Robotic Mower Height Adjustment Using Meshing Gear Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic garden tools, such as robotic lawn mowers, lack effective mechanisms for adjusting the height of cutting implements, which limits their versatility and adaptability to different grass heights and terrain conditions.
Innovation Solution
The robotic garden tool incorporates a height adjustment mechanism featuring meshing gear teeth, including a spiral rack and bevel gear interface, which allows manual and servo-motor driven adjustments, enabling precise control of the implement's position relative to the deck, and optionally uses nesting ramps for independent movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a height adjustment mechanism is added to the robotic lawn mower, then the adaptability and user control over cutting height is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nesting ramps where multiple ramp structures are nested within each other to provide height adjustment. The ramps can be telescoped in and out to change the cutting height, allowing the mechanism to provide adaptability while maintaining a compact form factor that minimizes added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The height adjustment mechanism uses movable and adjustable components that can dynamically change the cutting height. The mechanism allows for easy adjustment between different height positions, providing adaptability while using simple mechanical movements rather than complex control systems.
2Ease of operation
If meshing gear teeth or nesting ramps are used for height adjustment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spiral ramps with curved helical surfaces that engage with corresponding curved surfaces on nested ramps. This curved geometry allows for smooth, intuitive manual adjustment where rotating the spiral ramp automatically telescopes the nested ramps in or out, providing ease of operation through natural rotational motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The meshing gear teeth and spiral ramp surfaces act as intermediary elements that convert simple rotational motion into the telescoping movement of the nested ramps. This intermediary mechanism translates easy user input (rotation) into the desired height adjustment without requiring complex control systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the implement movement is independent from the driving mechanism, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the cutting implement's driving function from its height adjustment function. The nested ramps and spiral ramp mechanism are independently controllable from the blade driving motor, allowing the height to be adjusted without affecting the cutting operation. This segmentation enables independent control while using simple mechanical decoupling.
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
This mechanism enables precise and adaptable cutting height adjustments, enhancing the tool's performance across various grass heights and terrain, improving cutting efficiency and user control.
Implementation Method 1
The height adjustment mechanism includes an interface of meshing gear teeth
Implementation Method 2
the interface of meshing gear teeth includes a spiral rack and a bevel gear; the spiral rack defines a central axis and is configured to rotate about the central axis; the bevel gear is biased into engagement with the spiral rack and configured to move at least axially with respect to the central axis
Data Source
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AI summary
A robotic garden tool includes a deck, an implement movably coupled to the deck, a motor configured to drive the implement, and a height adjustment mechanism configured to control the movement of the implement with respect to the deck. The height adjustment mechanism includes an interface of meshing gear teeth.