Agricultural Tine Assembly Segmentation for Debris Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tine designs for agricultural machinery suffer from insufficient flexure and pivoting, leading to damage from debris and increased maintenance costs due to external guides, which complicate and cost the systems.
Innovation Solution
The tine assemblies feature a pair of tines with lateral inner portions extending into a sleeve connected by a molded rubber mounting element, providing sufficient pivoting and flexure while maintaining lateral spacing, reducing lateral flexure, and allowing easy mounting and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tines are made stiff to pick up agricultural products effectively, then crop collection efficiency is improved, but the tines cannot flex sufficiently to avoid picking up rocks and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The tine assembly is segmented into multiple independent tines (typically three tines per assembly) that can flex independently while remaining connected through a common mounting structure. This segmentation allows each tine to respond individually to obstacles while maintaining overall structural integrity for effective crop engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by varying the material properties and geometric dimensions of different tine components. The mounting bar is made of flexible material with specific modulus and cross-sectional dimensions that allow controlled flexing, while the tines themselves have optimized stiffness parameters to balance crop engagement capability with debris avoidance through selective bending.
2Stability of the object's composition
If external guides are added to prevent lateral flexure and maintain tine alignment, then tine stability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tine assembly is designed to be self-aligning through the inherent flexibility and geometric configuration of the mounting bar and tine connections. The assembly automatically maintains proper alignment and prevents excessive lateral flexure through its own structural properties without requiring external guide structures, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic design by allowing the mounting bar and tine connections to flex and adapt to operational conditions. This dynamic capability enables the assembly to self-correct minor misalignments and maintain stable tine orientation through controlled movement rather than rigid constraint, eliminating the need for complex external guides.
3Ease of repair
If tines are designed for easy removal and replacement to reduce maintenance time, then ease of repair is improved, but the mounting structure may compromise lateral stability
Solution Approach 1:
The tine assembly is designed as a segmented modular unit where individual tines can be independently removed and replaced while the mounting bar and connection structure remain intact. This segmentation enables quick maintenance of worn tines without disturbing the overall mounting stability or requiring removal of the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mounting bar structure that serves as a stable connection element between the reel and the tines. This mounting bar acts as a mediator that provides rigid lateral stability while incorporating features that allow easy attachment and detachment of individual tines, thus maintaining stability during both operation and maintenance.
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 minimizes debris pickup, reduces breakage, and allows for quick maintenance by maintaining tines in a straight path, enhancing durability and reducing unwanted debris, while maintaining stiffness for efficient crop collection.
Implementation Method 1
The tines should provide sufficient stiffness to pick up the desired agricultural products while flexing relative to one another about the reel axis to avoid picking up rocks and other debris
Data Source
AI summary
A tine assembly is used with an agricultural machine such as a harvester or hay merger. The tine assemblies mount on a reel that rotates about an axis extending transverse to the direction of travel. The tine assembly includes a first tine and a second tine, each having a main extended portion and a lateral portion extending transverse to the main portion at a mounting end of the tines. The lateral portions mount into tabs or opposite ends of a sleeve. The sleeve or tabs and mounting end of the tines are enclosed by a molded mounting portion that also includes a reinforcing arcing element configured for mounting to the reel bar. The arcing element includes orifices that allow for easily bolting and unbolting the tine assemblies for easy attachment and removal.