Pivotable Undercutting Knives for Root Ball Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing root ball undercutting and lifting devices are large, heavy, and inflexible, requiring significant resources and labor to adjust for different plant sizes and shapes, and are not easily adaptable to various carrier vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A root ball undercutting device with pivotably mounted undercutting knives about two horizontal axes, allowing for semi-automatic adjustment and easy adaptation to different root ball sizes and shapes, featuring a simple and robust design with interchangeable knives and a compact structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the undercutting knives are dimensioned for maximum performance, then the device can handle large root balls, but the device becomes large and heavy requiring a large carrier vehicle and larger area operation
Solution Approach 1:
The undercutting knives are made pivotable about two horizontal axes, allowing dynamic adjustment of the knife position and orientation. This enables a single device to adapt to different root ball sizes by changing the knife configuration rather than requiring multiple fixed-size devices
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows changing operational parameters (knife position, angle, and configuration) to match different root ball dimensions. The semi-automatic adjustment system modifies these parameters based on the selected root ball size, enabling one device to perform multiple sizes effectively
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device is designed for universal use with different carrier vehicles, then adaptability improves, but device complexity and conversion work increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with a standardized mounting system that can be universally attached to different carrier vehicles without requiring vehicle-specific modifications. The pivotable knife mechanism serves multiple functions for different root ball types, reducing the need for specialized configurations
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable mechanisms are added to change knife position, then adaptability to different root ball sizes improves, but device complexity and failure risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-pivot mechanism allows the undercutting knife to be dynamically repositioned through controlled movement about two horizontal axes. This dynamic adjustment system replaces complex interchangeable parts with a streamlined mechanism that reduces failure points while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The two pivot axes are integrated into a unified mounting structure that combines position adjustment and angle adjustment functions. This merging of adjustment functions into a single integrated system reduces the number of separate components and potential failure points compared to multiple independent adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for undercutting and removing root balls, comprising at least one undercutting blade (11, 21) that is mounted to pivot about a first pivot axis A, A" in a pivot bearing receiving portion (12, 22), wherein the position of said pivot bearing receiving portion (12, 22) can be altered and the at least one undercutting blade (11, 21) is mounted adjacently to said pivot bearing receiving portion (12, 22) such that it can pivot about a second pivot axis B, B".