Sod Scrap Pickup Conveyor and Dump Bed Filling Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual removal of sod scraps on sod farms is labor-intensive and becoming increasingly difficult due to the scarcity of labor.
Innovation Solution
A sod scrap collection apparatus comprising a pickup head and a dump bed, both connected to a tractor, with conveyor systems and pickup teeth that collect and transport sod scraps from the ground to the dump bed for efficient storage, utilizing chain conveyors and sweeping bars to ensure effective filling and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used to pick up and remove sod scraps, then labor flexibility is maintained, but labor intensity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus enables self-service operation where the machine automatically performs the collection function. The pickup head with teeth automatically engages and lifts scraps, conveyors automatically transport them, and the dump bed automatically receives and stores the material, eliminating the need for manual labor while maintaining continuous operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system (human hands picking up scraps) with a mechanized system consisting of a pickup head with teeth, chain conveyors, and a dump bed. This substitution transforms the labor-intensive manual process into an automated mechanical system that handles collection, transport, and storage of sod scraps
2Productivity
If a pickup head conveyor moves pickup teeth along the ground to scrape up sod scraps, then collection effectiveness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pickup head is segmented into multiple pickup teeth distributed along the conveyor path, allowing the system to collect scraps across the entire width of the field. The conveyor system itself is segmented into pickup head conveyor and dump bed conveyor, each performing specific functions. This segmentation enables effective collection without requiring a single complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The pickup head conveyor serves multiple functions: it transports pickup teeth along the ground for scrap collection, lifts the scraps vertically, and delivers them to the dump bed. The chain conveyor structure provides universal applicability for different scrap sizes and ground conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall design
3Productivity
If a dump bed conveyor moves sweeping bars along sod scraps at an upward angle, then filling efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dump bed conveyor introduces a vertical dimension to the filling process by moving sweeping bars along an upward angle rather than horizontally. This dimensional change allows scraps to be pushed up and distributed throughout the dump bed volume more efficiently, maximizing space utilization while the conveyor's continuous motion maintains steady filling rates without excessive energy demands
Data Source
AI summary
A sod scrap collection apparatus is disclosed that enables pickup and collection of scraps of sod that have been discarded on the ground. The apparatus is pulled by a tractor and includes a pickup head followed by a dump bed. A pickup head conveyor moves pickup teeth along and over the ground at a particular distance in order to scrape up sod scraps and discard them into the dump bed where they are collected. A dump bed conveyor of the dump bed, which runs in the opposite direction as the pickup head conveyor, moves parallel spaced sweeping bars along a top of the sod scraps residing in the dump bed at an upward angle from front to back, so that the dump bed fills with the sod scraps efficiently from front to back.