Lawn Mower Blade with Offset Cleaning Edge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional lawn mowers require significant energy and torque to rotate heavy blades, leading to high noise levels and inefficient energy use.

Innovation Solution

A high-efficiency lawn maintenance tool with a lightweight, battery-powered design and a unique blade configuration featuring alternating cleaning and cutting blades, which reduces airflow resistance and power requirements by operating at lower revolutions per minute, allowing for a 50% reduction in airflow generation compared to standard mowers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional heavy metal blades are used to ensure durability and cutting effectiveness, then the blade can maintain structural strength, but the energy consumption and noise level increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade structural strengthVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is constructed from composite materials combining a rigid core structure with lighter outer layers, providing necessary strength and durability while significantly reducing overall blade weight and rotational inertia, thereby lowering energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The blade is divided into multiple functional segments including cutting edges, cleaning portions, and structural supports, allowing each segment to be optimized for its specific function while reducing the overall mass required for structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If traditional heavy blades rotate at high speeds to achieve effective cutting, then the cutting performance is improved, but the torque requirements and engine size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting performanceVSAvoidtorque requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The blade design changes the rotational dynamics parameters by reducing moment of inertia through lightweight construction, enabling effective cutting at lower rotational speeds and reducing the torque required to accelerate and maintain blade rotation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The blade incorporates dynamic balancing features and flexible mounting that allow it to adapt its rotational characteristics, maintaining cutting effectiveness across a range of lower speeds while minimizing peak torque demands on the power source

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If traditional blades are designed to cut grass effectively, then the cutting function is achieved, but the airflow resistance and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrass cutting effectivenessVSAvoidairflow resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The blade design incorporates three-dimensional airflow management features including curved surfaces and strategic openings that redirect air flow along the blade path, reducing turbulence and drag while maintaining cutting effectiveness

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

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning blade portions are designed to utilize the natural airflow generated during cutting to self-clean debris from the blade surface, converting the potentially harmful effect of debris accumulation into a beneficial self-maintaining feature that reduces energy loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP3691438B1High-efficiency lawn maintenance tool and high-efficiency cutting blade
Publication Date: 2023.06.14 MTD PRODUCTS INC
  • EP3691438B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3691438B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3691438B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A high-efficiency blade for a lawn maintenance tool includes a central axis and a mounting portion located on the central axis. The high-efficiency blade includes a cutting blade and a cutting blade sharpened leading edge. A cleaning blade is vertically offset from the cutting blade and is configured to mulch the associated clippings from vegetation and reduce an associated accumulation of clippings on an underside of an associated mower deck. The lawn maintenance tool can also include a deck having a separation distance between the cleaning blade and an underside of the deck. The deck can include an elevation change to vary the separation distance. The deck and high-efficiency blade can also include a forward or rearward tilt.