Plural Bin Metering System with Merged Conveyor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plural bin systems for mixing and distributing multiple material ingredients, such as fertilizers, are costly to maintain and lack the ability to easily vary the spread rates of different materials, particularly at ultra-low rates.
Innovation Solution
A plural bin metering system with at least two hoppers, each equipped with independently controllable metering units and a conveyor system that allows for variable discharge rates, including ultra-low rates, and spinners for broadcasting materials over a ground surface, enabling simultaneous spreading of multiple materials at different rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a plural bin system with multiple screw auger conveyors is used to distribute multiple material ingredients, then the ability to spread multiple materials is achieved, but the mechanical complexity and maintenance costs increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple material ingredient discharge functions into a single conveyor system. Multiple hoppers discharge materials onto one common conveyor belt, which then transports all materials to a single spinner assembly. This merging approach eliminates the need for multiple separate screw auger conveyors, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining the ability to distribute multiple materials independently through controlled discharge rates from each hopper.
Solution Approach 2:
The single conveyor system serves multiple functions: it receives materials from multiple hoppers, transports them simultaneously, and delivers them to the spinner assembly. This universal conveyor replaces multiple specialized screw augers, each dedicated to a specific hopper, thereby reducing overall system complexity while preserving multi-material distribution capability.
2Productivity
If a plural bin system with fixed discharge rates is used, then material distribution is achieved, but the ability to easily vary spread rates including ultra-low rates is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs variable speed control for each hopper's discharge mechanism, allowing dynamic adjustment of discharge rates. The conveyor speed and spinner rotation speed can be independently varied to achieve different spread rates, including ultra-low rates. This dynamic control capability enables the system to adapt to various application requirements, from high-rate broadcasting to precision low-rate application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable speed motors to change operational parameters (conveyor speed, spinner speed, discharge gate positions) to achieve different material distribution rates. By adjusting these parameters, the system can operate across a wide range of spread rates, from ultra-low rates for precision applications to high rates for bulk material distribution, providing both productivity and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If multiple independent conveyors are used for each bin, then independent discharge control is achieved, but the cost and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing each hopper with its own dedicated conveyor, the patent merges all discharge functions into a single conveyor system. Each hopper has independent discharge control through variable speed control of its discharge gate or feeder mechanism, but all materials converge onto one common conveyor. This approach maintains independent discharge control capability while significantly reducing the number of conveyors needed, thereby lowering manufacturing costs and maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The single conveyor acts as an intermediary that receives materials from multiple independently controlled hoppers and delivers them to the spinner assembly. This intermediary conveyor consolidates the transport function, eliminating the need for multiple expensive conveyors while preserving independent discharge control through the hopper-level control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A plural bin metering system for broadcasting material ingredients contained therein over a ground surface. The system includes at least two material ingredient hoppers, each of the hoppers having a material ingredient discharge port. At least one of the material ingredient hoppers includes a variably controllable metering unit associated therewith for variably controlling the discharge of material ingredients therefrom independently from the rate of discharge of material ingredients from the other material ingredient hopper. A conveyor is disposed below the hoppers for receiving material ingredients discharged from the hoppers, and a material ingredient broadcasting device disposed off of one end of the conveyor for receiving material ingredients conveyed thereon, received from the hoppers, for broadcasting the material ingredients over a ground surface. The metering unit is capable of metering material ingredients from its associated hopper at ultra low rates. In a preferred embodiment the system has three hoppers for broadcasting, for example fertilizer across a field in one pass.