Combined Soil Cultivator and Stone Separator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing soil cultivators and stone/clod separators require multiple passes and operations to achieve fine soil conditions, leading to increased power consumption, soil damage, and inefficiency in separating clods and stones.

Innovation Solution

A combined soil cultivator and stone/clod separator with multiple sieving conveyors and a soil crumbling assembly, where oversized material is broken down in a single pass, reducing the need for separate operations and enhancing the effectiveness of sieving and crumbling actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If multiple passes and separate operations of cultivator/separator are used, then fine soil conditions free of clods and stones are achieved, but power consumption increases and soil structure is damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil finenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the soil cultivating function and stone/clod separating function into a single integrated machine that performs both operations simultaneously in one pass. The cultivating assembly breaks down clods while the sieving conveyor separates stones and oversized material, eliminating the need for multiple separate passes and thereby reducing power consumption and soil damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple passes and separate operations are used, then clod-free soil conditions are achieved, but the number of operations increases reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclod-free soil conditionVSAvoidoperation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The machine merges soil cultivation and stone separation into a single simultaneous operation. The cultivating assembly processes clods while the sieving conveyor operates concurrently to remove stones, achieving clod-free conditions in one pass rather than requiring multiple sequential operations, thereby significantly improving operational speed and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple separate operations are used, then thorough soil preparation is achieved, but overall time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil preparation qualityVSAvoidpreparatory cultivation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple soil preparation functions into a single machine that operates simultaneously. The cultivating assembly breaks down clods while the sieving conveyor removes stones and oversized material in one continuous operation, achieving thorough soil preparation without the time loss associated with multiple separate passes and operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Manufacturing precision

If separate stone/clod separating and cultivating operations are performed, then effective separation is achieved, but the number of passes required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestone and clod separation effectivenessVSAvoidnumber of operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate stone/clod separation and cultivating operations into a single integrated machine. The cultivating assembly processes soil and clods while the sieving conveyor simultaneously separates stones and oversized material, achieving effective separation in one operation rather than requiring multiple separate passes, thereby reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP1836889B1Soil cultivation and stone/clod separation
Publication Date: 2010.02.10 WESTON
  • EP1836889B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1836889B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1836889B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a combined soil cultivator and stone/clod separator, a soil cultivator, a stone and clod separator, and to a method of cultivating soil and separating stones/clods. In an embodiment of the invention, a combined soil cultivator and stone/clod separator (7) is disclosed which comprises a digging device (1), a first soil sieving conveyor (3), a soil crumbling assembly (4) and a further soil sieving conveyor (5). The digging device (1) is arranged to dig up material and to transfer the material rearwardly, relative to a direction of travel, to the first soil sieving conveyor (3). The soil crumbling assembly (4) is positioned downstream of the first soil sieving conveyor (3), for receiving material from the first soil sieving conveyor (3). The further soil sieving conveyor (5) is positioned to receive substantially all of the material passing down through the at least one soil crumbling assembly (4). The soil cultivator and stone/clod separator (7) exerts a combined cultivating and stone/clod separating action on soil in a single pass across the surface of a field or the like.