Seed Tender Hold-Down and Auger Pivoting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk seed handling and dispensing systems face issues such as damage to seed inlet openings during container placement, inadequate clamping of containers on the trailer deck, and difficulty in accessing slide gates, as well as challenges with pivoting larger diameter auger conveyor sections.
Innovation Solution
A seed handling and dispensing apparatus featuring a wheeled frame with a horizontally disposed deck and rotatable hold-down members that secure seed containers vertically, allowing direct placement onto seed inlet openings and simultaneous clamping on both sides, along with hydraulic cylinders for smooth pivoting of auger conveyor sections, and accessible slide gates from the driver's side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If seed containers are slidably moved onto the deck from one side, then the containers can be easily positioned, but the upper ends of the seed inlet openings are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sliding containers onto the deck from the side (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by having containers lowered vertically from above onto the deck. This reversal of the positioning direction eliminates contact between the containers and the seed inlet openings during placement, preventing damage while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If conventional clamping mechanisms are used, then the structure is simple, but the seed containers are not adequately held down on the deck
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping mechanism is segmented into multiple independent hold-down members (at least two) that can be individually positioned and activated. Each hold-down member can independently engage with the container, providing distributed clamping force that reliably secures containers of various sizes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hold-down members are designed to be movable between a retracted position and a clamping position. This dynamic capability allows the mechanism to adapt to different container sizes and shapes, providing reliable clamping while keeping the structure simple through controlled motion rather than complex fixed geometry.
3Ease of operation
If slide gates are positioned between adjacent containers, then the structure is compact, but it is difficult to access and slide the gates
Solution Approach 1:
The slide gates are repositioned from the horizontal plane (between adjacent containers) to the vertical plane (on the outer surfaces of containers). This dimensional change allows operators to access gates from the side of the trailer without reaching between containers, significantly improving accessibility while maintaining a compact overall arrangement through vertical placement.
Data Source
AI summary
A bulk seed handler and dispenser or seed tender is provided for transporting bulk seed containers and for dispensing the seed within the containers into planting equipment. The bulk seed handling and dispenser of this invention is comprised of a trailer having a plurality of bulk seed containers mounted thereon, each of which is in communication with seed inlet openings formed in the deck of the trailer. Means is provided for simultaneously clamping the opposite sides of the containers to the deck. When the seed containers are placed on the deck, the doors which provide access to the slide gates thereof are on the driver's side of the trailer. A pair of hydraulic cylinders pivotally interconnect the upper auger conveyor section to the lower auger conveyor section for pivotally moving the upper auger conveyor section between a stowed position and an operative position.