Artificial Seed End Seal with Curved Closure Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial seeds with crimped dead end seals face issues such as oversized guide ways, snagging on non-continuous surfaces, and binding during transportation due to their design, which disrupts efficient manufacturing and handling.
Innovation Solution
An improved end seal for artificial seeds with at least three closure axes, minimizing the outer diameter and providing a consistent profile for automated pick-up, featuring a combination of primary and secondary seals made from biodegradable materials like PLA and Parafilm, respectively, and a tertiary seal for microbial protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a crimped dead end seal is used to close one end of the seed blank, then the end is successfully sealed, but the seal area becomes wider than the outside diameter of the seed blank, requiring oversized guide ways for transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The dead end seal is formed with a curved or rounded outer surface instead of a flat crimped surface. This curvature allows the seal to fit within the outer diameter of the seed blank, eliminating the need for oversized guide ways while maintaining effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism transitions from a two-dimensional flat crimped surface to a three-dimensional contoured structure that follows the cylindrical profile of the seed blank, allowing the seal to close the end without protruding beyond the blank's diameter.
2Reliability
If a crimped dead end seal with sharp edge is used, then the end is successfully sealed, but the sharp edge catches and snags on non-continuous surfaces, disrupting transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The sharp edge of the crimped seal is replaced with a curved, rounded surface that follows the contour of the seed blank. This eliminates snagging on non-continuous surfaces during transportation while maintaining the seal's integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric parameters of the seal surface are changed from sharp edges and flat surfaces to curved surfaces with continuous gradients, transforming the seal from a snagging structure to a smooth profile that facilitates easy transportation.
3Reliability
If a flat seal surface is used in close proximity with other seeds, then the seal provides structural closure, but it acts as a wedge causing binding effect that disrupts transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The flat seal surface is replaced with a curved surface that conforms to the cylindrical shape of the seed blank. This curvature eliminates the wedge effect when seeds are stored in close proximity, allowing them to nest together without binding during transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal surface is designed with an asymmetric profile that is curved on the outer diameter side and flat or recessed on the inner side, allowing the seeds to pack together efficiently without creating binding wedges between adjacent seeds.
Data Source
AI summary
An artificial seed is provided. The artificial seed includes a seed shell having a live end, a dead end and a perimeter. A nutritive media disposed within the seed shell. The artificial seed also includes a restraint disposed within the seed shell and having a cavity housing an embryo. A primary end seal is attached to the live end of the seed shell. The artificial seed further includes an end seal disposed on the dead end of the seed shell and the end seal has at least three closure axes forming a seal in a direction extending along each one of the closure axes.