Resilient Wire Roller Assembly for Granular Media Smoothing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools for smoothing granular media, such as golf bunker sand, snow on ski slopes, and dirt at horse race tracks, often fail to achieve consistent results due to varying topographies, climate conditions, and sand consistencies, requiring multiple strokes and resulting in irregular surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A roller assembly with an array of resiliently flexible wires spaced from a longitudinal axis to define a convex roller surface, which rotates and traverses the granular media, flinging it outwardly to smooth the surface, thereby addressing the inconsistency issues of traditional smoothing tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional bar and prong rakes are used to smooth granular media, then the tool structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the smoothing results are inconsistent and require multiple strokes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the static rigid bar and prong structure with a dynamic roller assembly that rotates about a longitudinal axis. The roller surface continuously contacts and moves across the granular media, providing dynamic smoothing action that adapts to varying topographies and sand consistencies, thereby achieving more consistent results without requiring multiple strokes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a curved roller surface instead of a flat bar. The roller's cylindrical shape allows it to conform to irregular surfaces and provide uniform pressure distribution across the granular media, improving smoothing consistency while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of a basic cylindrical form.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple strokes are used to achieve smooth results, then the smoothing quality improves, but the time and effort required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating roller provides continuous smoothing action as it rotates about its longitudinal axis. The continuous contact between the roller surface and granular media eliminates the need for repeated lifting and repositioning of rigid rakes, achieving smooth results in fewer continuous strokes and improving overall productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rigid bar and prong structures are used, then the tool is easy to manufacture, but it cannot adapt to varying bunker topographies and sand consistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating roller assembly dynamically adapts to varying bunker topographies and sand consistencies through its rotational motion and curved surface, which naturally conform to irregular surfaces. This dynamic adaptation capability is achieved through a relatively simple mechanical structure that rotates about a fixed longitudinal axis.
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 roller assembly effectively smooths granular media by consistently distributing and removing granular material, achieving smoother surfaces with fewer strokes than traditional methods, and accommodating various bunker topographies, climate conditions, and sand consistencies.
Implementation Method 1
Each wire is resiliently flexible to distort inwardly in response to increasing force of contact on, and to recover during release of force of contact from, the granular media
Implementation Method 2
As the roller surface traverses the expanse, at least some of the granular media is flung outwardly of the roller of the roller assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A roller assembly for smoothing an expanse of granular media such as golf bunker sand, snow, horse race track dirt, or other media. The assembly has one or more rollers having a longitudinal axis. Each roller includes wires spaced from the axis to define a roller surface. Each wire is resiliently flexible to distort inwardly in response to force of contact on, and to recover during release of force from, the granular media as the roller rotates about the axis on the granular media. A shaft extends along the axis of the roller assembly between the arms of a yoke with a handle extending therefrom. As the roller surface traverses the media, at least some of the media is flung outwardly of the roller, smoothing the expanse. The roller assembly may be manually operated or may be towed behind a towing apparatus.