Spring Tine Lateral Stability via Flat Leaf Spring Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring tooth harrows experience side deviation of spring tines due to their spiral design, leading to uneven soil tillage and unprocessed strips.
Innovation Solution
The spring tines are designed with an upper part as a flat steel or leaf spring and a curved lower part with a V-shaped cross section, providing lateral stability and even tillage, and are fastened to the support frame in a way that ensures deflection upwards with ground resistance for uniform depth control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If spring tines are designed as spiral springs, then the harrow can provide flexibility and spring action, but the spring tines deviate to the side and leave unprocessed strips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the spring tine from a spiral configuration to a flat steel or leaf spring configuration with a curved lower part and V-shaped cross section. This parameter change maintains the spring action and flexibility while eliminating the side deviation problem that occurs with spiral springs, thereby achieving uniform tillage without unprocessed strips.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a curved lower part in the spring tine design, replacing the spiral configuration. This curvature is strategically positioned at the lower part of the tine while maintaining a straight upper portion, allowing the tine to flex upward when encountering ground resistance while preventing lateral deviation. The V-shaped cross section further enhances this effect by providing structural stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If spring tines are made rigid to prevent side deviation, then tillage uniformity improves, but the ability to adapt to ground variations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making only the lower part of the spring tine curved and flexible, while the upper part remains straight and rigid. The curved lower part with V-shaped cross section provides flexibility to adapt to ground variations, while the straight upper part maintains structural stability and prevents side deviation. This localized differentiation of rigidity and flexibility resolves the contradiction between tillage uniformity and ground adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring tine is segmented into distinct functional zones: an upper straight portion for structural stability and a curved lower portion for flexibility and ground adaptation. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally - the upper part prevents side deviation while the lower part adapts to terrain variations, achieving both uniformity and adaptability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the holder is positioned behind the tine tip, then assembly is simpler, but depth control becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is positioned in front of the tine tip in the pulling direction, which is the opposite of the conventional arrangement. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the tine encounters ground resistance, the spring action is immediately activated to deflect the tine upward, providing immediate depth control. This forward positioning of the holder enables even depth control from the moment the tine contacts the soil.
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
This configuration ensures precise and even soil cultivation, preventing side deviations and allowing for effective weed seed germination and destruction before sowing, suitable for organic farming practices.
Implementation Method 1
the spring tines have a high degree of lateral stability and do not easily move to the side even when encountering resistance
Implementation Method 2
the spring tines are immediately deflected upwards when they are pushed backwards by ground resistance
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The harrow has spring tines (3) lying next to each other and fastened a support frame. The spring tines comprise an upper spring element (11) formed as a flat steel spring or a plate spring with spring plates (14, 15). The spring tines comprise a curved base part (12) with a tine point (13) detachably fastened at a lower end. The spring plates are fastened at an upper end over a retainer (16) at the support frame. The retainer comprise two retaining plates (19, 20) connected with each other by screws (21). The curved base part is connected with the upper spring element.