Interchangeable Seed Tender Conveyors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Farmers need to purchase two separate seed carts or tenders, one with a belt conveyor and one with an auger conveyor, to handle seeds and grains effectively, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A seed cart or tender with interchangeable belt and auger conveyors that can be quickly and easily mounted and dismounted by farmers, allowing for the use of either type depending on the season or task, without requiring lifting equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a farmer purchases two separate seed carts (one with belt conveyor, one with auger conveyor), then both conveyor types can be used for different seasons, but the operational cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both belt conveyor and auger conveyor capabilities into a single seed cart by providing a common mounting assembly that can accommodate either conveyor type, allowing farmers to own one cart with interchangeable conveyors rather than two separate carts
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly is designed with universal compatibility to accept both belt conveyors and auger conveyors through standardized interfaces (brackets, hooks, pins), enabling a single cart to perform multiple functions depending on which conveyor is installed
2Ease of operation
If conveyors are designed for quick interchangeability, then mounting and dismounting becomes easy, but the mounting structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is segmented into discrete, independently removable components (brackets, hooks, pins) that can be quickly assembled and disassembled without requiring complex tools or procedures, enabling fast conveyor exchange
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly incorporates movable and adjustable elements (slidable brackets, removable pins, pivotable hooks) that allow the conveyor to be dynamically installed and removed, transitioning between fixed and movable states during exchange operations
3Ease of operation
If manual interchangeability is enabled without lifting equipment, then operational simplicity increases, but the conveyor weight and structural strength requirements become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is designed to balance the conveyor weight distribution during manual handling, with symmetric bracket placement and balanced hook engagement points that create equilibrium, allowing farmers to manually exchange conveyors without mechanical lifting aids
Solution Approach 2:
Removable pins and hooks serve as intermediary elements that temporarily bear the conveyor weight during the exchange process, transferring the load from the conveyor to the mounting assembly components in a controlled manner that enables manual operation
Data Source
AI summary
A belt conveyor and an auger conveyor are interchangeably mountable on a seed cart or tender. A mounting bracket slidably receives the lower end of the selected conveyor, which is hooked into position at the lower end of the bracket. A removable pin is inserted through the upper end of the bracket and the conveyor to retain the conveyor on the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket can be moved on a carriage along tracks on the frame of the seed cart or tender to position the inlet of the conveyor to receive seeds from bulk seed boxes or a hopper. The conveyor can be rotated to an infinite number of positions along a 180° radius to discharge seed in a desired location.