Undercarriage Material Transfer Auger for Pavement Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for constructing and maintaining pavement surfaces are hazardous, time-consuming, and expensive, exposing workers and machinery to harmful materials and requiring frequent repairs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for moving materials, such as gravel, from one end of a vehicle under its frame or axle to the other, using a conveyor or auger system that can be adjusted in angle and position, allowing for efficient spreading on surfaces while minimizing exposure to hazards and reducing wear on machinery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pavement construction and maintenance methods are used, then pavement can be constructed and maintained, but workers and machinery are exposed to hazardous materials such as hot asphalt, dusts, and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The material transfer device is positioned underneath the vehicle, changing the spatial dimension of material handling from above-ground to below-vehicle-level. This dimensional shift removes workers from direct exposure to hazardous materials while maintaining pavement construction and maintenance capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The undercarriage material transfer device acts as an intermediary mechanism that handles hazardous materials (hot asphalt, gravel, debris) automatically, serving as a mediator between the vehicle and the pavement surface, thereby protecting workers from direct contact with harmful substances.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional material transfer methods are used, then materials can be moved, but machinery is exposed to harmful materials which shortens lifespan and requires frequent repair
Solution Approach 1:
Positioning the material transfer device underneath the vehicle creates a protected spatial zone where machinery handles materials away from direct exposure to harmful environmental factors, thereby extending equipment lifespan and reducing maintenance frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The undercarriage material transfer system enables the vehicle to handle and transfer materials autonomously without requiring external machinery that would be exposed to harmful materials, making the system self-sufficient and protective of its own components.
3Productivity
If conventional above-vehicle material handling systems are used, then materials can be transferred, but the system complexity increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The material transfer device is merged with the vehicle's undercarriage structure, combining the functions of material handling and vehicle support into a single integrated system. This reduces overall system complexity while improving material transfer efficiency by eliminating separate above-vehicle handling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
By transitioning material handling from an above-vehicle to a below-vehicle configuration, the system simplifies the overall architecture while maintaining or improving productivity, as the undercarriage position provides direct access to the pavement surface for more efficient material deposition.
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 system enhances safety by reducing exposure to hazardous materials and extends machinery lifespan, while being more efficient and cost-effective in material distribution and maintenance processes.
Implementation Method 1
a conveyor, auger, and/or other material transfer device that is at least partially disposed below one or more portions of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a conveyor, auger, and/or other material transfer device that is at least partially disposed below one or more portions of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
The systems can include any suitable component that allows them to move material (e.g., gravel and/or another bulk material), under at least a portion of a frame or other portion of a vehicle, and from one portion of the vehicle to another portion. In some cases, the systems include a chip spreader that includes a motorized vehicle and a material transfer device that is configured to move the material from a first end of the motorized vehicle to a second end of the motorized vehicle. In some cases, the material transfer device is disposed below an axle, frame, drivetrain, radiator, and/or other component of an undercarriage of the motorized vehicle. In some cases, the material transfer device includes one or more conveyors, augers, vibrators, gravity slides, and/or pneumatic systems that are configured to move the material.