Drill with Blade Elements for Simultaneous Hole Creation and Substrate Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

In industrial potting processes, creating planting holes in pots filled with substrate while removing the upper layer of substrate to prevent weeds and moss formation is inefficient, requiring additional manual steps and increasing processing time.

Innovation Solution

A drill with a helical spiral thread and additional blade elements that lift and remove the upper substrate layer during the drilling process, allowing for simultaneous hole creation and substrate removal, which can be adapted for different pot sizes and easily retrofitted into existing machines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a drill with only a helical spiral thread is used to create planting holes, then the planting hole creation is simple and effective, but the upper layer of substrate remains in the pot allowing weeds and moss to form

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweed and moss formationVSAvoidpotting process efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two previously separate operations (creating planting holes and removing upper substrate layer) into a single integrated drill operation. The drill body includes both a helical spiral thread for hole creation and blade elements for substrate removal, allowing both functions to be performed simultaneously in one work step, thereby eliminating weed and moss formation while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drill is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both the helical spiral thread for creating planting holes and blade elements for removing the upper substrate layer. This single tool performs multiple functions that previously required separate operations, making the potting process more efficient and preventing harmful factors like weed and moss growth

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the upper layer of substrate is removed manually after planting, then weeds and moss are prevented from forming, but the processing time and manual labor increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweed and moss formationVSAvoidpotting processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The blade elements on the drill perform the substrate removal action preliminarily, during the drilling operation itself, before the planting process is completed. This preliminary removal of the upper substrate layer prevents weed and moss formation from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for subsequent manual removal operations and reducing total processing time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a drill with blade elements is used to remove substrate, then substrate removal is achieved, but the drill design becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweed and moss formationVSAvoiddrill structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drill body is segmented into distinct functional components: the helical spiral thread for hole creation and separate blade elements for substrate removal. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured and maintained easily

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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, one-step creation of planting holes and removal of the upper substrate layer, reducing manual labor and processing time, and allowing for seamless integration with existing potting machines.

Implementation Method 1

The drill body has a helical spiral path, with the help of which the planting hole is created in the substrate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHelical spiral mechanism: Archimedes Screw

Implementation Method 2

at least one blade element is arranged between the connecting shank and the spiral flight, the radial extent of which is greater than the maximum radial extent of the spiral flight

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBlade element mechanical action: Wedge

Data Source

PatentEP3259981B1Drill for automated creation of holes for plants
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 PHYTOWELT GREEN TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP3259981B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3259981B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3259981B1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

A drill (1) for the mechanical creation of planting holes (2) in pots (4) filled with substrate (3) is shown and described, comprising a connecting shaft (5) and a drill body (6), wherein the drill body (6) has a helical spiral (7). At least one blade element (8) is arranged between the connecting shaft (5) and the spiral (7) of the drill (1), wherein the radial extent of the blade element (8) is greater than the maximum radial extent of the spiral (7) and the blade element (8) has an inclination angle β greater than zero in the circumferential direction of the drill (1).