Front Mower Trapezoidal Four-Bar Kinematics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mowers for front mounting on agricultural towing vehicles face challenges in ground adjustment dynamics, particularly with heavy mowers, where ground adjustment is limited and requires high bearing weight, leading to suboptimal mowing results and increased wear and tear.

Innovation Solution

The mower employs trapezoidal four-bar kinematics with an instantaneous center located behind the mower and above the ground surface, combined with an excavation cylinder and relief cylinder, allowing for dynamic ground adaptation with low bearing weight, and a parking flap for secure parking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the mower uses front linkage coupling for ground adjustment, then the mower can be coupled to the towing vehicle, but the ground adjustment dynamics are limited and require high bearing weight

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveground adjustment capabilityVSAvoidbearing weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the four-bar linkage system, specifically positioning the instantaneous center above the ground surface and behind the mower. This parameter change transforms the ground adjustment mechanism, enabling high dynamics with low bearing weight by altering the fundamental kinematic configuration rather than simply adjusting weights or forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If heavy mowers are used, then the mowing capacity increases, but the ground adjustment dynamics deteriorate and bearing weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemowing capacityVSAvoidground adjustment dynamics
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of allowing heavy mowers to directly burden the ground through traditional linkage, the patent inverts the approach by positioning the instantaneous center above ground level. This inversion creates a leveraged mechanical advantage where the heavy mower weight is effectively utilized to achieve both high mowing capacity and superior ground adjustment dynamics simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Device complexity

If traditional four-bar kinematics is used, then the structure is simple, but the instantaneous center is below ground level reducing ground adaptation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvekinematics structureVSAvoidground adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the instantaneous center from the traditional below-ground position to an above-ground position, effectively utilizing the vertical dimension in a new way. This dimensional repositioning of the instantaneous center transforms the ground adaptation capability while maintaining the simplicity of the four-bar linkage structure, achieving better performance without increased complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2901841B1Mowing device for a front mounting on an agricultural towing vehicle
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 CLAAS SAULGAU GMBH
  • EP2901841B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2901841B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2901841B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Mower (10) for front mounting on an agricultural tractor, comprising a mounting frame (11) via which the mower can be coupled to a front linkage of an agricultural tractor, and a support frame (12) on which a mowing unit (13) is attached, wherein the support frame (12) and the mounting frame (11) are coupled to each other on the one hand via a pivot frame (18) and on the other hand via a link (19) forming a trapezoidal four-bar linkage such that the pivot frame (18) engages the support frame via a first pivot axis (20) and the mounting frame via a second pivot axis (21), and that the link (19) engages the support frame via a third pivot axis (22) and the mounting frame via a fourth pivot axis (23), wherein the trapezoidal four-bar linkage is configured as follows:that a first straight line (24) extending through the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis and a second straight line (25) extending through the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis intersect at an instantaneous center of rotation (26), which, when the mower is coupled to a front attachment of an agricultural tractor, lies behind the mower and above a ground surface to be mowed in all positions of the four-bar linkage kinematics.