Disc Mower Shroud Elevates Floor Shield to Block Crop Re-cutting

Solution Overview

Problem

In crop harvesting with rotary disc mower-conditioners, significant re-cutting of crops occurs on the rearward side of the cutterbar, leading to increased power input, fuel consumption, and crop losses due to cut material falling and interacting with knives, which conventional floor shields fail to prevent effectively.

Innovation Solution

A disc shroud is positioned slightly above and adjacent to the rotating plane of the cutter knives, creating a floor surface that redirects cut crop material away from the rearward knives, minimizing re-cutting and guiding it towards conditioning apparatus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional floor shields are used that partially extend from below the rearward side of the rotary cutter, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but cut crop material falls into contact with the cutter knives on the rearward side causing re-cutting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloor shield constructionVSAvoidcrop re-cutting

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The floor shield is repositioned from below the cutterbar to above the rotating plane of the knives, creating a dimensional change in the shield's location. This elevated position allows the shield to effectively block crop material from contacting the rearward portion of the rotating knives, preventing re-cutting while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The floor shield acts as an intermediary barrier between the cut crop material and the rearward portion of the rotating knives. By positioning the shield above the knife rotation plane, it intercepts and redirects crop material away from the knives, serving as a protective mediator that prevents harmful re-cutting contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the floor shield is repositioned above the rotating plane of the knives to prevent re-cutting, then crop re-cutting is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop re-cuttingVSAvoidfloor shield configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The floor shield is repositioned from below the cutterbar to above the rotating plane of the knives, creating a dimensional change in the shield's location. This elevated position allows the shield to effectively block crop material from contacting the rearward portion of the rotating knives, preventing re-cutting while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The repositioned floor shield serves multiple functions: it prevents re-cutting by blocking crop material from contacting rearward knives, redirects crop flow toward the conditioner apparatus, and maintains cutterbar performance across various crop conditions. This multi-functionality justifies the moderate increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If cut crop material is allowed to fall to the trailing side of the rotary cutter, then the floor shield structure is simplified, but power input and fuel consumption increase due to re-cutting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloor shield structureVSAvoidpower input and fuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The floor shield is repositioned from below the cutterbar to above the rotating plane of the knives, creating a dimensional change in the shield's location. This elevated position allows the shield to effectively block crop material from contacting the rearward portion of the rotating knives, preventing re-cutting while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The floor shield converts the potentially harmful effect of crop material falling to the trailing side into a beneficial outcome by redirecting it upward and toward the conditioner apparatus. This redirection prevents re-cutting and the associated energy waste, transforming what would be a harmful contact into a useful flow path that reduces power input and fuel consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS9795080B2Disc mower cutterbar shroud

Publication Date: 2017.10.24 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

A shroud for the rearward periphery of the cutter knives on a rotary disc cutterbar that creates a floor surface slightly above and adjacent to the rotating plane of the knives thereby reducing the tendency for cut crop material to fall into contact with the knives along the rearward periphery of the cutterbar.