Lawn Rake Capture Structure for Small Debris Collection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lawn rakes are inefficient in collecting small leaves and debris that pass through or embed in the grass, requiring multiple strokes and being cumbersome due to flexible tines that stir up leaves rather than collecting them effectively.

Innovation Solution

A lawn rake attachment with a capture structure that spans the width of the rake, positioned behind the tine structure to intercept and collect airborne leaves, increasing the efficiency of each raking stroke by holding leaves at its surface during the forward raking motion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional lawn rakes with flexible tines are used, then the rake can move smoothly over the lawn surface, but the flexible tines slide over embedded small leaves and stir them up instead of collecting them effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmooth movement over lawn surfaceVSAvoidcollection efficiency of small leaves

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The rake head is divided into two functional segments: flexible tines for smooth operation and a rigid capture structure with scraping surface for effective leaf collection. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The capture structure acts as an intermediary between the flexible tines and the ground, intercepting leaves that the tines cannot collect and providing a rigid scraping surface to prevent leaf re-deposition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If multiple raking strokes are used to collect small leaves, then more leaves can be gathered, but the process becomes more time consuming and cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of leaves collectedVSAvoidnumber of strokes required

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The capture structure is positioned to preliminarily intercept leaves as they are stirred up by the tines, preventing them from falling back to the ground before the rake completes its stroke, thus collecting leaves in a single pass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The capture structure maintains continuous contact with the ground throughout the raking stroke, ensuring that leaves are continuously intercepted and held on the scraping surface without interruption or re-deposition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the rake tines are made flexible to navigate grass blades, then the rake can operate without damaging the lawn, but the tines cannot effectively sweep embedded leaves from the grass surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelawn damage preventionVSAvoidleaf collection effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If a multiple-row tine configuration is used to improve small leaf collection, then more leaves can be intercepted, but the device complexity and operator effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmall leaf collection capabilityVSAvoidrake structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding multiple rows of tines, the invention extracts the leaf collection function from the tines themselves and places it on a separate capture structure with a continuous scraping surface, simplifying the overall design while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8689533B2Lawn rake attachment and lawn rake for small debris

Publication Date: 2014.04.08 ABUGHAZALEH FIRAS NAJEH

AI summary

A lawn rake or lawn rake attachment provides a capture structure which cooperates with the tines of a lawn rake to increase the collection of small leaves and debris with each stroke of the rake. More specifically, the capture structure provides a broad surface preferably spanning the width of the rake and positioned an effective distance trailing behind the rake tine structure. In operation of the lawn rake equipped with the capture structure, during the course of a stroke of the rake the rake tines stir up the small leaves in or on the lawn grass. The stirring-up action propels the leaves a distance up above the ground before they fall back on the rake stroke trail. The trailing rake capture structure intercepts the airborne leaves and holds them at its surface while the rake is in a forward raking motion.