Curved cultivating disc with a straight cutting edge portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11540434-B2
Application number	US-201916653267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A cultivating disc for a tillage implement includes an attachment portion positioned at a radial center of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion includes one or more attachment features configured to couple the cultivating disc to the tillage implement about an axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion extends along a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The cultivating disc also includes a cutting edge portion positioned at a distal end of the cultivating disc relative to the axis of rotation. The cutting edge portion extends along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The cultivating disc further includes a curved connecting portion positioned between and connecting the attachment portion to the cutting edge portion. The curved connecting portion further defines one or more radii of curvature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cultivating disc for a tillage implement, the cultivating disc comprising:
an attachment portion positioned at a radial center of the cultivating disc, the attachment portion including at least one attachment feature configured to couple the cultivating disc to the tillage implement about an axis of rotation of the cultivating disc, wherein the attachment portion extends along a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cultivating disc;
a cutting edge portion positioned at a distal end of the cultivating disc relative to the axis of rotation; and
a curved connecting portion positioned between and connecting the attachment portion to the cutting edge portion, the curved connecting portion having a concave side and a convex side, the curved connecting portion defining at least one radius of curvature,
wherein the cultivating disc extends along the axis of rotation between a first side and a second side, the first side including the concave side of the curved connecting portion, the second side including the convex side of the curved connecting portion, and
wherein the cutting edge portion extends along a second plane parallel to the first plane, with a surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the second side of the cultivating disc being parallel to the second plane, the surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the second side of the cultivating disc extending radially inwardly from the distal end of the cultivating disc towards the curved connecting portion.

2. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the concave side of the curved connecting portion is closer to the second plane than the convex side of the curved connecting portion.

3. The cultivating disc of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the first side of the cultivating disc or the surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the second side of the cultivating disc includes a plurality of bevels circumferentially spaced around the cultivating disc.

4. The cultivating disc of claim 2 , wherein the cutting edge portion includes a plurality of teeth at the distal end of the cultivating disc circumferentially spaced around the cultivating disc.

5. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the first side of the cultivating disc is parallel to the second plane.

6. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the curved connecting portion further defines a plurality of radii of curvature.

7. The cultivating disc of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of radii of curvature include a first radius of curvature transitioning the curved connecting portion to the attachment portion, a second radius of curvature transitioning the curved connecting portion to the cutting edge portion, and a third radius of curvature of a middle portion between the first and second radii of curvature.

8. The cultivating disc of claim 7 , wherein the third radius of curvature is greater than the first and second radii of curvature.

9. The cultivating disc of claim 7 , wherein the first radius of curvature is equal or substantially equal to the second radius of curvature.

10. The cultivating disc of claim 7 , wherein the second radius of curvature is smaller than the first radius of curvature.

11. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the first plane is aligned or substantially aligned with the second plane along the axis of rotation.

12. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the second plane is displaced from the first plane along the axis of rotation.

13. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion defines a first thickness, the curved connecting portion defines a second thickness, and the cutting edge portion defines a third thickness, and wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness and the third thickness.

14. The cultivating disc of claim 1 , wherein the cutting edge portion defines a radial length between 10% and 25% of a length of a radius of the cultivating disc, and the curved connecting portion defines a radial length between 25% and 50% of the length of the radius of the cultivating disc.

15. A tillage implement, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of ground engaging tools coupled to the frame, at least one of the ground engaging tools configured as a cultivating disc, the at least one cultivating disc comprising:
an attachment portion positioned at a radial center of the cultivating disc, the attachment portion including at least one attachment feature configured to couple the cultivating disc to the frame of the tillage implement about an axis of rotation of the cultivating disc, wherein the attachment portion extends along a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cultivating disc;
a cutting edge portion positioned at a distal end of the cultivating disc relative to the axis of rotation; and
a curved connecting portion positioned between and connecting the attachment portion to the cutting edge portion, the curved connecting portion having a concave side and a convex side, the curved connecting portion defining at least one radius of curvature,
wherein the cultivating disc extends along the axis of rotation between a first side and a second side, the first side including the concave side of the curved connecting portion, the second side including the convex side of the curved connecting portion, and
wherein the cutting edge portion extends along a second plane parallel to the first plane, with a surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the second side of the cultivating disc being parallel to the second plane, the surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the second side of the cultivating disc extending radially inwardly from the distal end of the cultivating disc towards the curved connecting portion.

16. The tillage implement of claim 15 , wherein the concave side of the curved connecting portion is closer to the second plane than the convex side of the curved connecting portion.

17. The tillage implement of claim 15 , wherein a surface of the cutting edge portion positioned on the first side of the cultivating disc is parallel to the second plane.

18. The tillage implement of claim 15 , wherein the cutting edge portion defines a radial length between 10% and 25% of a length of a radius of the cultivating disc, and the curved connecting portion defines a radial length between 25% and 50% of the length of the radius of the cultivating disc.

19. The tillage implement of claim 15 , wherein the at least one cultivating disc is configured to be oriented relative to a soil surface at a camber angle of 5 degrees or less.

20. The tillage implement of claim 15 , wherein the at least one cultivating disc is configured to be perpendicular relative to a soil surface.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Blunier Timothy R

Classifications

• A01B33/024

  with disk-like tools · CPC title

• A01B21/08

  with disc-like tools · CPC title

• A01B7/00

  Disc-like soil-working implements usable either as ploughs or as harrows, or the like · CPC title

• A01B35/28

  Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools · CPC title

• A01B23/06 Primary

  Discs; Scrapers for cleaning discs; Sharpening attachments · CPC title