Tine Mounting Pad With Hinged Tab For Stress Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Crop implement pick-up devices experience reduced reliability and tine failure due to repeated stress from deflection over uneven terrain, leading to the need for improved durability and stress absorption.

Innovation Solution

A tine assembly with a mounting pad made of a material different from the tines, positioned between the tine and the tine support, which includes a body portion and tab for attaching to the tine support using a fastener, preventing direct contact and reducing wear and stress on the tines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tines are directly attached to the tine support, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the tines experience high wear and stress leading to reduced reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetine durabilityVSAvoidmounting structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A mounting pad made of a material different from the tine (such as a polymer or composite material) is introduced as an intermediary component between the metal tine and the tine support. This mounting pad reduces wear and stress concentration on the tine by providing a softer, more compliant mounting surface that absorbs impact forces during operation over uneven terrain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting pad utilizes composite or heterogeneous materials (different from the tine material) to create a multi-material assembly. The mounting pad can be made from polymer matrices, rubber compounds, or composite materials that combine flexibility with structural integrity, allowing it to cushion the tine while maintaining secure attachment to the support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the mounting pad uses a material different from the tine, then wear and stress on the tine are reduced, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetine service lifeVSAvoidmounting pad manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting pad is designed as a separate, modular component that can be manufactured independently from the tine and support structures. This segmentation allows the mounting pad to be produced using optimized processes for its specific material properties, then attached to the existing tine-support assembly, simplifying the overall manufacturing workflow despite the multi-material requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting pad is designed as a sacrificial or replaceable component with a shorter service life than the tine itself. By making the mounting pad from more readily manufacturable materials (such as molded polymers or composite sheets) that can be easily replaced, the system protects the high-value tine from wear while accepting that the mounting pad will need periodic replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS10306836B2Tine mounting pads

Publication Date: 2019.06.04 VERMEER MFG CO

AI summary

Mounting pads for attaching tines to a pick-up device of a crop implement such as a round baler may include a tab that extends from a body portion. The tab may be hinged to the main body to allow the tab to loop around the connecting loop of the tine.