Soil Cultivation Tool Splash Guard With Independent Carriage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing civil engineering equipment, such as elongated soil cultivation tools, face issues with soil and suspension splashing due to centrifugal force during retraction, leading to contamination and potential damage, especially when working near buildings, and existing splash protection methods are labor-intensive, complex, or maintenance-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A separate additional carriage on the mast supports a cover element, allowing it to be moved independently of the drive carriage, with a flexible, web-like element that can be unrolled and retracted efficiently, providing effective splash protection without frequent rolling and unwinding issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate additional carriage with cover element is used, then splash protection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesplash protection reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into separate functional modules: the drive carriage for tool operation and the additional carriage for splash protection. The additional carriage with cover element operates independently from the drive carriage, allowing each component to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The additional carriage acts as an intermediary element between the drive carriage and the environment. It carries the cover element that mediates the interaction between the rotating soil cultivation tool and the surrounding area, providing splash protection without requiring direct modification of the drive carriage or tool itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the additional carriage can move independently, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The additional carriage is designed with independent movement capability along the mast, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position separately from the drive carriage. This dynamic independence enables the cover element to be positioned optimally for splash protection while the drive carriage focuses on tool operation, improving ease of operation through flexible, independent control of each component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If plate-shaped segments are used for cover element, then splash protection is improved, but ease of manufacture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesplash protectionVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cover element is designed as a flexible web-like structure rather than rigid plate-shaped segments. This flexible design provides effective splash protection by conforming to the tool's movement while being significantly easier to manufacture, install, and retract compared to rigid segmented plates, thereby improving ease of manufacture without compromising protection effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution provides reliable and efficient splash protection for elongated soil cultivation tools, reducing contamination and maintenance needs, while allowing flexible operation and reuse of the cover element.

Implementation Method 1

soil material and/or suspension adhering to the soil cultivation tool is thrown out of the borehole by centrifugal force due to the rotational movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

the cover element extends from the upper covering position along the mast to a lower covering position on or near the ground... providing effective splash protection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP4455406B1Excavation equipment assembly and method
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 BAUER SPEZIALTIEFBAU GMBH
  • EP4455406B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4455406B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6

AI summary

The application relates to a civil engineering equipment arrangement comprising a substantially vertical mast (12) along which a drive carriage (20) with at least one rotary drive (22) is slidably mounted, at least one elongated soil cultivation tool (30) which is arranged on a rotary drive (22) for moving and inserting into the soil (5) and is driven by rotation via the rotary drive (22), and at least one cover element (50) which extends at least partially along the mast (12) and covers at least a circumferential section of the at least one elongated soil cultivation tool (30) to form a splash guard, wherein a separate auxiliary carriage (40) is mounted on the mast (12) above the drive carriage (20), wherein an upper end of the at least one cover element (50) is attached to an upper holding device (48) of the auxiliary carriage (40).wherein the drive carriage (20) with the at least one elongated soil cultivation tool (30) is movable independently of the auxiliary carriage (40), and the auxiliary carriage (40) with the attached cover element (50) is movable on the mast (12) independently of the drive carriage (20).