Electric Mower Housing With Offset Ventilation Holes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing housings for electric mowers face challenges in securing both ventilation and waterproofing properties, as water ingress can lead to failures or malfunctions when the machine is exposed to wind, rain, or washing.

Innovation Solution

A housing design with offset outer and inner holes, featuring a gutter member that forms a secondary enclosed space, allowing air circulation while preventing water entry through the inner hole, using a gutter member disposed over two adjacent outer circumferential plates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If openings are formed in the outer circumferential plates for ventilation, then heat dissipation is improved, but water can enter the housing causing failures or malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidwater ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into multiple enclosed spaces (first enclosed space for electronics, second enclosed space for water collection) separated by the gutter member. This segmentation allows ventilation openings to exist while preventing water from reaching the electronic components through the offset hole configuration and water drainage path design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gutter member acts as an intermediary element between the outer surface and the electronic components. It provides a water drainage function while allowing the ventilation openings to remain open, mediating between the need for heat dissipation and water protection by directing water away from the housing interior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a complex waterproofing mechanism is added to prevent water ingress, then waterproof property is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaterproof propertyVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the entire housing complex and waterproof, only specific local areas are protected. The gutter member and offset hole configuration provide localized waterproofing at critical entry points while maintaining simplicity in the overall housing structure and other non-critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure itself provides waterproofing through its geometric design (offset holes, gutter member configuration) rather than requiring additional active waterproofing mechanisms. The structure serves its own waterproofing function through passive geometric features that guide water away from vulnerable areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

The design effectively secures ventilation and waterproofing properties with a simple configuration, ensuring the operation accuracy of electronic components and maintaining excellent mowing performance.

Implementation Method 1

water which has entered the second enclosed space from the outer holes is easily passed through the enclosed space of the gutter member and discharged from the outer holes to the outside of the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3788857B1Housing and electric mower
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3788857B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3788857B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3788857B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A housing holding parts includes a plurality of outer circumferential plates 6 connected with each other to form a first enclosed space, one or more of the outer circumferential plates 6 having a total of two or more outer holes 8 formed therein, and a gutter member 7 connected to at least two outer circumferential plates 6, the gutter member 7 having an inner hole 9 formed therein, wherein a second enclosed space is formed by the outer circumferential plates 6 and the gutter member 7, the outer holes 8 communicate with the second enclosed space, and the inner hole 9 is provided to be offset from each of the lines passing through each of the outer holes 8 which are perpendicular to the outer circumferential plates 6 in which the outer holes 8 are formed.