Plant Support Grid with Continuous Connecting Wires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support structures for plant crops require significant manufacturing effort and are difficult to assemble and dismantle due to their complex grid-like structure and welded components, making them inefficient and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A support structure with a spatial lattice design featuring connecting wires that can securely hold functional parts, allowing for easy assembly and dismantling by using a securing element that can be inserted into openings, and a design where two connecting wires run continuously over longitudinal bars, forming a main and secondary support strut, creating an open lattice that simplifies production and handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a completely enclosed grid-like structure with connecting wires running between all longitudinal bars is used, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing effort and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the grid structure by introducing open sides between secondary support struts, where connecting wires are bent and joined continuously rather than running between all bars. This creates modular sections that are easier to manufacture and assemble while maintaining stability through the truss structure formed by the continuous wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the connecting wire function from a complete grid enclosure and applies it selectively as continuous wires running along the longitudinal bars. This removes the need for wires between all bars, reducing manufacturing complexity while preserving the essential structural stability through the remaining wire connections.
2Strength
If functional parts are welded directly to the longitudinal bars, then connection strength is improved, but on-site assembly and dismantling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces connecting wires as intermediary elements between the longitudinal bars and functional parts. Instead of directly welding functional parts to longitudinal bars, the connecting wires serve as mediators that provide both strong connection and easy assembly/dismantling through bending and joining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the welding process (thermal/chemical joining) with a mechanical joining system using bent and joined connecting wires. This substitution maintains connection strength while enabling simple on-site assembly and dismantling without specialized welding equipment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a complete grid structure with all connecting wires is used, then lateral stability is improved, but material requirements and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies connecting wires partially rather than completely - specifically, continuous wires run along the longitudinal bars and connect secondary support struts, but wires are omitted between all pairs of longitudinal bars. This partial application maintains sufficient lateral stability while reducing material requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous connecting wires serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide lateral stability, act as structural members of the truss system, and serve as attachment points for functional parts. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby reducing overall material requirements.
4Ease of manufacture
If connecting wires are bent and joined continuously along their length, then manufacturing is simplified, but the structure becomes more flexible and less rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility into the otherwise rigid grid structure through continuously bent and joined connecting wires. These wires can flex to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and on-site assembly requirements while maintaining sufficient structural rigidity through the truss configuration and wire tensioning.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
Figure 7~10
AI summary
The invention relates to a support structure (1) for plant cultivation with at least one support post (10), which is composed as a three-dimensional grid structure (40) of longitudinally extending longitudinal bars (22, 24, 26) and connecting wires (28, 30) holding the longitudinal bars together at a lateral distance from one another, and at least one functional part (12) inserted into the grid structure (40). One aspect of the invention provides that two connecting wires (28, 30) each run in a plane and are alternately rigidly connected at connection points to a common longitudinal bar (22) forming a main support strut (34) and to a separate further longitudinal bar (24, 26) forming a secondary support strut (32), with no connecting wire running between the secondary support struts (32).