Lawn Mower Supplemental Battery Charging Station
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Solution Overview
Problem
Homeowners and lawn care professionals face challenges in maintaining large areas as they need to frequently travel with their outdoor power units to reach distant fence lines, where supplemental tools like weed trimmers or edgers are required, but these tools often lack a convenient and efficient method for recharging their batteries while in use.
Innovation Solution
A powered outdoor machine, such as a lawn mower, equipped with a supplemental battery charging station and a rack to support battery-powered tools, which allows for simultaneous operation and recharging of these tools by utilizing an alternator or electric motor to transform voltage and charge batteries like 12V, 16V, 18V, 20V, or 48V, enabling the operator to use and recharge tools without leaving the machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional battery is used on the mower, then it can charge the battery, but the battery cannot be removed unless it needs replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is divided into two separate components: a main battery integrated into the mower for powering the engine and controls, and a removable supplemental battery for powering handheld tools. This segmentation allows the supplemental battery to be easily removed and recharged without affecting the main battery system, resolving the contradiction between removability and system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the operator travels far with the mower to reach distant fence lines, then they can perform lawn maintenance, but they are remote from their supplemental tools and cannot recharge batteries conveniently
Solution Approach 1:
The mower is equipped with a charging station that automatically recharges supplemental batteries when they are placed in the battery bay. The system uses the mower's alternator to generate electrical current that is directed to charge the supplemental batteries without requiring external power sources or manual intervention, enabling operators to recharge batteries on-demand at any location.
3Adaptability or versatility
If supplemental tools are carried separately, then they can be used for precise lawn care maintenance, but they require manual carrying and separate battery management
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the mower with supplemental handheld tools by providing a unified battery management system. The battery bay serves as both a storage rack for holding tools and a charging station for recharging batteries, combining multiple functions into a single integrated system that improves ease of operation while maintaining versatility.
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 efficient lawn maintenance by allowing operators to perform tasks like trimming around fence lines without needing to carry separate tools or recharge batteries manually, maintaining the machine's balance and ensuring tools are charged during use, thus enhancing operational efficiency and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
an alternator coupled to the engine that generates electrical current and sends the electrical current towards the terminal
Implementation Method 2
a transformer in electrical communication with the terminal and the alternator to transform the electrical current from a first voltage to a second voltage prior to exiting the terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A mower having a supplemental battery charging station mounted thereon is provided. The mower utilizes a flywheel/alternator arrangement to output a selected voltage. The voltage is directed to the supplement battery charging station. The supplemental batteries are thereby charged at the charging station as the mower is driven forward or in another direction. The lawn mower also includes a rack (which may be in the form of a hook) to carry a battery powered supplemental lawn maintenance tool, such as a weed trimmer, hedger, edger, or leaf blower, amongst others.