Angled Aerial Tree Trimmer Boom for Low-Drag Saw Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerial tree trimming technologies face challenges in efficiently cutting tree tops while minimizing aerodynamic drag and ensuring the pilot's visibility and control during the trimming process.
Innovation Solution
A tree trimming apparatus with a rotatable first boom and a second boom arranged at an angle of 30° to 55° relative to the first boom, supporting a circular saw, which is hingedly coupled to a housing containing a motor and fuel tank, allowing for efficient cutting and reduced pinching of the saw blade.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the second boom extends laterally from the forward direction of travel of the helicopter, then the pilot can more easily view the tree to be trimmed and engagement of the circular saw with the tree, but the aerodynamic drag increases during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The first boom is made rotatable to allow dynamic repositioning between transport configuration (minimizing drag) and operating configuration (maximizing pilot visibility and control). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to optimize for different priorities at different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces rotational freedom in a new dimension (azimuthal rotation of the first boom) rather than being constrained to a fixed lateral extension. This allows the boom to sweep through different angular positions, transitioning from a drag-oriented alignment during transport to a visibility-oriented alignment during operation.
2Reliability
If the second boom is arranged at an angle of 30° to 55° relative to the first boom, then pinching of the saw blade is reduced during cutting, but the structural complexity increases due to the bent housing
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple planar sections (front wall, rear wall, lateral walls) connected at specific angles. This segmentation allows each wall to be optimized for its specific function while collectively forming the required 30° to 55° angle between booms, reducing saw blade pinching without requiring a monolithic complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the housing are designed with different geometric properties - the front and rear walls are bent at specific angles to achieve the optimal boom orientation, while the lateral walls provide structural support. This local optimization of geometric properties allows the structure to achieve both the reliability benefit (reduced pinching) and manage complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for removing the tops of trees, the apparatus including a rotatable first boom configured for coupling to and extending vertically downward from an aircraft and a cutting assembly hingedly coupled to a bottom end portion of the first boom. The cutting assembly includes a housing containing a motor, the housing having an upper portion coupled to the bottom end portion of the first boom. A second boom extends from a lower portion of the housing and supports thereon a singular circular saw which is operatively coupled to the motor. The second boom is arranged at an angle of about 30° to about 55° relative to the first boom. This accomplished by including bend within the housing.