Curved Spreader Disk With Angled Fins for Granular Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional spreader disks are limited in their ability to control the direction and placement of granular material, leading to uneven distribution, excessive spread on hard surfaces, and difficulty in operating on hills due to high center of gravity.
Innovation Solution
A curved spreader disk with a concave shape and angled fins that transition material from vertical to horizontal motion, allowing for a controlled upward exit direction, reducing bounce-off and improving accuracy and control over material placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional flat spreader disks are used to sling material horizontally, then the disk can be kept simple in design, but the material skips and rolls across the ground instead of stopping where intended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the traditional flat disk surface with a concave curved surface. This curved geometry changes the material trajectory from horizontal to a downward arc, allowing the material to land gently on the ground rather than skipping across it. The concave shape provides a smoother transition for material movement and controls the exit angle to achieve precise placement.
2Area of stationary object
If the spreader disk is raised higher from the ground to achieve wider spread pattern, then the spread width increases, but the center of gravity increases making operation on hills difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The concave curved design of the disk allows the spreader to maintain a lower position closer to the ground while still achieving adequate spread width. The curvature generates the necessary centrifugal force and material trajectory control without requiring the disk to be elevated, thus keeping the center of gravity low and improving operability on hills.
3Ease of manufacture
If vertical fins radiate from the center of the spinning axis, then the disk structure is simple, but material bounces off the top of the fin causing uneven spread pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a concave curved surface specifically at the portion of the fin where material contacts the disk. This localized curvature modification changes the material interaction from bouncing off a flat surface to sliding along a curved surface, resulting in more uniform material distribution without complicating the overall fin structure.
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 curved design enables precise material placement, reduces bounce-off, and allows for a lower center of gravity, enhancing operational ease and accuracy in tight areas.
Implementation Method 1
as the material is released from the hopper, the spinning disk slings the material across the ground
Implementation Method 2
Providing a greater upward direction from the normal horizontal direction allowed the material to land more softly and controllably on the ground
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations disclosed herein are directed to a curved spreader disk for spreading a granular material. In some implementations, the curved spreader disc may include: a concave curved disk with a plurality of fins radiating outward from a center of the curved disk. Each of the fins may includes a substantially straight inner area near to the center of the curved disk for catching granular material and a curved outer area to accelerate movement of the granular material. The substantially straight inner area may transition the granular material from a vertical movement to a horizontal movement.