Device for tilting a carboy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tilting carboys during the racking process is challenging due to the sediment's light and fluffy nature, which is easily disturbed, and conventional wedges provide an unsafe and insecure support, risking the carboy's stability and safety.
Innovation Solution
A device with an L-shaped body and adjustable leg structure that accommodates carboys of different sizes, allowing for controlled tilting between 12 to 18 degrees, featuring a concave interior for curved sides and adjustable legs with tightening knobs for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wedges or improvised objects are used to tilt the carboy, then the tilting function is achieved, but the stability and safety of the carboy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is divided into multiple functional components: an L-shaped body for structural support, adjustable leg structures for positioning, and tightening knobs for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while working together to provide stable tilting support.
Solution Approach 2:
The leg structures are designed to be adjustable in position and angle, allowing the device to adapt to different carboy sizes and desired tilting angles. The tightening knobs enable dynamic adjustment from a loose state for positioning to a secured state for stability, transforming a static wedge into a dynamically adjustable support system.
2Ease of operation
If the carboy is tilted manually by hand, then the tilting action is performed, but the sediment is easily disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows the carboy to be positioned and secured at the desired tilting angle before the racking process begins. This preliminary positioning ensures the carboy remains stable throughout the wine transfer process, preventing sediment disturbance that would occur during manual tilting adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device acts as an intermediary between the carboy and the supporting surface, providing controlled tilting support. Instead of direct manual handling that disturbs sediment, the intermediary device maintains a steady, predetermined angle that protects the sediment while enabling the racking process.
3Reliability
If adjustable leg structures with tightening knobs are used, then secure positioning is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tightening knobs are positioned at specific locations where they provide maximum securing effect on the leg structures. This localized quality approach ensures that complexity is introduced only where necessary for secure positioning, rather than uniformly throughout the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable leg structures serve multiple functions: they position the carboy at the correct angle, provide stability during tilting, and accommodate different carboy sizes. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate devices or components.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for tilting a carboy is disclosed herein. The device includes an L-shaped body portion configured to receive a carboy thereon, the L-shaped body portion including a platform base and an upright support connected to one end of the platform base, the platform base configured to support a bottom wall of the carboy, and the upright support configured to support a side wall of the carboy; and a leg structure adjustably coupled to the L-shaped body portion, the leg structure including one or more downwardly extending legs, and the leg structure configured to be slidably adjustable relative to the L-shaped body portion so as to accommodate carboys of different sizes in tilted positions.