Seedling Tray Extraction Carriage with Compressible Frame Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extraction systems for seedling trays are inefficient and labor-intensive, as they require manual loosening and removal of plug media from the tray cells, which can damage the plants and trays.
Innovation Solution
The extraction system comprises a carriage with compressible frame supports and a pin board with pins that are releasably secured to the carriage. The carriage moves to compress the frame supports, causing the pins to force the planting material out of the tray cells, allowing for simultaneous and efficient extraction of multiple plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual loosening and removal of plug media is used, then labor intensity increases and time consumption increases, but plant damage is minimized (when done gently)
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the extraction process into two independent functional components: a pin board with multiple pins for simultaneous contact with multiple plants, and a carriage with compressible supports for applying force. This segmentation allows the system to extract multiple plants at once while maintaining simple individual component operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the pin board and carriage into an integrated extraction system where the pins are secured to the carriage base. This merging allows the force applied to the carriage to be directly transmitted through the pins to the plants, combining the functions of force application and plant contact into a single coordinated action.
2Force
If a peg board is used alone for extraction, then alignment difficulty increases, but extraction force can be applied
Solution Approach 1:
The tray cells serve as an intermediary element between the pins and the extraction force. The pins are positioned to contact the plants through the tray cell openings, and the tray itself guides and aligns the pins during the extraction process, eliminating the need for precise pre-alignment of the pin board.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage is designed to move dynamically from an initial position to a compressed position, allowing the pins to naturally align with the tray cells during movement. The compressible frame supports enable the carriage to adapt its position, making the alignment process dynamic rather than requiring static precision.
3Productivity
If multiple plants are extracted simultaneously, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray itself serves the dual function of holding the plants during growth and guiding the pins during extraction. The tray's structure with its cells and openings automatically provides the alignment and support needed for simultaneous extraction, eliminating the need for complex external positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin board with multiple pins is designed to work universally with standard trays containing multiple plants. The same device structure can extract any number of plants simultaneously by simply placing the tray on the pins, making the system versatile without increasing complexity.
4Reliability
If plug media is securely attached to cell walls, then plant stability during growth is maintained, but removal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pins are positioned in advance to contact the plants at their base where they emerge from the tray cells. This preliminary positioning ensures that when force is applied, it is directed at the correct location to separate the plug media from the cell walls without disturbing the plant roots.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction force is applied locally at the base of each plant where the plug media contacts the cell wall, rather than applying force to the entire plant or tray. This localized application of force efficiently breaks the attachment between plug media and cell walls while maintaining plant integrity.
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
This system enables the simultaneous and efficient extraction of multiple plants from seedling trays, reducing labor and minimizing damage to the plants and trays, while allowing for easy adjustment to accommodate different tray configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a carriage including a base, a frame arranged atop the base, and a plurality of compressible frame supports joined between the base and the frame
Data Source
AI summary
An extraction system for extraction of planting material from a plurality of planting cells of a tray includes a carriage with a base, a frame arranged atop the base, and a plurality of compressible frame supports joined therebetween. A pin board with a plurality of pins joined to a base thereof is releasably securable to the base of the carriage. The carriage frame and base are movable relative to one another from a first position to a second position, and in the first position, the frame receives and supports the tray above the plurality of pins of the pin board, and during movement to the second position, the pins to enter a cell opening of each of the planting cells, extend into the planting cells to thereby contact the planting material therein, and force the planting material out of an open end of each of the plurality of planting cells.