Multi-blade mower with selective coupling for power optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lawn mowers, particularly battery-powered models, face challenges in reducing power consumption while maintaining the quality of the cut, which affects cost and performance.
Innovation Solution
A lawn mower design featuring a blade housing with multiple blades of different types (e.g., low energy, low flow blades and high energy, high flow blades) that can be selectively coupled to a shaft via a blade coupler, allowing for different cutting performance conditions based on blade selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If battery size and charger capacity are increased to improve cutting performance, then power consumption increases, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different blade configurations based on cutting conditions. The blade coupler can selectively engage different blade sets (e.g., single blade vs. dual blades, or different blade orientations) to match the required cutting performance, allowing the mower to use only the necessary power for each specific task rather than operating at fixed high power levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes operational parameters by providing multiple blade configurations that can be selectively engaged. By altering the blade configuration (number of blades, blade type, blade orientation), the system adjusts power consumption and cutting performance parameters to match task requirements, avoiding unnecessary energy usage while maintaining adequate cutting capability.
2Power
If multiple blades are used to improve cutting performance, then power consumption increases, but if fewer blades are used, then cutting quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The blade coupler enables dynamic reconfiguration of the blade assembly based on real-time cutting conditions. The system can switch between different blade configurations (e.g., one blade vs. two blades, or different blade types) to optimize the balance between cutting quality and power consumption for each specific mowing task.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade assembly is segmented into multiple independently selectable blade units. Instead of a fixed single blade or fixed dual-blade configuration, the system divides the cutting function into separable blade elements that can be selectively engaged, allowing optimization of cutting quality versus power consumption by choosing the appropriate number and type of active blades.
3Device complexity
If battery-powered mowers are used to reduce cost and complexity, then power availability is limited, but if larger batteries are used, then cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes power delivery parameters by selectively engaging different blade configurations. By matching the blade configuration to the task requirements (e.g., using fewer blades or less aggressive blade types for light-duty work), the system reduces instantaneous power demands, allowing smaller, more cost-effective batteries to provide sufficient power for the range of intended applications.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lawn mower may include a blade housing configured to house at least a first blade and a second blade, a shaft disposed to rotate within the blade housing, a powerhead configured to selectively turn the shaft responsive to application of power from a power source, and a blade coupler configured to selectively couple the first blade and/or the second blade to the shaft to produce different cutting performance conditions based on which of the first blade and/or the second blade is operably coupled to the shaft.