Soil Cultivation Machine with Pivotable Cutters and Self-Cleaning Roller

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing soil cultivating machines inadequately address rooting damage, particularly in grass soils, as they struggle to fill holes effectively due to soil sticking to the reconsolidation roller and scarifying tools being prone to damage from larger stones.

Innovation Solution

A soil cultivating machine with two horizontal rotors rotating in opposite directions, equipped with pivotably mounted cutting elements that can pivot up to 180°, allowing them to engage with the soil and prevent damage from stones, and a reconsolidation roller arranged parallel to the rear rotor to remove adhering soil components, eliminating the need for a scraper and protecting the cutting elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a reconsolidation roller is used to compact soil, then soil compaction is improved, but soil adheres to the roller surface causing accumulation and poor leveling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil compactionVSAvoidsoil adhesion and accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions the rear rotor with cutting elements so that it contacts the reconsolidation roller surface. The cutting elements that would normally work on soil instead contact the roller, automatically removing adhering soil particles. This converts the harmful adhesion effect into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism where the roller's rotation brings soil particles to the cutting elements for removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Productivity

If rigid scarifying tools are used on rotors, then soil cultivation effectiveness is improved, but the tools are easily damaged by stones and hard objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil cultivation effectivenessVSAvoidtool durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting elements are mounted pivotably on the rotors rather than being rigidly fixed. This dynamic mounting allows the cutting elements to pivot or lift when encountering stones or hard objects, preventing damage while maintaining soil cultivation effectiveness during normal operation. The pivotable mounting transforms a static, fragile system into a dynamic, resilient one.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-generated harmful factors

If a scraper is added to remove soil from the reconsolidation roller, then soil adhesion is reduced, but device complexity and soil clump formation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil adhesionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rear rotor serves dual functions: it cultivates the soil through its cutting elements and simultaneously cleans the reconsolidation roller surface. Instead of adding a separate scraper device, the existing rotor structure is positioned and configured to perform both soil processing and roller cleaning, eliminating the need for additional components and avoiding soil clump formation that would result from mechanical scrapers.

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

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

The machine effectively breaks up and distributes soil components, reduces wear on cutting elements, and prevents soil buildup, enabling improved filling of holes and extended tool life, while allowing for efficient operation on various soil types and conditions.

Implementation Method 1

cutting elements are arranged on each of the rotors and are pivotably mounted in the direction of travel for engaging with the soil

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPivoting motion: Hinge

Implementation Method 2

The cutting elements can be designed in a plate-like shape and aligned radially by a centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotors

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP3251479B1Soil processing machine
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 CRACO
  • EP3251479B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3251479B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3251479B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Soil cultivation machine (24) and method, in particular for treating soil damage caused by burrowing, wherein the soil cultivation machine comprises a support frame with two horizontal rotors (27, 28) arranged transversely to a direction of travel (26) and a horizontal reconsolidation roller (11) arranged transversely to the direction of travel and rotatably mounted, as well as a drive device, wherein the rotors are coupled to the drive device and can be driven in such a way that a rotor (27) located at the front in the direction of travel rotates in the direction of travel and a rotor (28) located at the rear in the direction of travel rotates against the direction of travel, wherein cutting elements (33) are arranged on each of the rotors and are pivotably mounted in the direction of travel for engaging in soil (36), wherein the rear rotor is arranged relative to the reconsolidation roller in such a way that soil components (38) adhering to the reconsolidation roller are removed by the cutting elements.