Segmented Rake Wheel Tine Support for Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rake wheels experience significant wear and tine fractures due to stress risers, leading to downtime and increased costs for replacement.
Innovation Solution
The rake wheel design incorporates a center hub with tines extending outward, secured by first and second support members, such as disks, which clamp the tines to limit circumferential movement and reduce wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional support bands are used to secure tines, then the rake wheel can be manufactured with simpler structure, but the tines experience significant wear and stress risers leading to fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is divided into multiple discrete segments or blocks rather than using a continuous support band. Each segment can be independently positioned and secured to the hub, allowing for simplified manufacturing while providing effective tine support. The segmented structure reduces stress concentration points compared to traditional continuous bands.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members are pre-positioned and secured to the hub before the tines are installed. This preliminary action ensures that the tines are immediately supported at optimal positions, preventing wear and stress risers from the beginning of operation. The support members are prepared in advance to receive and secure the tines in their correct circumferential positions.
2Reliability
If tines are allowed to move circumferentially on the hub, then the structure is simpler, but wear increases and causes stress risers leading to tine fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is segmented into multiple discrete blocks that can be independently positioned around the hub. Each segment can be separately manufactured and then assembled in a predetermined pattern, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while providing multiple contact points to secure the tines and distribute wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members act as intermediary elements between the hub and the tines. Rather than directly securing tines to the hub, the support members mediate this connection, providing a wear-resistant interface that reduces stress transmission to the tines while maintaining secure attachment.
3Reliability
If multiple support members are used to clamp tines, then circumferential movement is limited and wear is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is segmented into multiple discrete support members distributed around the hub. Each support member is a simple, independently manufacturable component that can be cloned and assembled in a repeating pattern, reducing overall complexity while providing comprehensive tine support at multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
Each support member is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions: securing the tine circumferentially, providing wear resistance, distributing mechanical loads, and maintaining proper tine positioning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
Rake wheels for raking apparatus for gathering crop material into a windrow. The rake wheel includes a center hub and disks for securing and limiting circumferential and axial movement of the tines of the rake wheel. The rake wheel may include a set of fasteners for securing the tines to the disk with the set of fasteners being disposed radially outward of the center hub.