivoting and a freely pivoting configuration when disconnected from the restraining member to reduce the width of the row unit when pivoted in an upward direction about the axis of rotation.