Low-Energy Blade System Quick-Attach Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lawn mowers require significant torque and energy to rotate heavy mower blades, resulting in loud operation due to the need for large engines.
Innovation Solution
A low-energy blade system featuring a shell with quick-attach mechanisms and a mounting plate that allows for easy attachment and detachment of smaller cutting blades, utilizing a battery-powered electric motor for reduced weight and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If thick heavy metal blades are used for cutting, then cutting effectiveness is improved, but torque and energy requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cutting function into multiple separate cutting blades instead of using a single thick heavy blade. Each blade is thinner and lighter, but collectively they provide sufficient cutting effectiveness. The mounting plate with multiple blade receptacles enables this segmented approach, allowing the system to achieve cutting power through multiple light blades rather than one heavy blade.
2Power
If large combustion engines are used to produce high torque, then blade rotation capability is improved, but noise levels increase requiring hearing protection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters of the power system by replacing high-torque combustion engines with low-torque electric motors. This parameter change is made possible by the reduced blade mass, allowing the system to achieve the same cutting function with significantly lower power requirements and much lower noise levels.
3Use of energy by moving object
If multiple cutting blades are used to reduce individual blade weight, then torque requirements decrease, but device complexity increases with mounting plate and quick-attach mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mounting function and blade attachment functions into an integrated mounting plate assembly. The mounting plate combines multiple blade receptacles, quick-attach mechanisms, and structural support in a single unified component, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate mechanisms for each function.
4Use of energy by moving object
If smaller lighter blades are used, then torque and energy requirements are reduced, but cutting effectiveness of individual blades decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, holds multiple blades, enables quick attachment and detachment, and distributes the cutting workload across several blades. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve effective cutting with lighter blades without requiring complex additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
A low-energy blade system having a quick-change attachment for a lawn maintenance tool is provided. The low-energy blade system requires a reduced amount of energy to rotate the blade system. The blade system includes a shell, a mounting plate attached to the shell, a plurality of quick-attach mechanisms, and a separate cutting blade attachable to each of the quick-attach mechanisms. Each quick-attach mechanism allows a cutting blade to be attached to the mounting plate without the need for external tools, such as screwdriver, wrench, ratchet, or the like.