Orchard Weather Covers with Anti-Tangling Rotational Guide Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orchard protection systems face issues with complex handling, high maintenance costs, and low load capacity due to tangling and corrosion of rotational guide rails, especially under harsh weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system with rotational guide rails featuring cylindrical casings or caps to protect the guide rails, using standard parts and secure connections to prevent tangling and corrosion, allowing for efficient, unobstructed movement of cables during cover contraction and stretching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If rotational guide rails are used without protective casings, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the guide rails get locked and tangled with the cover during stretching, especially when the cover is a net, which would disable the rotational mechanism and damage the cover
Solution Approach 1:
A cylindrical protective casing is introduced as an intermediary element between the guide rail and the cover. The casing allows the cover to pass through freely while preventing the guide rail from contacting and tangling with the cover, thus resolving the contradiction between simple structure and reliable operation
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rail system is segmented into two functional parts: the internal guide rail mechanism and the external protective casing. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently - the guide rail provides rotational guidance while the casing prevents tangling
2Device complexity
If tin clips are used to connect guide rails to the cover, then the connection is simple, but the load capacity is comparatively low, which becomes problematic during stronger winds, snow, or hail
Solution Approach 1:
The connection method is changed from tin clips to robust metal clamps with high strength parameters. These clamps are designed to withstand significant mechanical loads from wind, snow, and hail while maintaining a relatively simple connection structure
3Strength
If non-standard parts are used for guide rails and rotational clips, then the connection strength is sufficient, but the production cost is higher and installation requires plenty of effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
Standardized metal clamps and cylindrical casings are used that can serve multiple functions: structural support, rotational guidance, and protection against tangling. This universality reduces manufacturing complexity and installation time while maintaining sufficient connection strength
4Device complexity
If rotational guide rails are exposed to weather conditions, then the structure remains simple, but the guide rails are extra fragile due to exposure to humidity and rainfall, requiring lubrication more often and intensive maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical protective casing creates a protected environment for the guide rail, shielding it from harmful weather conditions like humidity and rainfall. This passive protection reduces corrosion and eliminates the need for frequent lubrication and intensive maintenance while keeping the overall structure simple
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~7
AI summary
A system with rotational guide rails for the protection of an orchard from weather conditions, consisting of a row of columns (1,2), so that at the top of each column (1,2) a pivoting arm (6,7) is rotationally connected by its middle. Over the pivoting arms (6,7), a rectangular cover is placed (10) in the form of a net or a foil, and through its middle section, the cover has a sliding connection to the middle cable (9) run through the columns (1,2), whereas the longer edges have a sliding connection to end cables (8). At the ends of pivoting arms (6,7), rotational guide rails (11) are placed, consisting of a stud screw (13) so that the upper end of the screw (13) is firmly tied to the cable (8), and the lower end of the screw (13) is rotationally connected to the end of a pivoting arm (6,7). The connection between the upper end of the screw (13) and the cable (8) is placed in a cylindrical casing (12) or a cap (12. a) which prevents it from coming into contact with the cover (10). Through this construction, during the rotation of pivoting arms (6,7) to one side, the cover (10) contracts into a parallelogram unobstructed, and when rotating the arms to the other side, the cover (10) stretches into a rectangular shape unobstructed.