Replaceable Mower Blade Assembly with Tool-Less Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mower blade assemblies require tools for replacement, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage during blade changes, and often lack the durability and stability needed for high-quality cutting operations.
Innovation Solution
A replaceable blade assembly with a mounting member and attachment mechanisms that allow tool-less attachment and detachment, featuring a C-shaped cross-section for increased strength and a locking mechanism to prevent upside-down attachment, ensuring proper orientation and balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If one-piece blades are used and attached with hardware requiring tools, then blade retention stability is improved, but blade replacement time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into a mounting plate and a blade body that can be separately attached and detached. The mounting plate remains fixed to the mower while the blade can be quickly replaced by removing retaining clips, eliminating the need for tools and reducing replacement time while maintaining stable retention during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism uses spring-loaded retaining clips that dynamically engage with the mounting plate slots. These clips provide stable retention during blade operation but can be easily disengaged by manual pressure, enabling quick tool-less replacement while ensuring blade stability during cutting.
2Reliability
If one-piece blades are replaced entirely, then blade functionality is restored, but material waste increases when only one edge is dull
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is segmented into a reusable mounting plate and a replaceable blade body. The mounting plate with its attachment mechanism remains on the mower, allowing only the blade body to be replaced. This enables users to replace only the worn blade portion rather than the entire assembly, reducing material waste while restoring cutting functionality.
3Strength
If pivot-blades are used for rough-cut operations, then blade durability is improved, but cutting quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the durable mounting plate (remaining on the mower) from the replaceable blade body. This allows users to select blade bodies optimized for different cutting qualities while maintaining the same durable mounting structure. High-quality finish-cut blades can be attached to the robust mounting plate, achieving both durability and cutting quality without the compromises of pivot-blades.
4Ease of operation
If tool-less attachment mechanisms are used, then blade replacement ease is improved, but attachment mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism uses spring-loaded retaining clips that automatically engage with the mounting plate slots when the blade body is inserted. The clips self-secure the blade without requiring tools or complex adjustment, simplifying the user operation while the spring mechanism handles the complexity of secure retention internally.
Data Source
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AI summary
A replaceable mower blade for attachment to a mounting member operatively connected to a mower is provided. The blade includes a central portion having opposing side edges, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The blade also includes a tip portion extending from the central portion. The central portion includes at least one attachment mechanism for operatively connecting the blade to the mounting member.