Commodity Trailer Hopper and Auger Layout for Lower Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trailers for transporting commodities, such as animal feed, have complex and heavy pot structures that are prone to stress failures and extend beyond the rear bumper guard, increasing the risk of damage and complicating maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The trailer design includes extended sills that support novel pot and riser assemblies, allowing for efficient assembly and maintenance, with hangers and connection assemblies that minimize obstruction and facilitate the use of modular boom and floor augers, reducing complexity and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pot structures are used, then the trailer can transport commodities, but the structure becomes complex and heavy, increasing the risk of stress failures
Solution Approach 1:
The pot structure is divided into multiple sections (front pot section, rear pot section) that can be independently supported and maintained. The floor auger is also segmented into multiple sections that can be independently accessed and serviced. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the overall structure while improving reliability through distributed support points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends sills laterally beyond the rear bumper guard to provide additional support points for the pot structure. This dimensional extension allows for a more distributed support system, reducing stress concentrations and enabling easier maintenance access from multiple directions.
2Ease of operation
If conventional pot structures extend beyond the rear bumper guard, then the structure can accommodate components, but the risk of damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extended sills are designed to protrude beyond the rear bumper guard, creating a protective framework that shields the pot and auger components from external impacts. This preliminary structural extension acts as a first line of defense against damage while maintaining component accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The pot is divided into front and rear sections that can be independently accessed and maintained. The floor auger is segmented into multiple sections that can be serviced independently. This segmentation allows for easier maintenance without requiring complete disassembly, improving ease of operation while reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of repair
If conventional pot structures are used, then the trailer can function, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floor auger is divided into multiple independent sections that can be accessed and maintained separately. The pot is segmented into front and rear sections with independent access points. This segmentation dramatically simplifies maintenance operations, as individual components can be serviced without disassembling the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended sills serve as intermediary structural elements that provide access points and support for the pot and auger sections. These intermediate structures facilitate easier maintenance by creating accessible work areas and providing mounting points for maintenance equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer for transporting a commodity includes a tank defining a chamber that is configured to receive the commodity and a discharge hopper located vertically below the chamber and configured to receive the commodity from the chamber. The discharge hopper includes a trough wall that at least partially defines a channel and the trough wall has a middle wall section and a side wall section surface on each lateral side of the middle wall section. Each side wall section is vertically located above the middle wall section. A floor auger extends in the channel and configured to convey the commodity toward the rear end. A hanger suspends the floor auger relative to the channel, and the hanger having a first hanger arm that couples to one of the side wall sections and a second hanger arm that couples to the other of the side wall sections.