Drone-Supported Sprinkling Bar for Reducing Ground Compaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sprinkling apparatuses for farming products face issues with high material costs and weight due to strong stresses from long, heavy lateral arms, uneven distribution due to arm oscillations, and limited autonomy and load capacity in drone-based systems, leading to inefficient and time-consuming operations.

Innovation Solution

A sprinkling apparatus with a sprinkling bar supported by drones, using flexible connectors and a quadrotor UAV to maintain constant elevation and reduce structural stress, combined with a centralized tank and membrane pump system for efficient product distribution, and an integrated power supply for extended operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If long lateral arms are used to distribute liquid product over wide ground surface area, then sprinkling coverage is improved, but inertia stresses on support frame increase during acceleration and deceleration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesprinkling coverage areaVSAvoidinertia stress on support frame

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanically constrained sprinkling bar system with a drone-based aerial vehicle that uses aerodynamic lift and active flight control to support and position the sprinkling bar. The drone's flight control system actively compensates for inertial effects during acceleration and deceleration, eliminating the stress transmission problem inherent in rigid mechanical linkages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a dynamically controllable drone system that can adjust its position, orientation, and altitude in real-time to maintain optimal sprinkling conditions. The active flight control allows the system to adapt to changing operational conditions, compensating for inertial forces and maintaining stable sprinkling performance during vehicle acceleration and deceleration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Strength

If stronger and heavier materials are used for support frame and arms to resist inertia stresses, then structural strength is improved, but apparatus weight increases causing ground compaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidapparatus weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the heavy mechanical support structure with an aerial drone system that provides structural support through aerodynamic forces. The drone's lift capability replaces the need for heavy mechanical support frames and arms, dramatically reducing the overall apparatus weight while eliminating ground contact and associated compaction issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Stability of the object's composition

If mechanically constrained sprinkling bar is used, then structural stability is improved, but arm oscillations cause uneven liquid product distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidliquid product distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanically constrained sprinkling bar with a drone-supported system that uses active flight control to maintain stable positioning. The drone's control system actively compensates for oscillations and positional variations, providing stable sprinkling conditions without the mechanical constraints that cause vibration and uneven distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback control through the drone's flight control system, which continuously monitors position, orientation, and altitude, and makes real-time adjustments to maintain optimal sprinkling conditions. This active feedback mechanism eliminates the oscillation problems inherent in passive mechanical constraint systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Object-affected harmful factors

If drone-based system is used to reduce weight and ground compaction, then ground damage is reduced, but load capacity and operational autonomy are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground compactionVSAvoidliquid product carrying capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multiple drones working in coordination to perform the sprinkling operation. Each drone carries a portion of the total liquid product load, and the system can be scaled by adding or removing drones based on the required coverage area and product quantity. This segmented approach overcomes the individual drone load capacity limitations while maintaining the benefits of aerial operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3653051B1Apparatus for sprinkling farming products

Publication Date: 2024.08.14 CAFFINI

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AI summary

Apparatus (1) for sprinkling farming products, susceptible of advancing on the ground, which comprises at least one support frame (2), at least one sprinkling bar (4) provided with a plurality of distribution nozzles (6), associated with the support frame (2) and movable between an extended position, in which it projects laterally with respect to the support frame (2) and a retracted position, in which it is placed in proximity to the support frame (2), means for feeding farming products (5) associated with the support frame (2) placed in hydraulic connection with the plurality of nozzles (6) and at least one drone (10) mechanically constrained to the sprinkling bar (4) in order to aerially support it.