Tine Bracket Flange Resolves Lateral Stiffness Trade-off

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural pickup assemblies face challenges in maintaining tine stiffness against lateral loads without increasing spring stiffness in the fore-aft direction, which can lead to reduced tine deflection cycle life and require significant modifications to the pick-up assembly.

Innovation Solution

A tine mounting bracket with a flange that extends in contact with the coiled spring section to inhibit lateral deflection, maintaining longitudinal stiffness and compatibility with existing tine and tine bar configurations without altering the spring coil configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the spring wire size is increased to stiffen the springs and withstand lateral loads, then lateral tine stiffness is improved, but tine fore-aft deflection cycle life decreases and larger lateral space is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral tine stiffnessVSAvoidtine fore-aft deflection cycle life

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is divided into multiple functional elements including flanges that contact the spring at specific locations. These flanges segment the spring support function, providing lateral restraint at coil-to-coil positions while leaving the fore-aft deflection path unchanged, thus resolving the contradiction between lateral stiffness and fore-aft flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution addresses lateral stiffness by adding structural support in the lateral dimension through mounting bracket flanges, without affecting the fore-aft dimension. The flanges extend to contact the spring coils laterally, providing stiffness where needed while maintaining fore-aft deflection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If the spring wire size is increased to reduce lateral tine deflection, then lateral stiffness is improved, but the lateral space required increases requiring significant alteration of the pick-up assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral tine stiffnessVSAvoidlateral space required

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket with laterally extending flanges segments the lateral support function, providing stiffness through distributed contact points on the spring coils rather than requiring a single large-wire spring. This approach achieves lateral stiffness without increasing the overall lateral envelope of the assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket flanges act as intermediaries between the spring and the tine bar, providing lateral support through contact with the spring coils. This intermediary structure transfers lateral loads to the mounting bracket rather than requiring the spring itself to provide all lateral stiffness, thus avoiding increased lateral space requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If the spring stiffness is increased to withstand lateral loads, then lateral tine stiffness is improved, but the spring stiffness becomes greater than necessary for fore-aft loadings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral tine stiffnessVSAvoidspring stiffness in fore-aft direction

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The support function is segmented between the spring (providing fore-aft flexibility) and the mounting bracket flanges (providing lateral stiffness). The flanges contact the spring at specific coil positions to provide lateral restraint without affecting the spring's fore-aft stiffness characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket flanges provide localized lateral support at specific positions on the spring coils (coil-to-coil positions). This local reinforcement provides lateral stiffness where needed while leaving the overall spring fore-aft stiffness unchanged, allowing the spring to remain optimized for fore-aft loadings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 solution effectively reduces lateral tine deflection while preserving fore-aft deflection capabilities, enhancing the durability and economic production of the tine mounting system, ensuring compatibility with existing configurations and reducing maintenance needs.

Implementation Method 1

The improved mounting bracket includes a flange that extends in adjacent contact with a portion of the coiled spring section and inhibits lateral deflection of the tine spring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical constraint: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9192101B2Pick-up tine bracket with flange

Publication Date: 2015.11.24 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

A tine mounting bracket for connecting tines to tine bars on an agricultural pick-up reel. The tines include a coiled spring section at the base of the tine and adjacent to the tine bar connection. The improved mounting bracket includes a flange that extends in adjacent contact with a portion of the coiled spring section and inhibits lateral deflection of the tine spring.