Rotating Blade and Grader Implement for Drainage Tile Soil Heave

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Solution Overview

Problem

After the installation of drainage tile, displaced soil forms heaves that interfere with agricultural operations, and existing methods require multiple passes to restore the soil, which is inefficient.

Innovation Solution

An agricultural implement with a rotating blade assembly and pivotable grader blades connected to hydraulic cylinders, arranged in a helical pattern, that chops and moves soil back to the center in a single pass, utilizing a main frame with sled rails for traction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional tile plow installation method is used, then drainage tile can be installed, but displaced soil forms heaves that interfere with agricultural operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage tile installationVSAvoidsoil heave interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The soil heave is broken down into smaller pieces through multiple rotating blades that sequentially cut and chop the displaced soil, transforming one large problematic mass into many smaller manageable pieces that can be easily redistributed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A grader blade is introduced as an intermediary element between the rotating blade assembly and the ground, serving to push and level the chopped soil back toward the center, effectively mediating the redistribution process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple passes are made through the field to restore soil, then soil can be rehabilitated, but time and productivity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoil restorationVSAvoidfield operation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functions (breaking up soil heave, chopping displaced soil, and pushing soil back to center) that previously required separate passes are merged into a single integrated implement that performs all operations simultaneously in one pass

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating blades continuously chop soil while the grader blade continuously pushes soil back to the center in a continuous one-pass operation, eliminating the interruption and repetition required by traditional multiple-pass methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If a single pass is used to restore soil, then productivity is improved, but sufficient soil movement and leveling may not be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield operation efficiencyVSAvoidsoil leveling quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The grader blade is made pivotable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its angle and position in response to varying soil conditions and heave characteristics, enabling effective soil movement and leveling in a single pass

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Hydraulic cylinders are used to control the pivotable grader blade, providing powered adjustment capability that enhances the single-pass soil restoration effectiveness by enabling real-time mechanical adjustment of the grader angle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Data Source

PatentUS10779453B2Agricultural implement for use after installation of drainage tile

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 SOIL MAX

AI summary

An agricultural implement includes a main frame, a rotating blade assembly operatively connected to the main frame, the rotating blade assembly comprising a shaft having a plurality of blades mounted thereto, and a first grader blade and a second grader blade operatively connected to the main frame. Both the first grader blade and the second grader blade follow the rotating blade assembly such that in operation the plurality of blades positioned along the rotating blade assembly chop up a soil heave into smaller pieces of dirt and may for provide for pushing the soil towards a center. The first grader and the second grader may further push the dirt towards the center.