Curved Blade Configuration for Material Collection Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing material collection equipment with straight profiled blades and bristles experiences high resistance and inefficient collection due to the straight profiled blades and bristles, leading to labor-intensive and less productive leaf collection processes.
Innovation Solution
The equipment employs a Y-shaped, double helical, flat and planar, or angled blade configurations with a leading and trailing edge arrangement, coupled to an axle via a coupling member, providing a larger surface area for collection and reduced resistance, along with a bristled configuration for improved sweeping action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If straight profiled blades and bristles are used in the rotating brush, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the resistance while moving over the ground surface is high and collection efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by transitioning from straight profiled blades to curved profiled blades in the rotating brush. The curved blades follow a curved path during rotation, which reduces resistance while moving over the ground surface and improves material collection efficiency by better engaging with leaves and debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the blade profile adaptive to the collection process. The curved blades dynamically adjust their engagement with the ground surface during rotation, optimizing the balance between resistance reduction and collection effectiveness based on operational conditions.
2Device complexity
If straight profiled blades and bristles are used in the rotating brush, then the structure is simple, but the overall area within the enclosure is inefficiently utilized and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The curved blade profile increases the effective sweeping area within the enclosure by following an optimized path during rotation. This curvature allows the blades to engage with materials across a broader area, improving productivity without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dimensional change by transitioning from straight (1D linear) blades to curved (2D spatial) blades. This adds a spatial dimension to the blade's motion path, enabling more effective utilization of the enclosure area and improving material collection coverage.
3Productivity
If the complete edge of the blade touches the ground at the same time, then the blade provides maximum contact area for collection, but the resistance while moving over the ground surface is high
Solution Approach 1:
The curved blade profile ensures that only a portion of the blade edge contacts the ground at any given time during rotation, rather than the complete edge. This curved contact path reduces resistance while maintaining effective collection ability by sequentially engaging with materials along the curved trajectory.
Data Source
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AI summary
A work implement (208) for an implement compartment (110) of a material collection equipment (100) includes a pair of wheels (112) adapted to propel the work implement (208) about an axis (Y-Y'). The work implement (208) also includes an axle (206) located within the implement compartment (110) and having a pair of ends (319, 321) coupled to the pair of wheels (112). The work implement (208) further includes at least one pair of blades (304) coupled to the axle (206). Each blade from the at least one pair of blades (304) is angularly offset from one another and includes a first blade (312) and a second blade (314) extending in a pair of directions away from the axle (206) and disposed in a side-by-side relation to one another such that the second blade (314) is disposed at an angular offset with respect to the first blade (312). Each blade from at least one of the first blades (312) and the second blades (314) from respective pairs of blades (304) includes a leading edge (315) and a trailing edge (317). The leading edge (315) of each of the blades is disposed proximal to a corresponding end (319, 321) of the axle (206).