Rotatable Crossbeam Soil Cultivation Machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional soil tillage machines are limited in their ability to cultivate the entire soil surface with a minimum number of shares and low working depth, leading to reduced effectiveness, especially for shallow mechanical weed control, due to the deformation of spring tines under operating forces which increases the angle of cutting edges and reduces the effective working width.

Innovation Solution

A soil tillage machine design featuring rotatable crossbeams with spring tines, where the rotational position of the crossbeams can be adjusted based on operating forces to maintain cutting edges parallel to the forward direction, allowing for full-surface cultivation without increasing the number of shares or working depth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If spring tines are used to mount goosefoot shares, then the shares can penetrate the soil, but the tines deform under operating forces increasing the cutting edge angle and reducing effective working width

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration forceVSAvoideffective working width
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The crossbeam is made rotatable about a longitudinal axis, allowing the assembly to dynamically adjust its orientation in response to operating forces. This dynamic adjustment compensates for tine deformation, maintaining the cutting edges parallel to the forward direction and preserving full working width throughout the tillage process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the orientation parameter of the crossbeam relative to the longitudinal beam. By allowing rotation, the orientation angle can vary to compensate for tine deflection under load, ensuring that the cutting edges maintain their optimal parallel orientation despite changes in operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Area of stationary object

If the number of goosefoot shares is increased to cultivate the full soil surface, then full-width cultivation is achieved, but the cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecultivated soil surface areaVSAvoidnumber of shares
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable crossbeam assembly allows each share to maintain its full working width capability throughout operation. This ensures that fewer shares are needed to cover the same total area, as each share operates at maximum efficiency without width loss from deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The rotatable crossbeam design makes each share assembly universally adaptable to varying operating conditions. The same assembly can maintain optimal performance across different soil types and working depths, replacing the need for multiple specialized shares.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of stationary object

If working depth is increased to utilize full share width, then more soil is cultivated, but the machine cannot perform shallow weed control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecultivated soil surface areaVSAvoidworking depth range
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable crossbeam assembly maintains cutting edge parallelism across the full range of working depths. Whether operating at shallow depths for weed control or deeper depths for tillage, the dynamic rotation ensures optimal orientation is maintained, enabling the machine to effectively perform both shallow and deep operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Force

If cutting edges are oriented at an angle for penetration, then shares penetrate soil better, but they cannot cultivate the full surface width

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration capabilityVSAvoideffective working width
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The crossbeam is designed to rotate dynamically, allowing the cutting edges to maintain a parallel orientation to the forward direction during operation. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the full width of each cutting edge remains in contact with the soil surface, maximizing effective working width while maintaining penetration capability through the spring tines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables ultra-flat and full-surface soil cultivation with optimized cutting edge orientation, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of soil tillage operations while minimizing the need for increased shares or working depth.

Implementation Method 1

at least one tine with share, having spring properties, is attached to the rotatable crossbeam, the spring properties being defined by spring forces of the tine

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3707978B1Soil working machine and soil working method
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 HORSCH MASCHEN
  • EP3707978B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3707978B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3707978B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The invention relates to a soil cultivation machine (10) with a machine frame (12) having longitudinal beams (16) extending in the forward direction (14) and transverse beams (18) extending transversely to the forward direction (14), wherein at least one transverse beam (18) is rotatably mounted to at least one longitudinal beam (16) by means of a bearing oriented transversely to the forward direction (14), wherein at least one tine (50) with share (60) having resilient properties is attached to the rotatable transverse beam (18), the resilient properties being defined by spring forces of the tine (50) and the share (60) having a leading edge (62) and cutting edges (64) extending transversely to the forward direction (14) from the leading edge (62).To provide a soil cultivation machine (10) by means of which full-surface soil cultivation is achieved with a minimal number of shares (60) at a minimum working depth, the invention provides that the rotational position of the cross member (18) is variable depending on the spring forces of the tine (50). The invention also relates to a soil cultivation system and, furthermore, to a soil cultivation method.