Flexible Bellows Conduit for Movement Isolation in Seed Metering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural seeding implements face challenges in maintaining accurate weighing and distribution of particulate materials due to movement and forces experienced during operation over uneven terrain, which can cause stress and air leaks, complicating the traversal of fields and roadways.

Innovation Solution

A flexible conduit system with bellows and a substantially rigid portion is introduced to isolate movement between the metering system and pipe, allowing the conduit to flex while maintaining structural support, thereby reducing stress and facilitating accurate weighing and easier traversal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid piping and conduits are used to connect the storage tank and metering system, then structural support and stability are improved, but the system experiences increased stress and movement forces when traversing uneven terrain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidstress resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The conduit is divided into multiple segments: a rigid portion providing structural support, and flexible bellows portions that can expand and contract. This segmentation allows different parts of the same conduit to perform different functions - the rigid sections maintain structural integrity while the flexible bellows sections absorb movement and stress, resolving the contradiction between needing strength and needing stress resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The conduit's physical parameters are changed by incorporating bellows with varying expansion capabilities. The bellows portions can change their effective length and volume in response to applied forces, allowing the conduit to adapt its rigidity dynamically. This parameter change enables the system to maintain structural support when needed while accommodating terrain-induced movements, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and stress resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the conduit is made completely flexible to accommodate movement, then stress and air leaks are reduced, but structural support and stability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestress resistanceVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the conduit are given different mechanical properties - the rigid portions provide structural support where needed, while the bellows portions provide flexibility to accommodate movement. This local differentiation of quality allows the conduit system as a whole to satisfy both requirements for strength and stress resistance simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If the metering system and pipe are rigidly connected, then positioning accuracy is improved, but movement isolation and traversal ease are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidtraversal ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system is segmented into rigid portions for precise positioning and flexible bellows portions for movement absorption. The rigid sections ensure accurate positioning of the metering system relative to the pipe, while the flexible bellows sections allow the system to traverse uneven terrain without compromising the rigid connections, thus resolving the contradiction between positioning accuracy and traversal ease

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bellows act as an intermediary element between the rigid metering system and the rigid pipe connection. This intermediary component absorbs the terrain-induced movements and forces, preventing them from being transmitted through the rigid connections. This allows the rigid connections to maintain positioning accuracy while the intermediary bellows handle the traversal movements, resolving the contradiction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 flexible conduit system effectively isolates movement, improves durability, reduces air leaks, and enhances the agricultural system's ability to traverse various surfaces, while also potentially lowering costs.

Implementation Method 1

one or more bellows disposed adjacent to the second end and configured to enable the conduit to flex adjacent to the second end

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlexing: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a substantially rigid portion extending generally longitudinally from the first end to the one or more bellows, where the substantially rigid portion substantially rigidly supports the conduit between the first end and the one or more bellows

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRigidity:

Data Source

PatentUS11903335B2Flexible conduit for an agricultural system

Publication Date: 2024.02.20 CNH IND CANADA

AI summary

A conduit for an agricultural system includes a first end configured to couple to a metering system, a second end configured to couple to a pipe, one or more bellows disposed adjacent to the second end and configured to enable the conduit to flex adjacent to the second end, and a substantially rigid portion extending generally longitudinally from the first end to the one or more bellows, where the substantially rigid portion substantially rigidly supports the conduit between the first end and the one or more bellows.