Underwater Milling Surface Leveling on Uneven Waterbeds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing milling devices struggle to efficiently remove soil layers from the bottom of bodies of water, particularly in uneven or unknown underwater terrain, lacking the ability to create a stable, horizontal working surface for effective soil extraction.

Innovation Solution

A milling device with a mobile carrier unit and vertically adjustable drive units, aligned horizontally on the waterbed, uses linear guides to position milling units for vertical and horizontal soil removal, allowing for efficient soil extraction even on uneven terrain, with additional units for surface flattening and material recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a milling device is used on uneven underwater terrain, then soil removal capability is improved, but device stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil removal capabilityVSAvoiddevice stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The milling device employs adjustable support legs that can dynamically adapt their length and positioning to accommodate uneven underwater terrain. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the device to maintain stability while operating on irregular surfaces, resolving the contradiction between soil removal capability and device stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The device is divided into multiple independent support legs rather than a single rigid base. Each support leg can be independently adjusted to match the local terrain conditions, allowing the milling device to stabilize itself on uneven surfaces while maintaining operational effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the milling device is positioned on uneven terrain, then adaptability to terrain is improved, but working surface flatness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to terrainVSAvoidworking surface flatness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support legs incorporate adjustable mechanisms that allow real-time modification of their configuration based on terrain variations. This dynamic adaptability enables the device to conform to uneven surfaces while the milling unit maintains a consistent working height, ensuring flatness of the processed surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Each support leg is designed to independently adapt to local terrain conditions rather than requiring the entire device base to be level. This localized adaptation allows the milling device to accommodate terrain variations while maintaining uniform working conditions at the milling interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If vertically adjustable drive units are used, then ease of operation on uneven terrain is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operation on uneven terrainVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive units are equipped with vertical adjustment capabilities that enable operators to easily adapt the device to uneven terrain by modifying the height of individual drive units. This dynamic adjustability significantly improves ease of operation on varied terrain while the adjustment mechanisms are designed to be relatively simple in construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4357586B1Method and milling device for removing a soil layer
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 BAUER MASCH GMBH
  • EP4357586B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4357586B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4357586B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and a milling device for removing a layer of soil from the bottom of a body of water, with a milling device which is placed on the bottom of the body of water, wherein the milling device has a mobile carrier device and at least one milling unit mounted on the carrier device, which is guided displaceably by means of at least one linear guide device.According to the invention, after being placed on the bottom of the water body, the milling device is brought into a substantially horizontal position and aligned, with the at least one milling unit forming a substantially horizontal, flat initial surface, wherein the at least one milling unit is inserted into the ground substantially vertically along the linear guide device for milling off soil material, the milling device is moved onto the initial surface formed and, starting from the flat initial surface, soil is removed by vertically moving the milling unit into the ground and horizontally moving the carrier device.