Rotary Hoe Foldable Wing Sections for Transport Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The long wingspan of existing rotary hoes complicates storage and transport, increasing the time required for hoeing and sowing.
Innovation Solution
A rotary hoe arrangement with a tool bar featuring foldable wing sections, where each wing section comprises an inner and outer wing that can pivot to minimize width for transport and maximize width for operation, along with a sowing machine positioned in the equipment space for simultaneous hoeing and sowing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotary hoe has long wings to extend over a large part of the field, then the time spent working in the field decreases, but the storage and transport of the machine becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The tool bar is divided into multiple foldable wing sections (inner wings and outer wings) that can be segmented and folded relative to each other. Each wing section can be independently positioned to achieve either a extended operational configuration or a compact folded configuration for transport, resolving the contradiction between work span and transportability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing sections are designed with pivotable connections that allow dynamic reconfiguration between operational and transport positions. The inner wings can pivot between operational and folded positions, and the outer wings can pivot relative to inner wings, enabling the structure to adapt its shape based on whether it is being used or transported.
2Productivity
If the wing sections are made long to increase work area, then the hoeing efficiency increases, but the height becomes too great for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The outer wings are designed to pivot in an outer plane that is tilted relative to the inner plane of the inner wings. This angular relationship between planes allows the wing sections to fold in a three-dimensional configuration that reduces the vertical height during transport while maintaining the longitudinal work span capability when in operational position.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer wings are positioned such that their distal ends face the central bar when folded, creating a nested or compact configuration where the long wing sections are folded back toward the center of the machine, significantly reducing the overall height for transport while preserving the full wing span for operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the central bar width is increased to form equipment space, then versatility increases, but the width in folded position increases making transport difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The central bar is designed with a specific width that creates equipment space only in the critical region where a sowing machine needs to be positioned. This localized expansion of width provides the necessary equipment integration capability while the rest of the wing sections maintain a compact folded profile, balancing versatility with transportability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A rotary hoe arrangement (10) for weeding a field, the rotary hoe arrangement (10) comprising a tool bar (20) comprising a plurality of hoe wheels (30) along the tool bar (20), two foldable wing sections (40I, 40II) divided by a central bar (25), each wing section (40I, 40II) comprises an inner wing (42I, 42II) connected to an outer wing (44I, 44II) having a distal wing end (45I, 45II), the tool bar (20) having an operational position (22), where the central bar (25), inner wings (42) and outer wings (44) define a straight work line (50), and a folded position (24) where the wing sections (40I, 40II) are folded, each inner wing (42I, 42II) being pivotally engaged with the central bar (25), each inner wing (42I, 42II) pivots in an inner plane between an inner operational position, where the inner wing (42I, 42II) extends along the straight work line (50), and an inner folded position, where the inner wing (42I, 42II) extends vertically upwardly and substantially perpendicularly to the straight work line (50), each outer wing (44I, 44II) being pivotally engaged with the corresponding inner wing (42I, 42 II), each outer wing (44I, 44II) pivots in an outer plane (48I, 48II) being tilted relative to the corresponding inner plane between an outer operational position, where the outer wing (44I, 44II) extends along the straight work line (50), and an outer folded position, where the distal wing end (45I, 45II) substantially faces the central bar (25) and the outer wing (44I, 44II) is parallel to the corresponding inner wing (44I, 44II) and positioned upwardly in the outer plane.