Rotating Mower Blade Assembly With Compression-Spring Blade Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotating blade assemblies in mower implements suffer from blades that deflect or rotate relative to the disc due to centrifugal force when encountering obstacles, requiring complex and weighty spring plates for attachment and detachment, which can distort the disc.
Innovation Solution
A rotating blade assembly with a blade design featuring a pin aperture and pin slot configuration, coupled with a fastener and spring mechanism that allows for quick attachment and detachment without a traditional spring plate, using a compressible spring positioned above the disc to secure the blade.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional spring plate is used to attach and detach the blade, then the blade can be securely held, but the system becomes complex and the disc may be distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional spring plate from the blade assembly, extracting the problematic component that caused complexity and disc distortion. The retention function is achieved through a simplified mechanism using a retaining bolt with a shaft portion that passes through the blade's pin aperture, eliminating the need for the separate spring plate while maintaining secure blade holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the retention function and the spring force into a single integrated mechanism. The retaining bolt serves both as the retention element and the spring-loaded component, with the spring positioned above the disc applying force to maintain the blade's secure attachment. This merging eliminates multiple separate components and reduces overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If a spring plate is used for blade attachment, then the blade can be retained, but the system weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heavy spring plate component from the blade assembly. By eliminating this unnecessary component and retaining only the essential retaining bolt mechanism with minimal spring element, the overall weight of the blade assembly is significantly reduced while maintaining effective blade retention.
3Reliability
If a complex spring plate mechanism is used, then blade retention is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the manufacturing process by removing the complex spring plate assembly and its associated manufacturing steps. The simplified retaining bolt mechanism with a single shaft portion passing through the pin aperture is much easier to manufacture and assemble, reducing both manufacturing complexity and assembly time while maintaining reliable blade retention.
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 solution provides a lightweight and less complex blade replacement system that reduces manufacturing complexity and eliminates disc distortion, enabling easy and efficient blade changes.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is disposed between the upper disc surface of the disc and the cap. The spring is configured to bias the cap away from the upper disc surface to thereby pull the head portion of the fastener and the blade toward the lower disc surface.
Implementation Method 2
Centrifugal force during operation causes the blade to extend radially outward from the rotation axis.
Data Source
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AI summary
A blade (42) for a rotating blade assembly (26) of a mower implement (20), the blade (42) comprising: a body (44) defining a pin aperture (60) extending therethrough, in particular proximate a radially inner edge (50); wherein the pin aperture (60) defines an aperture diameter (62); wherein the body (44) defines a pin slot (64) extending from the pin aperture (60) to the radial inner edge (50) of the body (44); wherein the pin slot (64) defines a slot width (66) parallel to the radial inner edge (50) of the body (44); and wherein the aperture diameter (62) is greater than the slot width (66). Furthermore, a rotating blade assembly is disclosed.