Helical Ground Securing Rod for Hand-Driven Compacted Soil
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ground securing rods, designed for soft sand, fail to effectively penetrate compacted earth and require excessive force and thrust, making them unsuitable for hand-driven installation and prone to breaking.
Innovation Solution
A hollow metal rod with a flat helical section and cone-shaped reinforcement at the drive-in end, combined with a torsion lever system and upper reinforcing piece, allows for increased torque and axial thrust, enabling secure penetration in both soft sand and compact dirt without manual strength limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a helical projection is added to secure the rod in sand by twisting, then the securing effectiveness in soft sand is improved, but the force required to drive it into compacted earth exceeds material strength limits
Solution Approach 1:
The rod features a flat helical section with a point at its end, creating a localized driving tip that concentrates force for penetrating compacted earth, while the rest of the rod maintains its hollow cylindrical structure for strength and cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The rod combines a hollow metal bar structure with a flat helical section made from the same material but with different geometry (flattened and twisted), creating a composite-like structure that provides both penetration capability and structural integrity
2Ease of manufacture
If a plastic tip is injection-molded onto the end of a hollow rod, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the structural strength is insufficient for hand-driven installation
Solution Approach 1:
The flat helical section is made from the same hollow metal bar material as the rest of the rod, eliminating the need for separate plastic components and ensuring uniform material properties throughout the driving end
Solution Approach 2:
The driving tip function is merged into the main rod body by flattening and twisting a section of the hollow bar itself, rather than attaching a separate component, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining strength
3Strength
If a flanged helical structure is soldered onto a metal tip, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and it remains unsuitable for hand-driven installation
Solution Approach 1:
The helical structure is merged with the rod body as a single piece of metal formed by flattening and twisting, eliminating the need for separate soldering operations and multiple components
Solution Approach 2:
Only the lower end of the rod is flattened and twisted to create the helical section, while the upper portion remains as a standard hollow cylinder, optimizing material usage and manufacturing simplicity
4Force
If the rod shape requires great thrust and torsion to drive into ground, then penetration capability is achieved, but it becomes impossible to install by hand
Solution Approach 1:
The rod's cross-sectional parameters are changed locally at the driving end by flattening and twisting, creating a shape that requires less torque and thrust to penetrate ground while maintaining adequate strength for hand operation
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
The novel rod design enables secure installation in various ground types by distributing force effectively, enhancing torsional strength and allowing hand-driven operation, while being adaptable for different applications through versatile upper reinforcing pieces.
Implementation Method 1
reducing its diameter in combination with stamping it in order to flatten it, whereby it is twisted until the flat helical section is formed
Implementation Method 2
at its base a cone-shaped reinforcement that improves the torsional strength of this area
Implementation Method 3
the lever runs all the way through the rod, forming with said rod a cross that makes it possible, when implanting the rod, to exert a great deal of torque, as well as powerful axial thrust
Data Source
AI summary
A ground securing rod includes a hollow metal rod (1), whose drive-in end has a flat helical section whose diameter is slightly larger than that of the bar (2), terminating in a tip (3). The section is made with the body of the rod (1) itself by a reduction in its diameter in combination with stamping of the rod in order to flatten it, whereby it is twisted until the helical section is formed, which has a cone-shaped reinforcement at its base (4), while at its upper end the rod (1) has an attached upper reinforcing piece (5), having a seat (6) for a torsion lever (7) that can be inserted into a through opening (8) located at the upper end of the rod and is positioned in the area covered by the upper reinforcing piece (5).