Foldable Cutting Head for Agricultural Machinery Width Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutting and mowing machines occupy excessive space during storage and transportation due to their fixed width, violating road regulations and requiring large depots, and they lack the ability to operate efficiently in confined spaces.
Innovation Solution
A cutting/mowing machine with a divided and foldable cutting head, comprising hinged sections that can rotate to reduce overall width, featuring a cardan connection to the tractor or harvester, fluid-dynamic cylinders for section movement, and quick couplings for synchronized motion transmission between sections, allowing the machine to be compacted and used in semi-closed positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cutting head is made with a fixed width to optimize operating performance, then the machine can efficiently process areas with optimal width (approximately 6m), but the machine occupies excessive space during storage and transportation, violating road regulations and requiring large depots
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting head is divided into multiple independent sections (first section, second section, third section) that can be folded relative to each other. Each section maintains its structural integrity while allowing the overall width to be reduced during transport by folding the sections together, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining optimal operating width and reducing storage/transport volume
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting head transitions from a static fixed-width structure to a dynamic foldable structure. The sections are connected through hinges and folding mechanisms that allow the width to be adjusted between an extended position for optimal operation and a folded position for compact storage and transport, enabling the machine to adapt its dimensions based on operational needs
2Volume of moving object
If the cutting head width is reduced to comply with road regulations and reduce storage space, then the machine can circulate on roads and be stored in smaller depots, but the machine requires more passes to process areas, reducing operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable cutting head allows dynamic adjustment of width between transport mode (reduced width for road compliance and compact storage) and operation mode (extended width of approximately 6m for optimal productivity). This dynamic transformation eliminates the need to compromise between storage efficiency and operational efficiency, as the machine can optimize its dimensions for each specific phase
3Ease of manufacture
If the cutting head is designed as a fixed structure, then the machine is simpler in design and easier to manufacture, but it cannot operate efficiently in confined spaces or be compacted for transport
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the cutting head into modular sections with standardized connections simplifies the manufacturing of individual components while enabling the overall structure to be folded for compact transport and deployed for operation in various spaces, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while significantly improving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of folding mechanisms transforms the rigid fixed structure into a dynamic adjustable structure, allowing the cutting head to adapt its width for different operational scenarios including confined spaces, while the modular segmented design ensures that the complexity added is manageable and manufacturable
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 can be halved in width when folded, enabling easier road circulation and storage, and allows operation in limited spaces by utilizing only some sections, optimizing space usage and reducing the number of passes required for area processing.
Implementation Method 1
cardan connection to the power takeoff of the tractor or harvester
Implementation Method 2
fluid-dynamic cylinders for section movement
Data Source
Figure 1~1c
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
AI summary
The invention is a cutting/mowing machine with sectioned and foldable cutting head, wherein the cutting head (A) is divided into at least two sections (A1, A2, A3) hinged to one another, each provided with a corresponding cutting unit (B1, B2, B3) and an auger (C1, C2, C3), wherein at least one section (A1) is anchored to the tractor or the harvester and comprises at least one cardan connection (E), and wherein at least one section (A2, A3) is moveable, being suited to be rotated substantially by 180° with respect to said fixed section (Al) from an open operating position, in which all of said sections (A1, A2, A3) are substantially aligned crosswise with respect to the advance direction of the machine, to a closed folded position, in which at least one of said moveable sections (A2, A3) is rotated with respect to the other, in order to reduce the overall width of the cutting head (A), as said moveable section (A2, A3) substantially overlaps said fixed section (A1).