Gritting Device with Adjustable Partition Wall for Winter Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spreaders for winter service vehicles lack flexibility in adjusting the ratio of solid and liquid materials, leading to inefficient use of space and potential for unproductive empty runs, as they rely on passive partition adjustments based on filling levels rather than active control of tank bag geometry.

Innovation Solution

The spreader features a shape and volume-changeable tank bag system with a rigid, laterally adjustable partition wall and trickle seals, allowing active adjustment of the tank bag's geometry to optimize space utilization and prevent solid material ingress, enabling flexible distribution of materials across multiple tank bags for enhanced operational safety and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If passive partition adjustments based on filling levels are used, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability of material ratio adjustment is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability of material ratio adjustmentVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is made dynamically adjustable through an adjustment drive mechanism, allowing it to change position actively rather than passively following filling levels. This enables the tank bag geometry to be adapted to different material ratios while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the tank bag by adjusting the partition wall position, thereby altering the volume and shape of the liquid storage space. This allows optimization of space utilization for different solid-liquid material ratios without fundamentally changing the overall spreader structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of moving object

If active adjustment of partition wall position is implemented, then the space utilization is optimized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is made dynamically adjustable through an adjustment drive mechanism, allowing it to change position actively rather than passively following filling levels. This enables the tank bag geometry to be adapted to different material ratios while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the tank bag by adjusting the partition wall position, thereby altering the volume and shape of the liquid storage space. This allows optimization of space utilization for different solid-liquid material ratios without fundamentally changing the overall spreader structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If rigid partition walls are used to prevent solid material ingress, then the reliability is improved, but the adaptability of tank bag geometry is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against solid material ingressVSAvoidtank bag geometry specification
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is made dynamically adjustable through an adjustment drive mechanism, allowing it to change position actively rather than passively following filling levels. This enables the tank bag geometry to be adapted to different material ratios while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the tank bag by adjusting the partition wall position, thereby altering the volume and shape of the liquid storage space. This allows optimization of space utilization for different solid-liquid material ratios without fundamentally changing the overall spreader structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple tank bags are used for flexible material distribution, then the versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial distribution flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid storage system is segmented into multiple independent tank bags, each capable of being individually adjusted in volume and position. This segmentation allows flexible material distribution while managing complexity through standardized modular components that can be independently controlled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall is made dynamically adjustable through an adjustment drive mechanism, allowing it to change position actively rather than passively following filling levels. This enables the tank bag geometry to be adapted to different material ratios while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3710639B1Gritting device
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 AEBI SCHMIDT NEDERLAND
  • EP3710639B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3710639B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3710639B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A gritting device, in particular for winter maintenance vehicles, comprises a gritting material container (2) which is delimited by rigid walls and which includes a bottom gritting material delivery unit extending in the longitudinal direction of the gritting device; the gritting device further comprises a gritting material dispensing mechanism that is fed by the gritting material delivery unit, and a liquid system that includes at least one tank bag (11) which is placed in an interior of the gritting material container and has a variable shape and volume. The at least one tank bag (11) is accommodated in a compartment (27) of the gritting material container (2); said compartment (27) has a variable shape and volume and is delimited by a front and a rear transverse wall and an inherently rigid partition (19) which is mounted such that the position thereof can be modified sideways and the position of which can be actively adjusted by an adjusting drive at least in order to reduce the volume of the compartment. A flow-preventing seal designed as a rolling diaphragm (26) acts between the partition and the two transverse walls delimiting the compartment in question in the front and the rear.