Segmented Mower Cover for Cutting Access in Transport Position
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mowers face challenges in maintaining easy handling and maintenance while ensuring complete coverage, particularly in configurations where the protective cover requires significant space, making access to the cutting devices difficult, especially in transport positions.
Innovation Solution
A mower design with a protective cover featuring a divided flap assembly comprising two pivotable flap sections, allowing for increased opening angles and reduced projection, enhancing accessibility to the cutting devices and coupling mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single large flap assembly is used in the protective cover, then complete coverage of the cutting devices is achieved, but access to the cutting devices and coupling mechanisms becomes difficult, especially in transport position
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into multiple independent flaps (first flap, second flap, third flap) that can be opened separately. This segmentation allows the cover to provide complete coverage when closed while enabling selective access to different areas when opened, resolving the contradiction between coverage and accessibility.
2Reliability
If a large single flap assembly is used, then complete coverage is achieved, but the projection of the flap assembly increases, reducing the opening angle in transport position
Solution Approach 1:
The flap assembly is segmented into multiple smaller flaps hinged at different locations. This reduces the projection of any single flap while maintaining complete coverage when all flaps are closed, and enables greater opening angles in transport position.
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps are arranged in different spatial dimensions and orientations, with the third flap extending in the direction of travel and the first and second flaps extending transversely. This multi-dimensional arrangement reduces the overall projection while maintaining coverage.
3Ease of repair
If the flap assembly is made accessible for maintenance, then ease of maintenance is improved, but the protective cover coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is segmented into multiple flaps that can be opened independently. This allows maintenance personnel to access specific areas (cutting devices, coupling mechanisms) by opening only the necessary flaps, maintaining full coverage in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The flap design allows operators to perform maintenance themselves by simply opening the relevant flaps without removing the entire protective cover, enabling self-service maintenance while preserving coverage.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a mower (10) of an agricultural machine comprising a mower frame (12), a protective cover, and at least one cutting device (14, 44), wherein the mower frame (12, 42) has a suspension (46) for connection to a support arm, wherein the mower frame (12, 42) supports the cutting devices (14, 44), wherein the protective cover (20, 50) is attached to the mower frame (12, 42) vertically above the cutting device (14, 44), the protective cover ending in a skirt (30) in the working direction, which extends substantially in a vertical direction in the working position of the mower (10, 40), wherein the protective cover (20, 50) comprises a main cover (22, 52) and a flap arrangement (25) connected to the main cover (22, 52) via a main hinge (HS). 54).The invention is characterized in that the flap arrangement (25, 54) located in the direction of travel in front of the main cover (22, 52) and extending substantially transversely to the direction of work has a first flap part (26, 56) which is pivotably connected about a pivot axis to a second flap part (28, 58).