Pivoting Road Scraper Wings for Uneven Surface Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roadway cleaning devices are inefficient in handling uneven surfaces and varying widths, requiring multiple passes to effectively clear materials like snow and ice.
Innovation Solution
A scraping device with pivotable lateral wings and multiple force-generating mechanisms, allowing adjustable width and enhanced maneuverability to adapt to uneven surfaces and obstacles, facilitated by actuators and compression springs for efficient material handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-width scraping device is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to varying roadway widths and requires multiple passes
Solution Approach 1:
The scraping device employs laterally movable wings that can pivot about vertical axes, transforming the fixed-width structure into a dynamic one. The wings are equipped with actuators that enable them to adjust their lateral position and angle, allowing the device to adapt to varying roadway widths and maintain effective cleaning across different conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraping device is divided into modular components including a central support and multiple lateral wings. Each wing can be independently positioned and adjusted, enabling the device to accommodate different roadway widths by selectively extending or retracting specific wing segments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid scraping device is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but it cannot effectively handle uneven surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom sections of the wings are designed to be pivotable relative to the upper sections about horizontal pivot axes. This dynamic configuration allows the scraping surfaces to adjust their orientation in response to uneven roadway surfaces, maintaining optimal contact and cleaning effectiveness without requiring a completely rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates force-generating mechanisms including compression springs and actuators that can dynamically change the positional parameters of the wings and their sections. These mechanisms enable the scraping device to adapt its geometry and orientation to match the varying topography of the roadway surface.
3Productivity
If multiple force-generating mechanisms are added, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force-generating mechanisms are distributed across different segments of the device, with actuators positioned at the wing roots and compression springs located at the bottom sections. This segmented arrangement allows each mechanism to perform a specific function independently, improving overall cleaning efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity through functional specialization.
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 device provides versatile and efficient cleaning of roadway surfaces by adapting to uneven terrain and varying widths, enhancing cleaning quality and reducing the need for multiple passes.
Implementation Method 1
a first force-generating mechanism comprising at least one compression spring mounted between the upper section and the bottom section to exert a first return force urging the bottom section downwards with reference to the upper section
Data Source
AI summary
The device includes two opposing lateral wings forming the right and left sides of the scraping device. Each wing includes an upper section through which the wing is attached to the central support about a vertical pivot axis, and a bottom section that is pivotable with respect to the upper section about a first horizontal pivot axis. Each wing can follow the unevenness of the roadway surface and may also include parts that can pivot backwards in case of a frontal impact with an obstacle. The scraping device offers a very high degree of versatility and can clean various kinds of roadway surfaces with an unprecedented level of efficiency.