Interlocking Grapple Jaws for Complete, Low-Impact Tree Waste Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grapples damage the ground and grass while collecting tree waste debris, particularly failing to grasp smaller debris effectively.
Innovation Solution
A grapple arrangement with a bottom jaw and top jaw designed to grasp debris of all sizes, featuring interlocking teeth and a drive mechanism for pivoting, along with a brush head to facilitate complete collection without ground damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a traditional grapple with a scoop-shaped bottom jaw is used to collect tree waste debris, then large pieces of debris can be grasped and collected, but smaller objects such as small branches or twigs fall through the grapple jaws and are not collected
Solution Approach 1:
The grapple jaw is segmented into multiple fingers or tines that can independently move and adapt to debris of various sizes. This segmentation allows small twigs and branches to be captured between the fingers while still maintaining the ability to grasp large logs and trunks, eliminating the need for additional manual collection efforts.
Solution Approach 2:
The grapple jaw incorporates movable fingers or tines that can dynamically adjust their position and spacing. When closed, the fingers converge to trap small debris; when open, they spread to accommodate large objects. This dynamic adjustment enables the grapple to effectively collect tree waste debris of all sizes in a single operation.
2Quantity of substance
If a grapple with a bottom jaw functioning like a scoop or shovel is used to get under debris and dig debris out of the ground, then tree waste debris can be collected, but the surrounding ground, grass, and other non-debris are dug or torn up
Solution Approach 1:
The grapple jaw features localized collection points with fingers or tines concentrated at the front edge, while the rear portion maintains a smoother, less aggressive profile. This local quality differentiation allows the front to effectively engage and lift debris from the ground without the entire jaw structure digging into or tearing up the surrounding ground and grass.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful digging function is extracted from the main jaw body and replaced with a specialized front edge design featuring closely spaced fingers or tines. This extracted design provides the necessary lifting capability for debris collection while eliminating the ground-tearing effect of a traditional scoop-shaped jaw.
3Strength
If a grapple is designed to grasp and collect larger objects such as tree trunks, logs, large branches, and rocks, then these large objects can be effectively collected, but smaller objects such as small branches or twigs are not grasped by the grapple jaws
Solution Approach 1:
The grapple jaw is divided into multiple segments or fingers that can independently flex and conform to the object being grasped. This segmentation provides both the structural strength to hold large objects like tree trunks and the fine detail capability to trap small twigs and branches in the spaces between fingers, achieving both large and small object collection simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A grapple arrangement to collect tree waste debris and similar debris includes a bottom jaw, a top jaw, and a drive arrangement. Each of the top jaw and the bottom jaw is designed to grasp and collect tree waste debris and similar debris of all sizes to minimize manual collection of branches, twigs, and other smaller tree waste debris and similar debris with minimal impact or damage to the surrounding ground, grass, and other environmental objects or structures.