Mowing Vehicle Automated Height and Blade Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current mowing vehicles require drivers to manually adjust the mower unit height and control the mowing blade based on driving conditions, which increases operational burden.
Innovation Solution
A mowing vehicle equipped with a travel driving mechanism, raising/lowering mechanism, mowing blade driving mechanism, and control systems that automatically adjust the mower unit height and mowing blade operation based on detected traveling and mower unit states, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control of mower unit height and mowing blade is used, then the driver has full control over operations, but the operational burden on the driver increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mowing vehicle system performs self-adjustment of mower unit height and mowing blade operation based on detected driving conditions. The control portion automatically raises/lowers the mower unit and activates/stops the mowing blade without requiring manual driver intervention, allowing the system to serve itself according to detected states.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses detection portions to continuously monitor driving conditions and mower unit state, then feeds this information back to the control portion which automatically adjusts operations. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables automated height adjustment and blade control based on real-time driving conditions.
2Extent of automation
If automated control is implemented to reduce driver burden, then operational automation increases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management portion serves multiple functions: it receives detection results from both the traveling state detection portion and mower unit state detection portion, determines appropriate driving conditions, and generates comprehensive control instructions for both the raising/lowering control portion and mowing blade driving control portion. This multi-functional design consolidates control logic into a single management portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system merges the management portion that coordinates both mower unit height control and mowing blade operation control into a unified automated control architecture. By combining these control functions under one management portion, the system reduces overall complexity compared to having separate independent control systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mower unit height is frequently adjusted between operation height and non-operation height, then adaptability to driving conditions improves, but the mechanical wear on the raising/lowering mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively raises the mower unit to non-operation height when detecting that the vehicle will be stopped or moved to non-mowing areas, and lowers it to operation height in advance when approaching mowing areas. This preliminary action prevents unnecessary height adjustments during operation, reducing mechanical wear while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically adjusts mower unit height based on real-time driving conditions detected by the detection portions. The raising/lowering mechanism operates dynamically only when condition changes warrant height adjustment, rather than continuous operation, thereby extending mechanism lifespan while maintaining adaptability to varying driving scenarios.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A mowing vehicle that includes: a raising/lowering control portion (59) that changes the height of the mower unit with respect to the ground between an operation height and a non-operation height, and a management portion (55) that provides control instructions to the raising/lowering control portion (59) and a mowing blade driving control portion (58) based on a result of detection performed by a traveling state detection portion (7).