Concrete Screed with Pivotable Blade and Vibration Compaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concrete screeds are often too heavy or cumbersome to be manually maneuvered across a concrete surface, necessitating the use of vehicles like skid steers for operation, and they lack the ability to both smooth and compact the concrete simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A concrete screed that can be separated into components for easy storage and transport, featuring a frame with a pivotably mounted screed blade and a compacting machine that vibrates the screed blade to compact and strengthen the concrete, while also being horizontally movable and pivotable to conform to the concrete surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a concrete screed is made heavy duty for effective screeding and compaction, then the screeding and compaction performance is improved, but the screed becomes too heavy or cumbersome to be manually maneuvered
Solution Approach 1:
The screed is divided into separate components including the frame, screed blade, compacting machine, and support members that can be independently assembled and disassembled. This segmentation allows the heavy components to be separated for manual handling while maintaining full functionality when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The screed design integrates multiple functions into a single system: the frame supports both the screed blade for leveling and the compacting machine for vibration compaction. The support members provide both structural support and enable manual maneuvering when the compacting machine is removed.
2Reliability
If a concrete screed is designed as a single integrated unit for stability and performance, then the screeding performance is improved, but the storage and transport convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The screed components are designed to be separable into manageable pieces that can be stored in compact configurations. The support members can be detached from the frame, and the screed blade can be separated from the end member, allowing for space-efficient storage and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The screed blade is pivotably coupled to the end member at a single pivot point, allowing it to be positioned at different angles and configurations. This dynamic positioning capability enables the blade to be oriented for optimal screeding performance during operation while also allowing compact arrangement for storage and transport.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a concrete screed uses traditional mounting methods for the screed blade, then the structural stability is improved, but the assembly and disassembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The screed blade is pivotably coupled to the end member via a pin that is manually removable. This simple pin connection provides sufficient structural stability during operation while allowing for tool-free assembly and disassembly by manual removal of the pin.
4Productivity
If a concrete screed is designed to both smooth and compact concrete simultaneously, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed to support both the screed blade for smoothing and the compacting machine for compaction. The support members and platform integrate these two functions into a single coordinated system that performs both operations simultaneously during screeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame structure serves multiple functions: it supports the screed blade, mounts the compacting machine, provides a platform for operation, and enables both smoothing and compaction functions to be performed simultaneously through its multi-functional design.
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
Enables efficient smoothing and simultaneous compaction of concrete surfaces, improving the strength and durability of the concrete, while allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without tools, facilitating convenient storage and transport.
Implementation Method 1
A screed blade that is freely movable in substantially linear horizontal direction while also being pivotable in a vertical plane during the screeding process. A frame includes a support platform for supporting a compacting machine that may be activated to produce vibrations. The vibrations are transferred through the screed blade and into the concrete surface to allow the concrete screed to both smooth and compact the concrete at the same time.
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete screed includes a pair of longitudinal supports having proximal ends that are located opposite distal ends, where the proximal ends are pivotably mounted to an operating machine, such as a skid steer, such that the longitudinal supports extend in a longitudinal direction from the skid steer. A pair of cross members and an end member extend between the longitudinal supports, where the end member is located near the distal ends of the longitudinal supports. A screed blade is pivotably mounted to the end member at a single pivot point, and extends outboard of the longitudinal supports in opposing lateral directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A support platform extends between the cross members and may support a compacting machine. If desired, the screed blade may flexed and/or vibrated during use.