Articulated Fence-Line Mulcher for Uneven Ground and Posts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vegetation management machines are inadequate for clearing vegetation along fences or rows due to uneven terrain and difficulty in reaching areas under fences, as they are not designed to adapt to undulations and cannot effectively navigate around fence posts.
Innovation Solution
A vegetation management machine with a connecting device to attach to a vehicle, an articulated quadrilateral, a jointed arm, a mulcher with a motorized rotor, and a mechanical weeding device, along with a hydraulic circuit that allows independent movement of the weeding device and mulcher, enabling the machine to follow ground undulations and navigate around fence posts while being compatible with vehicles of different hydraulic flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional vegetation management machines are used, then they can clear vegetation on level ground, but they cannot adapt to uneven terrain and undulations along fences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic, articulated support structures including a quadrilateral linkage system and jointed arms that enable the mulcher and weeding device to independently adjust their positions. This allows the machine to adapt to uneven terrain and undulations along fences, resolving the contradiction between maintaining operational capability on varied terrain and ensuring ease of access to difficult areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine is divided into independent functional modules: the mulcher unit with its own support structure and the mechanical weeding device with its articulated arm. This segmentation allows each module to independently navigate terrain variations and obstacles, enabling the machine to clear vegetation both under and along fences effectively.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional machines are used, then they can clear open areas, but they cannot effectively navigate around fence posts
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical weeding device is mounted on a jointed arm that provides dynamic positioning capability, allowing the device to protrude from the frame bulk to clear vegetation along the fence line and then retract to pass under fence posts without obstruction, maintaining both obstacle navigation ability and clearing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The jointed arm mechanism adds a dimensional degree of freedom to the weeding device, enabling it to move between a retracted position (for passing under posts) and a protruded position (for clearing vegetation along the fence), thus resolving the contradiction between navigating obstacles and maintaining clearing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the mechanical weeding device is fixed relative to the mulcher, then the structure is simple, but it cannot dodge fence posts when operating close to them
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical weeding device is mounted on a jointed arm that provides dynamic positioning capability, allowing the device to protrude from the frame bulk to clear vegetation along the fence line and then retract to pass under fence posts without obstruction, resolving the contradiction between maintaining obstacle navigation ability and keeping the structure relatively simple.
4Adaptability or versatility
If hydraulic motors are directly connected to the vehicle, then power transmission is simple, but it constrains the relative movements between devices
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is segmented into separate circuits for the mulcher and mechanical weeding device, with independent hydraulic motors for each. This allows each device to move and operate independently without constraining the other, while the segmented hydraulic architecture manages complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
A single hydraulic circuit from the vehicle powers multiple independent functions through separate hydraulic motors. The hydraulic system is designed to provide universal power distribution to both the mulcher and weeding device, enabling independent operation of each component while maintaining system-wide hydraulic integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine effectively clears vegetation along fences and rows by adapting to terrain undulations and navigating around obstacles, ensuring efficient operation with various vehicle systems, thus addressing the limitations of conventional machines.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic circuit on board the machine to actuate the first and second hydraulic motors, the hydraulic circuit comprising a first delivery branch to actuate the first hydraulic motor and a second delivery branch connected to the first delivery branch by means of a flow diverter
Implementation Method 2
a roller, which is supported by said frame in a rotatable manner parallel to said axis and which is configured to be arranged in contact with the ground
Data Source
AI summary
A vegetation management machine for clearing the ground along a fence or a row has a connecting device, which is configured to connect a vehicle to move the machine forward along a given path and which has a coupling to mechanically connect the connecting device to the vehicle; a support structure selectively connectable to a mulcher; and an articulated arm extending from the support structure to support a mechanical weeding device independently of the mulcher and to allow the mechanical weeding device to be moved between a position wherein it falls within the mulcher bulk and a position wherein it protrudes from the mulcher in relation to the forward direction.