Movable Greenhouse With Flexible Spacers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional agricultural greenhouses are hindered by their permanent presence on land, leading to soil exhaustion and infestation by pests, which is incompatible with organic farming practices, and they often lack cost-effective ventilation and rainwater collection systems.
Innovation Solution
A movable greenhouse with a flexible spacer system that allows for easy relocation and integrated rainwater collection, featuring a framework with flexible spacers that reduce structural costs and facilitate movement, along with a centralized ventilation control system for efficient airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional permanent greenhouses are used, then structural stability and protection are provided, but soil exhaustion and pest infestation occur due to permanent presence on land
Solution Approach 1:
The greenhouse structure is designed to be movable rather than permanent, allowing it to be relocated to different plots of land. This dynamic capability enables periodic fallow of soils and prevents both soil exhaustion and persistent pest infestation, while maintaining structural stability during each deployment period through the rigid framework and tensioned cover system.
2Ease of manufacture
If inexpensive greenhouses are used, then investment costs are reduced, but they lack proper ventilation systems and are resistant to mechanization
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is segmented into multiple independent shutter assemblies distributed along the greenhouse structure. Each shutter can be independently controlled and operated, enabling effective airflow management while using simple, inexpensive components that avoid the need for expensive mechanized ventilation systems.
3Ease of operation
If remote maneuverable shutters are used for ventilation, then airflow control is provided, but the system is complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation shutters are designed to be manually operable from the outside of the greenhouse, allowing farmers to control airflow without requiring complex internal mechanisms or remote control systems. The simple shutter design with external handles enables self-service ventilation management, reducing both complexity and cost while maintaining effective airflow control.
4Ease of manufacture
If flexible spacers are used instead of rigid metal structures, then structural costs are reduced and movement is facilitated, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The greenhouse structure combines rigid metal arches and end frames with flexible spacer elements and tensioned fabric covers to create a composite structure. The rigid components provide essential structural strength and shape, while the flexible spacers reduce cost and facilitate movement, demonstrating how composite construction can simultaneously achieve both strength and cost-effectiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
The greenhouse for cultivating plants consists of a supporting framework (1) and a cover (2) mounted on the framework (1). The framework consists of two arch frames (10) (11) joined together via at least one strut (13, 14). This greenhouse is characterised in that the at least one strut (13, 14) consists of a flexible element attached to the different arch frames and tensioned therebetween, said flexible element being covered by the cover (2).