Snow Plow Cutting Edge Mounting Slide for Quick Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional method of attaching and replacing cutting edges on snow plow blades is time-consuming, hazardous, and inefficient, requiring operators to work in challenging conditions, especially when performing solo operations under vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A mounting slide system that allows cutting edge sections to be slid into place, eliminating the need for frequent bolt removal and enabling one-person operation, with retaining mechanisms to secure the cutting edges, reducing the risk of injury and downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bolt-on method is used to attach cutting edge to plow, then the cutting edge can be securely attached, but the replacement process becomes time-consuming and hazardous requiring operators to work under vehicles in difficult conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting edge is divided into multiple replaceable sections that can be independently installed and removed. Each section has a simplified attachment mechanism that allows quick connection and disconnection without requiring complete disassembly of the entire cutting edge assembly, enabling faster replacement while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism is extracted from the traditional bolt-nut system and replaced with a simplified quick-connect system. The cutting edge sections are designed with integrated attachment features that eliminate the need for separate fastening components, allowing operators to install or remove sections from above the vehicle without crawling underneath.
Solution Approach 3:
The cutting edge sections are pre-configured with attachment features that align with corresponding receptacles on the plow. This preliminary preparation allows the sections to be quickly connected in a straightforward manner without requiring complex alignment or multiple fastening steps, significantly reducing replacement time and eliminating the need for operators to work in hazardous positions.
2Reliability
If conventional bolt-on method is used, then the cutting edge can be firmly secured, but the replacement process requires multiple fastening components increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment and retention functions are merged into a single integrated quick-connect mechanism. The cutting edge sections incorporate built-in attachment features that combine the functions of traditional bolts, nuts, and retaining clips into one unified system, reducing the total number of components while maintaining firm securing through a simplified design.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separate fastening components (bolts, nuts, washers, retaining clips) are extracted from the system and replaced with a single integrated attachment mechanism. This extraction simplifies the overall device complexity while preserving the reliability of the connection through clever mechanical design of the quick-connect system.
3Ease of repair
If operators work under vehicles to replace cutting edges, then the cutting edge can be replaced, but operators are exposed to injury risk from snow, ice, and awkward positions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring operators to access the cutting edge from below the vehicle, the attachment mechanism is inverted or repositioned to allow installation and replacement from above. This inversion of the traditional approach eliminates the need for operators to work in hazardous positions underneath the vehicle, removing them from exposure to falling snow, ice, and awkward physical strain while maintaining the ability to firmly secure the cutting edge.
Solution Approach 2:
A中介机构 or intermediary mechanism is introduced in the form of a quick-connect system that mediates between the cutting edge section and the plow mounting structure. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the replacement process to a straightforward connection action that can be performed safely from above the vehicle, eliminating the need for operators to crawl underneath and reducing injury risk while maintaining secure attachment.
Data Source
AI summary
Mounting slide for attaching a cutting edge to a plow of a snow-clearing vehicle, where the cutting edge has a cross-sectional profile where its engagement end is wider than its body, the mounting slide having: an opening on a bottom face; a first side; a second side; and a channel extending from the first side to the second side, the channel being open on the bottom face; wherein the slide may be mounted to the plow via a series of bolts and nuts; wherein the channel is configured to slidably receive therein from the first end the engagement end of the cutting edge, and wherein the opening is sized to accommodate the body of the cutting edge, but not its engagement end. The cross-sectional profile of the cutting edge may be T-shaped. A snow plow assembly comprising a plow, the mounting slide and a cutting edge is also disclosed.