Floating Mower Deck Actuator With Movable Stop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mower deck actuators lack the ability to float over obstacles, leading to stress and potential damage when encountering uneven terrain, and disrupt cutting operations.
Innovation Solution
A floating actuator system that allows the mower deck to freely rise over obstacles while preventing downward movement, using a deck actuator assembly with a frame, actuator shafts, and control stops to manage longitudinal movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mower deck is raised to avoid contact with the ground at high speeds, then the mower can travel between jobsites, but the deck actuator experiences stress and potential damage when encountering uneven terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system transitions from a static, fixed-position mechanism to a dynamic, floating mechanism. The control stop is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically in response to terrain changes. This enables the actuator to float upward over obstacles while maintaining control, preventing stress concentration and potential damage to the actuator components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the control stop along the actuator shaft. By allowing the control stop to move to different positions on the shaft, the system can adjust the effective length and positioning of the actuator mechanism. This parameter change enables the deck to rise over obstacles while the actuator maintains appropriate tension and avoids excessive stress.
2Productivity
If the mower deck is raised over obstacles, then continuous cutting operations can be maintained, but existing actuators lack the ability to float freely causing disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The control stop is designed to move dynamically along the actuator shaft in response to terrain changes. This dynamic positioning allows the actuator to float freely upward over obstacles without requiring complex active control systems. The simplicity of the movable stop mechanism enables continuous cutting operations while avoiding the need for sophisticated sensor-based control systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If the control stop is fixed to limit actuator shaft movement, then the deck height can be controlled, but the actuator cannot accommodate terrain variations
Solution Approach 1:
The control stop transitions from a fixed position to a movable position on the actuator shaft. This dynamic configuration allows the system to maintain precise deck height control under normal conditions while automatically adapting to terrain variations. The movable stop can shift its position along the shaft to accommodate upward movement over obstacles, providing both precision and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the control stop parameter (position along the shaft) to change dynamically. This parameter change enables the actuator to maintain effective height control while adapting to terrain variations. The movable control stop can adjust its longitudinal position to accommodate both precise height maintenance and terrain adaptability requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A mower includes a chassis, a tractive element coupled to the chassis, a mower deck coupled to the chassis and including a cutting element, and a deck actuator assembly configured to raise the mower deck relative to the chassis. The deck actuator assembly includes a frame, a first actuator shaft coupled to the mower deck and slidably coupled to the frame, a second actuator shaft coupled to the chassis and slidably coupled to the chassis, a stop slidably coupled to the first actuator shaft and configured to (a) limit movement of the first actuator shaft in a first direction and (b) permit movement of the first actuator shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction, and an actuator configured to reposition the stop relative to the frame.