Mid-mount mower lift link connection mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mid-mount mowers face difficulties in facilitating automated connection between the vehicle body and mower unit, particularly in limited spaces, requiring high precision and skill, which restricts the use of conventional lift link mechanisms and complicates the connection process.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a mid-mount mower design that includes a lift link mechanism with a front link and rear link, an intermediate structure for mediating the connection between the mower unit and the lift link mechanism, and a guide face to align the engaging portions for automatic connection, allowing for the use of conventional lift link mechanisms and reducing the need for high precision alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated connection is implemented between vehicle body and mower unit, then connection efficiency is improved, but positioning precision requirements increase and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connection mechanism with guide plates and engagement protrusions that act as intermediaries between the vehicle body and mower unit. The guide plates provide automatic alignment during the connection process, reducing the need for high-precision manual positioning while enabling automated connection. This intermediary structure mediates the connection process, allowing efficient automated attachment without demanding extreme positioning accuracy from the operators.
2Extent of automation
If automated connection mechanism is added to lift link mechanism, then connection automation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: guide plates attached to the vehicle body, engagement protrusions on the mower unit, and locking mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while achieving automation. The modular approach reduces complexity by breaking down the automated connection process into manageable, standardized parts that can be manufactured and assembled separately.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional lift link mechanism is preserved, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability to automated connection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is designed with universal features that allow it to work with conventional lift link mechanisms while enabling automated connection capabilities. The guide plates and engagement protrusions are designed to interface with standard mounting points on existing lift link mechanisms, allowing the same basic structure to serve both traditional manual operations and automated connection processes. This multi-functionality maintains ease of manufacture by兼容ing with existing designs while adding automated capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A mid-mount mower has a mower unit mounted under a vehicle body between front wheels and rear wheels. The mower includes a lift link mechanism having a front link and a rear link, an intermediate structure interconnecting one end of the front link and one end of the rear link via a pivot axis, a blade housing having an engaged portion engageable with an engaging potion of the intermediate structure and a guide face configured to guide the engaging portion ad the engaged portion to an engaging position so as to establish connection between the blade housing placed on a ground surface and the intermediate structure in association with a movement of the vehicle body in a front/rear direction.