Mower Protective Cover Retaining Bracket Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mowers face issues with protective cloths flapping and tearing during road transport due to their wide width exceeding maximum permissible vehicle width, leading to uneven folding and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A mower design featuring adjustable side elements with edge brackets and retaining brackets that pivot and displace to raise the protective cloth, preventing flapping and creasing, and using a retaining strap for stability, allowing the mower to be adjusted from an operating position to a transport position without exceeding vehicle width limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the mower width is increased to cultivate fields more economically, then productivity is improved, but the mower exceeds maximum permissible vehicle width for road transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefield cultivation efficiencyVSAvoidmower width
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The side protective covers are designed to be movable between a working position during mowing operations and a transport position for road travel. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the mower to maintain a wide cutting width for high productivity while complying with road transport width restrictions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The protective device is divided into modular side elements that can be independently adjusted. Each side element includes an edge bracket and retaining bracket system that can be repositioned to change the overall mower width configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the protective cover is tensioned using a pull cord during transport, then the protective flap is prevented from flapping, but the protective flap folds and creases very unevenly and the pull cord can break

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective cover stabilityVSAvoidprotective cover integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

A retaining bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the edge bracket and the protective cover. This retaining bracket provides a proper attachment point that distributes tension forces evenly across the protective cover, preventing localized stress concentrations that cause creasing and cord failure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism is designed to automatically position the retaining bracket in the holding position when the edge bracket is adjusted to the transport position, eliminating the need for separate manual tensioning operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Length of moving object

If the edge bracket is adjusted from operating position to transport position, then the mower width is reduced for road transport, but the protective cover flaps back and forth during transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemower widthVSAvoidprotective cover stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The retaining bracket is designed to dynamically transition from a basic position spaced away from the protective cover to a holding position adjacent to it, automatically engaging to prevent flapping when the mower is in transport configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism is designed so that when the edge bracket is moved to the transport position, the retaining bracket is automatically positioned in the holding position in advance, preventing protective cover flapping before transport begins

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3804493B1Mowing device with a protective device and work train with the mowing device
Publication Date: 2023.03.01 MASCHINENFABRIK BERNARD KRONE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3804493B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3804493B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)
  • EP3804493B1 patent drawingFigure 2(b)

AI summary

The present invention relates to a mower (1) with a protective device (2) which, in operation of the mower (1), delimits a working space (130) in which a mowing element (14) is guided in a ground-following manner, wherein the protective device (2) comprises a side element (21) with an adjustment mechanism (4) which has an edge bracket (45) which is adjustable from an operating position provided in operation of the mower (1) to a transport position provided during road transport of the mower (1), wherein a protective cover (200) is arranged on the edge bracket (45) which is raised in the transport position relative to the operating position, wherein the adjustment mechanism (4) also comprises a retaining bracket (41) and is configured to move the retaining bracket (41) from a basic position spaced apart from the protective cover (200) to a holding position adjacent to it when the edge bracket (45) is moved from the operating position to the transport position.The present invention also relates to a work train with a work vehicle and such a mower (1), wherein an actuating means for actuating the actuator (40) is provided in the work vehicle.