Reel Mower Grass Basket Deflectable Bottom Wall
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Reel mower grass baskets often become partially filled due to clippings accumulating on a raised lip, impeding the flow of clippings and requiring more frequent stops to empty, which reduces productivity.
Innovation Solution
A grass basket with a deflectable portion actuated by an automatic mechanism that adjusts its orientation to facilitate complete filling, ensuring clippings flow into the basket without blockages, even during changes in orientation during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid plastic grass basket with a curved raised portion is used to accommodate orientation changes, then the basket can maintain structural integrity during operation, but clippings accumulate on the raised lip and block flow into the basket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the bottom wall of the grass basket deflectable rather than rigid. The bottom wall is designed to pivot about a transverse axis, changing its orientation from substantially horizontal during cutting to inclined upwardly at the front end during transport. This dynamic adjustment prevents clipping accumulation by maintaining proper flow geometry, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and filling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by altering the orientation angle of the bottom wall based on operational mode. During cutting, the bottom wall maintains a substantially horizontal orientation (0 degrees) to facilitate clipping flow. During transport, it pivots to an inclined orientation (positive angle) to prevent accumulation on the front lip. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by optimizing the geometry for each operational state.
2Reliability
If the front end of the bottom wall is raised to provide space for the front roller, then the roller can swing without hitting the basket, but the vertical size of the open mouth is constricted and clippings accumulate on the lip
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by making the front end elevation dynamic rather than static. The bottom wall pivots about a transverse axis, allowing the front end to rise only when needed (during transport when the cutting unit inclines). During cutting operations, the bottom wall remains substantially horizontal, maintaining unobstructed clipping flow into the basket while still providing roller clearance when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by using the natural orientation changes of the cutting unit during operation to automatically control the bottom wall position. When the cutting unit inclines during transport, gravity and mechanical linkage cause the bottom wall to pivot upward, creating space for the roller. During cutting, the unit returns to horizontal, and the bottom wall follows, maintaining optimal clipping flow geometry without requiring external control.
3Reliability
If the mower stops frequently to empty partially filled baskets, then clipping blockages are removed, but productivity and continuous operation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by ensuring the grass basket remains open and receptive to clippings throughout the entire mowing operation. The deflectable bottom wall continuously adjusts to maintain proper clipping flow geometry, preventing blockages before they occur. This eliminates the need for intermittent stopping to empty baskets, thereby maintaining continuous productive operation while reliably preventing clipping accumulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A reel mower has a traction frame which carries one or more reel cutting units. Each cutting unit has a grass basket associated therewith for receiving and collecting grass clippings generated by operation of the cutting unit. Each grass basket has a forward portion of a bottom wall thereof formed by a piece of flexible material. An actuator is operatively engaged with the flexible material piece for lifting a front end of the flexible material piece upwardly relative to a rear end of the flexible material piece in response to changes in orientation between the cutting unit and the grass basket during operation of the mower to incline the flexible material piece and thereby promote the flow of grass clippings down the so inclined flexible material piece to more fully fill the grass basket.