Staggered Cutting Blade Geometry for Thick Vegetation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lawn mower blades are limited in their ability to efficiently cut long and thick grass, scrub, and flora, often resulting in a carpet effect where long blades of grass are folded over instead of being cut, requiring multiple passes or back-and-forth movements.
Innovation Solution
A cutting blade design featuring an elongate body with angled and staggered cutting portions on both sides, a downward portion offset at an angle, and a twisted trailing edge to generate airflow, allowing efficient cutting of long grass and thick vegetation with a single pass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional cutting blades are used, then the blade structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the blade cannot efficiently cut long and thick grass, scrub, and flora
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting blade is divided into multiple functional segments: a main horizontal cutting edge for standard grass cutting, and downwardly offset cutting portions for tackling long and thick vegetation. Each segment serves a specific cutting function, allowing the blade to handle diverse vegetation types efficiently without requiring complete redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension to the traditional horizontal cutting blade by providing downwardly offset cutting portions. These portions extend below the main cutting edge plane, creating a multi-level cutting structure that can engage with and cut long grass and scrub that would otherwise be folded over by conventional single-plane blades.
2Loss of time
If conventional cutting blades are used, then the blade design is simple, but long grass blades are folded over creating a carpet effect requiring multiple passes
Solution Approach 1:
The downwardly offset cutting portions act as preliminary cutting elements that engage with long grass and scrub before the main horizontal cutting edge. By pre-cutting or pre-engaging the vegetation, these portions prevent the grass from being folded over and create initial cuts that reduce the workload on subsequent passes.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the blade are given different geometries and orientations to suit specific cutting needs. The downwardly offset portions have cutting edges optimized for penetrating and cutting thick, long vegetation, while the main horizontal edge is optimized for standard grass cutting. This local differentiation allows efficient handling of diverse vegetation types in a single pass.
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 improved cutting blade effectively slices through long and thick grass, scrub, and flora without folding them over, eliminating the need for multiple passes and ensuring a clean cut with enhanced efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The trailing edge is provided with a bend or twist which is designed to generate airflow used to draw grass upward into the path of the cutting edge and to expel cut grass from the cutting area
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting blade includes an elongate body portion mounted to a mowing or slashing machine having a left side and a right side. Both the left side and the right side have a leading edge and an opposing trailing edge with a downward portion provided on an outer end of the left side and the right side of the cutting blade. The downward portions having at least one cutting portion and which on the left side of the cutting blade, one or more cutting portions are provided on an inner side of the downward portion, and on the right side of the cutting blade, the one or more cutting portion are provided on an outer side of the downward portion. The improved cutting blade preferably has a horizontal body portion with staggered cutting portions.