Plant Cutting Unit With Independent Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutting devices for plants, particularly for beets, face issues with inconsistent cutting heights due to varying beet sizes, leading to unintentional displacement and inadequate contact, resulting in inefficient harvesting.
Innovation Solution
A cutting device with adjustable holding elements that allow independent adjustment relative to each other, independent of the cutting device frame, enabling precise cutting height control and force adjustment, using mechanisms like parallelogram guides and spring elements to maintain optimal sensing and cutting element alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cutting with scissors or hand shears is used, then the device is simple to operate, but it requires manual strength and is unsuitable for large numbers of plants
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting device is divided into distinct functional modules: a support unit with support members, a cutting unit with cutting members, and a drive unit with drive members. Each module performs a specific function, allowing the system to handle large numbers of plants efficiently while maintaining operational simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members are configured to hold multiple plants simultaneously, and the cutting members are arranged to cut multiple plants in a single operation. This multi-functional capability allows the device to process large numbers of plants without requiring multiple separate cutting actions, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple cutting members are used to cut multiple plants, then productivity increases, but the device complexity and difficulty of cleaning increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting members are designed to be easily removable from the cutting device. This extraction capability allows for simple cleaning and maintenance of multiple cutting members without requiring disassembly of the entire device, thereby maintaining ease of cleaning while enabling high productivity through multiple cutting members.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members and cutting members are configured to facilitate easy access and cleaning. The modular design with easily removable components allows the system to maintain itself through simple cleaning operations, reducing the complexity burden that would otherwise accompany multiple cutting members.
3Productivity
If cutting members are positioned close together to cut multiple plants, then productivity increases, but plants may become entangled and cut incorrectly
Solution Approach 1:
Each cutting member is associated with specific support members that position individual plants at precise locations. This local quality control ensures that even though multiple cutting members operate in close proximity, each plant is held and cut at the correct position and orientation, preventing entanglement and ensuring accurate cutting while maintaining high productivity.
4Productivity
If a motor-driven system is used to automate cutting, then productivity increases, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive members are configured to move the support members and cutting members in a coordinated dynamic motion. This dynamic system allows automation of the cutting process for high productivity while using simple mechanical motion patterns that can be driven by basic motors, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite the gain in automation and productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cutting device (40) for cutting plants. The cutting device comprises at least one cutting unit (41) which has at least one probe element (21), fastened to a holding element (13), for determining an extent of a plant, at least one cutting element (22), fastened to a further holding element (11), for cutting the plant depending on the extent, and at least two frame coupling elements (4, 6). Here, at least one of the holding elements (11, 13) is coupled to a cutting device frame (1) by the frame coupling elements (4, 6). The holding elements (11, 13) are arranged movably relative to one another. The cutting device comprises an adjusting device (42) which is configured to adjust the holding elements (11, 13) relative to one another independently of a movement of at least one of the holding elements (11, 13) relative to the cutting device frame (1).