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THE POLLEN RECUPERATOR:
Introduction:
This product is designed for farmers in France to collect maize pollen grains during the season. They would then send this pollen for genetic studies to labs for crop improvement. From the beginning, it has been an extremely challenging and interesting design project. More so as it involved supplying the designed product to the clients in France.
Design Background:
From concept to final working units, it took five months. Infact, there was no choice as it was dependent on the pollination season which is in late June. Various concepts were worked out to achieve this task. One of them was using a geared down motor that would turn the bottle by one position in response to an electronic pulse that would be triggered every 24 hours. As this would involve complex electronics and more development time this idea was dropped. Instead, a clock mechanism and a coil spring were used to accomplish the same.
The sketches of the final product are;
This mechanical device, would be put up on its stand next to the maize plant. It has seven collecting bottles for seven days. Every 24 hours, the lid with the slot turns to expose one bottle at a time. It stays exposed for one whole day, thereby collecting pollen during that period. Next day, after 24 hours, the lid turns again to expose the next bottle. This way it rotates for 7 days for a week long collection.
The working:
1: Turn the lid at least twice in clockwise direction to wind the coil spring.
2: Loosen the top knob on the lid and adjust the lid hole with the bottle.
3: Reset the quartz clock by turning the adjustment in the clock until the lid shifts to the next bottle. This is necessary to ensure that the first bottle is exposed for full 24 hours. This resetting is to be done only once a week.
4: To remove the bottles after seven days, unscrew the knob above the lid so as to remove the lid. Replace with fresh bottles and follow from step one
Product Description:
It consists of the following basic components:
A: The bottle carousel:
1: Lid:
This is made out of
acrylic. It has one bean shaped slot opening on it with a rim. This lid completes
one rotation in seven days in 24-hour steps. This way in seven days all the
seven bottles are exposed to pollen collection. The lid is mounted on the central
shaft.
2: Lid support disc:
This is of powder
coated mild steel and is mounted on the central shaft to give wide radial support
to the lid.
3: The carousel body:
This container houses
the seven bottles in a circular array. It is made of powder coated aluminum.
4: Bottle locating disc:
This is a disc with
seven holes to position the bottles in the carousel. This is of mild steel and
powder coated. This is mounted on the top plate of the mechanism chassis.
5: Ratchet:
This is a seven-tooth
ratchet, which controls the unwinding and positioning of the lids opening over
the mouth of the bottles. It is mounted on the central shaft and is made of
nylon.
6: Central shaft:
This connects the
lid to the coil spring and the ratchet. It is the rotational axis for both the
ratchet and the lid and is made of stainless steel.
7: Coil spring:
This is to power the
rotation of the lid. It is mounted under the base plate.
8: Clock:
The quartz clock activates
a trigger mechanism via a cam every 24 hours. The clock is mounted on the base
plate next to the coil spring. The clock is 1.5v AA size cell operated.
9: Trigger:
The cam mounted on
the quartz clock gear activates the trigger. Its function is to regulate the
movement of the lid over the bottles. The trigger mechanism is mounted above
the ratchet. As the clock turns by 24 hours, (360 degrees) the cam on the clock
gear releases the trigger from its locked position, off the ratchet. The ratchet
therefore unwinds by one bottle stop. Simultaneously, the trigger takes back
its original position and locks the ratchet. The action is repeated after 24
hours.
10: The mechanism chassis:
This comprises of
a base plate and a top plate connected by 4 spacers. All the above components
are mounted on this chassis. The chassis is in turn mounted on the carousel
body. It is made of aluminum.
B: The Stand:
The carousel is mounted
on the top of the stand. The sharp end of the stand is fixed into the ground,
under the maize plant. The stand is made of telescopic tubes for variable height
adjustments.
SALIENT FEATURES:
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