Soil Sampling Apparatus with Chain Bar Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soil sampling is physically demanding and often incomplete due to the time-consuming and costly nature of the process, leading to potential inaccuracies in agronomic characteristic assessments, which can result in suboptimal fertilizer application and crop production.
Innovation Solution
A soil sampling apparatus that uses a vertically oriented chain bar and canisters to collect and isolate soil samples without additional handling, ensuring comprehensive sampling and representative soil profiles, with optional integration of sensors for real-time data collection and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional soil sampling methods are used, then soil samples can be collected, but the process is physically demanding and time-consuming, leading to incomplete sampling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical soil core extraction with a powered drill mechanism that automatically advances into the soil and extracts cores, substituting human physical effort with mechanical automation to increase sampling speed and completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The drill mechanism is pre-positioned and pre-powered before sampling begins, allowing immediate extraction without manual preparation for each sample, thereby reducing overall sampling time while maintaining completeness
2Reliability
If manual soil sampling is performed, then samples can be obtained, but the physical demands lead to cheating and insufficient samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual soil core extraction with a powered drill mechanism that automatically advances into the soil and extracts cores, substituting human physical effort with mechanical automation to increase sampling speed and completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs sample collection, mixing, and storage automatically without requiring continuous human intervention or decision-making, eliminating the opportunity for cheating while maintaining sampling integrity
3Manufacturing precision
If soil samples are collected manually, then samples can be taken, but consistent mixing and maceration are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the soil core extraction, mixing, and maceration functions into a single integrated device, where the drill mechanism itself performs all operations sequentially, ensuring consistent sample preparation without requiring multiple separate tools or manual handling steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mixing and maceration with an automated mechanical mixing mechanism within the device, ensuring consistent sample preparation without requiring additional manual effort or complex multi-step procedures
4Productivity
If traditional sampling methods are used, then samples can be collected, but additional handling and transferring are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the soil core extraction, mixing, and maceration functions into a single integrated device, where the drill mechanism itself performs all operations sequentially, ensuring consistent sample preparation without requiring multiple separate tools or manual handling steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the soil sample directly from the field and delivers it straight into a collection container as a single continuous operation, removing intermediate handling and transferring steps that would reduce efficiency and increase contamination risk
Data Source
AI summary
A soil sampling apparatus, system and method for creating soil shavings. As the continuous soil shaving chain or other means of creating soil shavings penetrates the soil, soil shavings are discharged through a discharge opening for collection in a canister for analysis of the soil characteristics. In an alternative embodiment, a sensor is positioned to detect soil characteristics as the soil shavings are discharged.