Three-Beam Soil Cultivation Implement with Foldable and Sliding Supports

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional foldable agricultural implements, such as grassland harrows, pose safety hazards due to laterally protruding machine parts and restrict the tractor driver's field of vision, violating road safety regulations and requiring complex and expensive escort vehicles for transport.

Innovation Solution

A three-part agricultural implement design with elongate beams, where one beam is foldable and another is slidable, allowing for a compact stowed position that eliminates lateral protrusions and ensures an unobstructed field of vision, with adjustable tillage tools and jockey wheels for optimal ground tracking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the grassland harrow is designed as a two-piece foldable structure to reduce transport width, then the transport width is reduced, but the driver's field of vision is severely limited and dangerous machine parts protrude laterally

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport widthVSAvoiddriver's field of vision limitation and lateral protrusion of dangerous parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harrow is divided into multiple independent beam segments (first beam, second beam, third beam) that can be independently folded and displaced. This segmentation allows each segment to be positioned separately to achieve compact transport width while maintaining safe configuration during operation, eliminating the lateral protrusion problem of conventional two-piece designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic positioning mechanisms including folding joints between beams and a displaceable third beam that can move along the second beam. These dynamic elements allow the structure to transition between compact transport configuration and extended working configuration, ensuring that dangerous parts do not protrude laterally during transport while maintaining full functionality during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the grassland harrow is designed with wide working width to increase productivity, then the working efficiency is improved, but the transport width exceeds road safety regulations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking widthVSAvoidtransport width
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The harrow structure is segmented into multiple beams that can be independently folded along longitudinal axes. This allows the working width to be maintained at 6m or more for high productivity while the folded configuration reduces transport width to 2.4m or less, complying with road regulations without sacrificing working capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes folding mechanisms that change the spatial arrangement of beams from a wide lateral configuration during work to a compact longitudinal configuration during transport. This dimensional transformation allows the structure to exceed road width limits only when needed for work, while meeting transport requirements when folded.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Length of moving object

If conventional two-piece foldable harrows are used to reduce transport width, then the transport width is reduced, but complex escort vehicles and additional safety personnel are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport widthVSAvoidescort vehicle and safety personnel requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-segment beam design with independent folding and displacement capabilities creates a inherently safer configuration that complies with road regulations without requiring external safety measures. The segmented structure allows compact transport width while eliminating lateral protrusions that would otherwise require escort vehicles and marshals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The harrow's own structural design provides the safety function through its folded configuration and retracted dangerous parts, eliminating the need for external safety systems such as escort vehicles with flashing lights and additional safety personnel. The structure serves its own safety needs through intelligent geometric arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2929768B1Agricultural device for working the soil and machine combination
Publication Date: 2016.09.21 MAYER JOHANN
  • EP2929768B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2929768B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~3
  • EP2929768B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An agricultural implement for soil cultivation comprises a plurality of elongated supports (11, 12, 13), wherein soil cultivation tools (14) are attached to each support which engage the soil (15) in an operating position, wherein one support (13) is displaceable relative to the other support (12) along a longitudinal direction of the elongated supports (11, 12, 13), or wherein one support (11) is foldable relative to the other support (12), and wherein the support that is displaceable or foldable is arranged in the operating position such that the soil cultivation tools (15) of the support engage with the soil and in a stowed position such that the support is overlapping with the other support or folded in relative to the other support, wherein the plurality of supports (11, 12, 13) comprises at least three elongated supports, wherein a first support (11) is foldable relative to a second support (12).and a third support (13) is displaceable with respect to the second support (12), and wherein the second support (12) is connectable to a tug (112).