Disc Mower With Pivoting Side Cutters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Front mowers for agricultural vehicles face the challenge of having a working width that is not significantly wider than the transport width, leading to issues with throwing unmown crops when driving on slopes or cornering, and they are often heavy due to their design.

Innovation Solution

A front mower design featuring a disc mower with an external drive and a movable side mower connected to the external drive, allowing for a larger working width without increasing transport width, and utilizing a detachable coupling for enhanced mobility and space-saving design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If a front mower is designed with a larger working width than transport width, then the working width is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking widthVSAvoidmower structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mower is divided into a central main mower and two side mowers that can operate independently. The side mowers are segmented from the main body and can be positioned independently, allowing the working width to be increased without proportionally increasing the complexity of the entire system. Each mower unit has its own cutting tools but shares the common drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The side mowers are designed to be movable relative to the main mower, allowing dynamic adjustment between working and transport positions. During working operation, the side mowers can be extended outward to increase working width. During transport, they are retracted inward to minimize width and complexity. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt its working width without permanently increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of moving object

If a drum mower is used to achieve larger working width, then the working width is improved, but the weight and axle load increase considerably

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking widthVSAvoidmower weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the traditional drum mower mechanical system with a disc mower system. Instead of using a heavy rotating drum with cutting tools attached to its surface, the system uses individual rotating discs mounted on the side mowers. Each disc is driven independently through gear mechanisms, eliminating the need for a large central drum while achieving the same cutting function with reduced weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting function is segmented from a single heavy drum into multiple lighter discs distributed across the main mower and side mowers. This segmentation allows the cutting tools to be distributed throughout the working width rather than concentrated in one heavy rotating mass, significantly reducing the overall weight while maintaining the required working width capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the side mower is made movable relative to the front mower, then the adaptability is improved, but the drive connection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition adjustment capabilityVSAvoiddrive connection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive system is designed with universal connection points on the main mower that can accommodate the side mowers in various positions. The gear mechanisms and drive shafts are configured to provide power transmission regardless of the side mower's position relative to the main mower. This universal drive architecture allows the side mowers to be moved, extended, or retracted without requiring complex position-specific drive connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Gear mechanisms act as intermediaries between the central drive system and the side mower drive shafts. These gear intermediaries can accommodate changes in position and orientation, transmitting rotational power from the main mower to the side mowers even when they are in different positions. The gear train serves as a flexible mediator that decouples the drive connection from the positional relationship between main and side mowers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP1932414B1Mowing machine to be placed on the front end of an agricultural automobile

Publication Date: 2010.02.17 CLAAS SAULGAU GMBH

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AI summary

A cutter/mower machine has a front mower/cutter (1) and at least one movable second, lateral mower/cutter (2,3) for the transition between a transport setting and a working setting relative to the front mower/cutter (1), which is a disc cutting/mowing machine (1) with an external drive (40,41) for the cutting/mowing tools, and the drive of the lateral mower/cutter (2,3), at least in the working setting, is connected to the external drive (40,41) of the front mower/cutter (1). An independent claim is included for an agricultural vehicle.