Composite Sprayer Boom Support Resolving Weight and Corrosion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural sprayer boom supports are heavy due to metal construction, leading to buckling, vibrations, and breakage, limiting length, speed, and requiring frequent repairs, while being corrosive and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The use of composite material articulated arms with a rectangular tube geometry and rounded vertices, made from carbon fibre, fibreglass, or aramid fibre with epoxy or polyester resin, reducing weight and maintaining horizontality without a latticed structure, along with a repair kit for easy field repairs and resistance to corrosive products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If metal latticed structure is used for boom support, then structural strength and horizontality are maintained, but weight increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidboom support weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional metal latticed structures with composite material boom supports. The composite material provides sufficient structural strength while significantly reducing weight, eliminating the need for heavy latticed frameworks and thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter from metal to composite material, which fundamentally alters the weight-to-strength ratio. This parameter change allows the boom support to maintain required strength while reducing weight, directly addressing the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If metal structure is used for boom support, then structural integrity is maintained, but susceptibility to corrosion increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials that inherently possess superior corrosion resistance compared to metal. The composite structure maintains structural integrity while being immune to the corrosive effects of agricultural chemicals, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and corrosion resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If heavy metal structure is used, then stability during operation is improved, but speed and maneuverability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational stabilityVSAvoidsprayer speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The composite material boom support achieves an optimal balance between stability and speed. The reduced weight improves acceleration and maneuverability while the material properties and structural design maintain operational stability, resolving the contradiction between stability and speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Force

If metal latticed structure is used, then load-bearing capacity is sufficient, but frequency of breakage and repair needs increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidbreakage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The composite material boom support exhibits superior breakage resistance and fatigue life compared to metal structures. The material's inherent properties and the design maintain full load-bearing capacity while significantly reducing breakage frequency and repair needs, resolving the contradiction between force capacity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3066922B1Support for a spreading boom for an agricultural sprayer
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 KING AGRO EUROPA SL
  • EP3066922B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3066922B1 patent drawingFigure 2~2b
  • EP3066922B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A sprayer boom support for an agricultural sprayer including two articulated arms that are coupled in an articulated manner on both sides of the sprayer, wherein each articulated arm is comprised of bar sections that are formed in a composite material consisting of a reinforcing agent chosen from carbon fibre, fibreglass, aramid fibre, boron fibre or a combination thereof, and a matrix of epoxy, vinyl ester, phenolic or polyester resin, the bar sections having a tube geometry with a substantially rectangular cross section with rounded vertices and arched sides, the length of two of its equal sides being constant along the bar section.