Mower Guide Member for Redirecting Balls From Wheels and Blade

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mowers fail to prevent wheels from moving up on scattered objects, leading to damage and inefficiency in ground maintenance operations.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of a rotatable and inclinable guide member that redirects objects away from the mower's blade and wheels, allowing simultaneous grass mowing and object collection by a separate collector unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a cover is provided to protect balls from blade damage, then ball protection is improved, but the cover becomes complex and cannot prevent wheels from moving up on balls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveball protection from bladeVSAvoidcover structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective function is divided into two separate components: a guide member that prevents wheels from moving up on balls, and a cover that protects balls from blade damage. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently without requiring a complex integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member acts as an intermediary element between the wheels and the balls, redirecting balls away from the wheel path before they can be moved up. This intermediary prevents the harmful interaction without requiring the cover to perform the wheel-protection function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the mower operates on ground with scattered balls, then grass mowing can proceed, but wheels move up on balls causing damage and operational inefficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrass mowing efficiencyVSAvoidwheel impact on balls
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide member performs a preliminary action by redirecting balls away from the wheel path before the wheels can reach them. This preliminary redirection prevents the harmful wheel-ball interaction, allowing the mower to operate efficiently on ground with scattered balls without causing damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If separate collection operations are performed before mowing, then balls are removed from ground, but total operation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveball removal from groundVSAvoidtotal ground maintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The protective function against balls is merged into the mowing operation itself through the guide member, eliminating the need for separate pre-collection operations. The guide member continuously prevents wheel-ball interactions during mowing, allowing both functions to occur simultaneously rather than sequentially, thus reducing total operation time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member provides continuous automatic protection against balls during the mowing operation without requiring separate collection operations. The system serves itself by integrating the protective function into the primary mowing task, eliminating wasted time from sequential operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4098098B1Mower, ground maintenance system and ground maintenance method
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 YAMABIKO CORP
  • EP4098098B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4098098B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4098098B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A mower (10A; 10B) includes a first traveling unit (20) which travels on a ground (2), a first operating unit (30) which is joined to the first traveling unit (20) and includes a blade (31) which mows grass on the ground (2), and a guide member (41; 43; 44) provided in front of the first traveling unit (20). While the first traveling unit (20) travels forward, balls (objects) on the ground (2) and in contact with the guide member (41; 43; 44) move along the guide member (41; 43; 44).