Plow Adjustable Actuator Maintains Working Width

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plows lack a practical method to maintain the factory-specified working width range when adjusting contact pressure, leading to changes in the working width and cutting width, which are not easily compensable.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable actuator with an additional length variation is assigned to the second actuator, allowing for compensation of the working width range and cutting width changes by pivoting the ploughshare body relative to the plow frame, using a mechanical adjusting element such as an adjusting screw or eccentric element, providing a 15-50 mm adjustment range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the contact pressure of the plow shares is changed by pivoting the plow shares relative to the plow frame, then the contact pressure is improved, but the working width range and cutting width change and cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact pressureVSAvoidworking width range
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the actuator length adjustable rather than fixed. The actuator connected to the plow share can vary its length to compensate for changes in working width and cutting width that occur when contact pressure is adjusted. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain precise dimensional settings while varying contact pressure, resolving the contradiction between force adjustment and precision maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the plow shares are pivoted to adapt to different operating conditions like plowing on slopes, then the adaptability is improved, but the working width and cutting width settings change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation to operating conditionsVSAvoidworking width setting
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable actuator length provides dynamic compensation that enables the plow shares to be pivoted for adapting to different operating conditions while automatically maintaining the correct working width and cutting width settings. This resolves the contradiction by allowing both adaptability and precision to coexist through active length adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where sensors detect changes in working width and cutting width when plow shares are pivoted, and this information is used to automatically adjust the actuator length to compensate for the changes. This closed-loop control ensures that adaptability to different operating conditions does not compromise the precision of working width settings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If the actuator length is fixed to maintain working width, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ability to adjust contact pressure is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking width rangeVSAvoidcontact pressure adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator is designed with adjustable length capability, transforming it from a fixed-dimensional component to a dynamically adaptable one. This allows the actuator to first extend or retract to set the correct working width and cutting width, then subsequently adjust its effective length to vary contact pressure by pivoting the plow shares, thereby enabling both precision maintenance and pressure adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The actuator system is segmented into adjustable length components, allowing independent control of working width setting and contact pressure adjustment. This segmentation enables the system to perform sequential operations: first establish precise dimensional settings, then adjust contact pressure without compromising those settings, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2848108B1Plough
Publication Date: 2016.04.27 AMAZONEN WERKE H DREYER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2848108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2848108B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2848108B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A plow with a pivot joint, supported on a mounting frame for connecting the plow to an agricultural tractor, which is movable and pivotable via a lateral adjustment device and has an upright pivot axis in the operating position, and with plowshares arranged on the plow frame in at least one row of plowshares, so that the plowshares of the row of plowshares can be moved to their desired working width and/or first furrow cutting width setting by means of a lateral displacement and pivoting movement of the plow frame, wherein the individual plowshares are pivotably arranged on the plow frame for parallel and/or contact pressure adjustment by means of joints which in the operating position each have an upright pivot axis and are adjustable by means of a first adjusting element arranged between the plowshares and the mounting frame and/or intermediate elements connected to the mounting frame.wherein a second adjusting element for setting the working width of the plow is arranged between the plow frame and the mounting bracket and/or intermediate elements connected to the mounting bracket. In order to provide a simple correction mechanism for maintaining the set working width and the working width range of the plow when the contact pressure on the plowshares changes due to a change in the adjustment position of the share bodies relative to the plow frame, it is provided that at least the second adjusting element is assigned an adjustable adjusting element for additional length adjustment of the second adjusting element.