Vegetation Removal Device With Offset Tine Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rakes and lawn tools are ineffective in simultaneously removing vegetation with roots and allowing for a full 360-degree sweeping motion, often breaking vegetation above the roots and failing to collect debris efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The development of devices with projecting structures, such as tines with flattened or circular heads, and an extraction unit with a pivotable grate, allowing for the removal and collection of vegetation with roots, including vine-based systems, across a wide range of directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rakes are used to remove vegetation, then debris can be collected, but vegetation is broken above the roots and roots remain in the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the base into multiple sections with tines arranged in different orientations (parallel rows and perpendicular rows), allowing the tines to penetrate and segment the vegetation along with its root systems, preventing the vegetation from breaking above the roots while ensuring complete removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to vegetation removal by using tines that penetrate downward into the ground to extract roots, rather than merely sweeping surface-level debris. The extraction unit with pivotable grate further enables vertical lifting motion to remove rooted vegetation from the ground
2Ease of operation
If conventional rakes are used for collecting debris, then some vegetation can be gathered, but full 360-degree sweeping motion is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction unit is designed to be pivotable relative to the base, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation during operation. This dynamic configuration enables the device to achieve full 360-degree sweeping motion while maintaining effective vegetation collection and removal capabilities throughout the entire rotation range
3Object-generated harmful factors
If vegetation is not removed with roots intact, then disposal is simpler, but vegetation regrows and spreads
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary extraction of the root systems during the vegetation removal process itself. By using tines that penetrate downward and an extraction unit that lifts vertically, the roots are removed intact along with the vegetation before disposal is needed, preventing regrowth while the collected vegetation can be disposed of as a single unit
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided for removing vegetation from ground surfaces. The device generally includes a base, multiple tines extending from the base, and a handle coupled to base for moving the base relative to a ground surface for removing vegetation from the ground surface. The tines are arranged on the base in an array comprising at least two rows, where at least one of the at least two rows is offset from at least another one of the at least two rows. In addition, each of the tines has a shaft and a generally rounded head. As such, the tines allow the device to remove the vegetation when operated in a plurality of directions and to improve grasping of the vegetation such that the vegetation may be removed from the ground surface with roots included.