Reciprocating Golf Green Hole Cutter with Integrated Soil Expulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hole cutters for golf greens are inefficient, taking several minutes to cut holes and require manual labor for soil expulsion, and are often cumbersome and not designed for long-term outdoor use.
Innovation Solution
A device with a cutting cylinder driven by a weight propulsion system that reciprocally strikes a cutting cylinder into the ground, combined with a soil expulsion piston mechanism, allowing for rapid hole cutting and soil removal, and a compact design for ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional hole cutter uses a combination of twisting and pushing on a circular-cylindrical cutting blade, then the hole can be cut, but the process takes several minutes to finalize
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through a reciprocating cutting motion. The cutting blade moves back and forth rapidly in a reciprocating manner, creating vibration that accelerates the cutting process through the soil. This vibrational cutting mechanism significantly reduces the time required to cut a hole compared to conventional continuous pushing and twisting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through the reciprocating motion of the cutting blade. The blade performs repeated cycles of forward cutting strokes and backward reset strokes, creating a periodic cutting action that efficiently removes soil. This periodic reciprocating motion allows the cutting process to be completed in seconds rather than minutes.
2Reliability
If the device is made sturdy for reliable outdoor operation, then reliability improves, but the device becomes heavy and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the device into separate functional components: a lightweight handheld operating mechanism and a separate heavier power source or support structure. The cutting mechanism itself is kept compact and manageable in weight, while reliability is achieved through the robustness of individual components rather than overall device mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a purely mechanical handheld cutter to a system that incorporates powered or assisted cutting mechanisms. By adding a power dimension (motorized or hydraulically assisted cutting), the device achieves reliable performance without requiring the operator to manually apply excessive force, thereby reducing the perceived weight and bulk requirements.
3Device complexity
If the soil cylinder is expelled manually via a lever, then the mechanism is simple, but the process is time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous useful action by integrating the soil expulsion function into the same reciprocating mechanism used for cutting. As the cutting blade reciprocates, the same or a coupled mechanism continuously pushes the cut soil cylinder outward, eliminating the need for a separate manual expulsion step. This continuous action reduces the total time required for both cutting and soil removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cutting and soil expulsion functions into a single integrated mechanism. The reciprocating motion that drives the cutting blade forward also simultaneously pushes the soil cylinder outward during the return stroke. By combining these two functions into one mechanical action, the device eliminates the need for separate manual operations, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device can cut a golf-type hole in less than 10 seconds, is lightweight for easy handling, and maintains reliability under outdoor conditions, significantly reducing the time and effort required for hole cutting and soil expulsion.
Implementation Method 1
a weight propulsion device, arranged to propel the weight reciprocally along said weight path between said first endpoint and said second endpoint so that the weight strikes against the cutting cylinder
Implementation Method 2
the weight strikes against the cutting cylinder when the weight is at a location along said weight path, in turn urging the cutting cylinder in the longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 3
a piston driving mechanism, arranged to transfer a force, provided by said weight propulsion device, to the soil expulsion piston to drive the soil expulsion piston in a direction towards said open end of the cutting cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
A golf green hole-making device has longitudinal, radial, and angular directions, and includes a cutting cylinder, a structure, a weight, a weight propulsion device, a soil expulsion piston, a piston driving mechanism, and an expulsion activating mechanism. The cutting cylinder has an open end that is freely movable longitudinally. The structure includes a guide with which the weight engages to move along a weight path between first and second endpoints, when propelled by the weight propulsion device, causing the weight to strike the cutting cylinder and urge the cutting cylinder in the longitudinal direction. The soil expulsion piston moves inside the cutting cylinder along its axis. The piston driving mechanism transfers force from the weight propulsion device to the soil expulsion piston to drive the soil expulsion piston towards the open end. The expulsion activating mechanism engages and disengages the piston driving mechanism in relation to the weight propulsion device.