Sieve Bar Geometry for Stone Picking Clogging Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stone picking devices for soil suffer from clogging issues due to inefficient design, where stones tend to get stuck between bars, leading to reduced efficiency and damage to soil working tools.

Innovation Solution

A sieve design with bars configured such that the smallest distance between adjacent bars is only at the leading surface, preventing stones from getting stuck, and featuring adjustable geometry and reinforcement for enhanced strength and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the distance between adjacent bars is reduced to prevent stone clogging, then stone picking reliability improves, but the ability to remove smaller stones deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestone picking reliabilityVSAvoidstone removal efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating different bar spacing configurations in different regions of the sieve. Specifically, certain sets of adjacent bars have smaller distances (first distance) while other sets have larger distances (second distance greater than first distance). This allows the sieve to simultaneously prevent clogging in critical areas while maintaining stone removal capability in other areas, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the bars are arranged with larger spacing to remove more stones, then stone removal efficiency improves, but stone clogging increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestone removal efficiencyVSAvoidstone picking reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the sieve structure into different bar sets with different spacing characteristics. By dividing the bars into multiple sets where each set can have different distance configurations, the system achieves both fine spacing (for preventing clogging) and coarse spacing (for removing stones) simultaneously in different segments, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the sieve structure is simplified for easier manufacture, then ease of manufacture improves, but the ability to prevent stone clogging deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstone picking reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functional requirements into a single bar configuration design. By configuring the bars themselves with specific geometric features and spacing arrangements that inherently prevent clogging, the design achieves both ease of manufacture (using standard bar components) and improved reliability (through optimized spacing patterns), eliminating the need for complex additional anti-clogging mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3370496B1A sieve and a device for picking stones from soil
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 CNH IND DANMARK AS
  • EP3370496B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3370496B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3370496B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a sieve 100 for stone picking stones from soil, said sieve in the orientation intended for use comprising: a number of bars 2,2',2",2"', wherein each bar is extending in a longitudinal direction between a lower end 4 configured to be at least partly submerged in soil, and an upper end 6; wherein each said bar comprises a leading surface 8 extending a distance L from a first edge 10 to a second edge 12 of said leading surface of said bar; wherein each said bar comprises a trailing surface 14; wherein in respect of two specific adjacent bars 2,2',2",2'", preferably in respect of any two adjacent bars, the geometry of the bars and the sieve is configured in such a way that the smallest distance D between said two adjacent bars is being present at the leading surface of said two adjacent bars. Also provided is a stone picking device comprising a sieve according to the invention.