Automatic Mower Auxiliary Trimming for Safe Boundary Cutting

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic mowers cannot completely trim boundaries around their working areas while ensuring safety, due to the high-speed rotating blades that pose a risk of injury.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an auxiliary cutting unit with a limited cutting energy, such as a trimmer line or pruning shears, that can extend to flush with the mower's housing, and using sensors like infrared, ultrasonic, or image identification to detect objects and switch between normal and obstacle working modes to prevent harm.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a high-speed rotating blade is used on the cutter head, then cutting efficiency is improved, but safety risk increases and boundary trimming capability deteriorates due to large protection distance requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting system is divided into two independent parts: a main cutting unit with high-speed rotating blades for efficient bulk cutting, and an auxiliary cutting unit with low-speed or non-rotating cutting elements (trimmer line, pruning shears) for boundary trimming. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different cutting mechanisms are applied to different spatial zones: the main cutting unit handles the central working area where high productivity is needed, while the auxiliary cutting unit handles the boundary area where safety and complete trimming are priorities. Each zone receives the appropriate cutting technology for its requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a large protection distance is maintained for the high-speed blade, then safety is improved, but boundary trimming completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidboundary trimming completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting system is divided into two independent parts: a main cutting unit with high-speed rotating blades for efficient bulk cutting, and an auxiliary cutting unit with low-speed or non-rotating cutting elements (trimmer line, pruning shears) for boundary trimming. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The auxiliary cutting unit acts as an intermediary between the high-speed main cutting unit and the boundary area. It performs the final boundary trimming task that the main unit cannot safely complete, mediating between the need for efficient cutting and the requirement for safe boundary operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If the auxiliary cutting unit extends to flush with the housing for complete boundary trimming, then boundary trimming capability is improved, but risk of damage to objects or mower increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboundary trimming capabilityVSAvoidrisk of damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting parameters of the auxiliary unit are fundamentally changed from high-speed rotation to low-speed or non-rotating operation with limited cutting energy. This parameter change allows the cutting element to extend to the housing boundary for complete trimming while reducing the harmful factors to acceptable levels that won't cause significant damage to objects or the mower.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Different cutting mechanisms are applied to different spatial zones: the main cutting unit handles the central working area where high productivity is needed, while the auxiliary cutting unit handles the boundary area where safety and complete trimming are priorities. Each zone receives the appropriate cutting technology for its requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables complete boundary trimming while ensuring the safety of the mower and preventing damage to objects or the mower itself by adjusting the cutting mode based on detected objects.

Implementation Method 1

sensors like infrared, ultrasonic, or image identification to detect objects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

sensors like infrared, ultrasonic, or image identification to detect objects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic detection: Ultrasound

Data Source

PatentEP3858128B1Automatic mower, method and apparatus for operating and controlling same, and electronic device

Publication Date: 2024.09.04 POSITEC POWER TOOLS (SUZHOU) CO LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for operating and controlling an automatic mower. The automatic mower (1) includes a main cutting unit (7) and an auxiliary cutting unit (17) for trimming. The auxiliary cutting unit (17) has a cutting range extending at least to be flush with a housing (3) of the automatic mower (1). The method includes: detecting a specific object in a normal working mode of the auxiliary cutting unit (17); determining whether the specific object is detected; switching to an obstacle working mode based on at least the specific object being detected; and maintaining the normal working mode of the auxiliary cutting unit (17) based on at least the specific object being not detected.