Fertiliser Boot Wear-Resistant Coating for Soil Abrasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fertiliser boots face issues with condensation accumulation leading to blockages and corrosion, and are prone to wear and tear from soil contact, with limited capability to handle both solid and liquid fertilisers effectively.
Innovation Solution
A fertiliser boot design featuring a wear-resistant coating on its sidewalls and surfaces, combined with a resilient grommet for sealing and a bracket system for secure attachment, allowing for both solid and liquid fertiliser delivery with reduced wear and moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If solid plastic or cast metal fertilizer boots are used, then structural strength is improved, but moisture ingress and corrosion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a wear-resistant coating with specific material composition (9 wt% epoxy and 91 wt% alumina ceramic chips) to the outwardly facing surfaces of the fertilizer boot. This coating creates a protective barrier that changes the surface properties to resist moisture ingress and corrosion while maintaining the structural integrity of the underlying solid plastic or metal boot body.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If heating devices are added to prevent condensation, then moisture accumulation is reduced, but device complexity and failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heating device from the system entirely and instead addresses condensation accumulation through design modifications to the fertilizer boot itself, specifically through the wear-resistant coating and structural design that prevents moisture ingress without requiring additional active heating components.
3Ease of operation
If outwardly facing surfaces are exposed to soil contact, then fertiliser delivery function is maintained, but wear and tear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a composite wear-resistant coating consisting of 9 wt% epoxy binder and 91 wt% alumina ceramic chips to the outwardly facing surfaces of the fertilizer boot. This composite material provides exceptional wear resistance against soil contact while maintaining the functional surfaces needed for fertiliser delivery, thereby extending the service life of the boot.
4Device complexity
If single liquid fertiliser delivery is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the fertilizer boot with a universal structure that can handle both solid and liquid fertilisers through the same basic body and wear-resistant coating system. The boot includes appropriately positioned outlets and structural features that accommodate different fertiliser types without requiring fundamental design changes, thereby achieving multi-functionality while maintaining relative system simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A fertilizer boot (10) for a plough assembly (27) including a body (11) with an upper solid fertiliser inlet (12) and a lower solid fertiliser outlet (14) and a passageway between the upper solid fertiliser inlet (12) and the lower solid fertiliser outlet (14), wherein the body (11) has a lower body portion (31) that includes the lower solid fertiliser outlet (14), the lower body portion (31) having outwardly facing sidewalls (33) on either side of the lower solid fertiliser outlet (14), and wherein the sidewalls (33) are at least partially coated with a wear-resistant coating for reduction of wear of the sidewall (33) during use of the fertiliser boot (10) with the plough assembly (27).