Flexible Mower Guide Member for Side Protrusion Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mowers with guide members made of rigid materials protrude to the side, risking contact with obstacles during use, storage, or conveyance, and do not efficiently retract for space-saving purposes.

Innovation Solution

A mower equipped with a flexible guide member formed in a flat plate shape, coupled to the mower deck oscillatably, and a fixing mechanism that allows the guide member to be bent into a shape capable of guiding mowed grasses, with a retaining member to maintain the guide member in a non-protruding state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid guide member is used to guide mowed grasses, then the guide member maintains structural stability, but the guide member protrudes to the side and risks contact with obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcontact with obstacles

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid guide members with flexible guide members made of elastic material. The flexible guide member can elastically deform to avoid obstacles while maintaining its guiding function, eliminating the harmful effect of rigid protrusion contacting obstacles during mower operation and storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member is designed to be movable between a standing posture for guiding grasses and a folding posture for storage. The retaining mechanism dynamically switches between retaining the guide member in the standing posture during operation and releasing it to fold during storage, adapting to different operational states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If a rigid guide member is retained at standing posture, then grass discharge guidance is effective, but space is wasted during storage and conveyance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrass discharge guidanceVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible guide member can be folded back against the mower deck or nested into a compact configuration when not in use, similar to how nested dolls store within each other. This allows the guide member to occupy minimal space during storage and conveyance while maintaining full functionality during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a flexible guide member is used, then the guide member can retract to prevent side protrusion, but the guide member must be fixed to maintain guiding shape

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveside protrusion preventionVSAvoidfixing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible guide member utilizes its own elastic properties to maintain the standing posture for guiding grasses without requiring complex external fixing structures. The material's inherent elasticity provides the necessary structural support, simplifying the overall device design while preventing side protrusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member's physical state is changed from rigid to flexible by selecting elastic material with appropriate mechanical properties. This parameter change allows the guide member to both retract when needed and maintain its guiding shape through elastic recovery, eliminating the need for complex fixing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 flexible guide member can be easily retracted from a guiding shape to a flat plate shape, preventing side protrusion and allowing for efficient storage and operation without risking damage from obstacles, while maintaining effective grass discharge.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible guide member formed in a flat plate shape... in a state that the guide member is bent into a shape capable of guiding the mowed grasses

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9485909B2Mower and grass mowing machine including the same

Publication Date: 2016.11.08 KUBOTA CORP

AI summary

There is provided a mower in which a guide member does not easily protrude on the side of the mower, and a grass mowing machine including the same. A mower for discharging mowed grasses from a discharge port provided in a side part of a mower deck to an exterior of the mower deck includes a flexible rubber sheet formed in a flat plate shape, a pivot frame, support frames, and a pivot shaft for attaching the rubber sheet to the mower deck oscillatably in the up and down direction, and fixing members for fixing the rubber sheet to the mower deck in a state that the rubber sheet is bent into a shape capable of guiding the mowed grasses discharged from the discharge port.