Trim Mower Shift Mechanism for Slope Stability and Edge Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trim mowers used on golf courses face issues with stability on side slopes and undulating terrain, leading to uncut strips and potential damage to hazards like sand traps and bunkers, as existing shift mechanisms fail to maintain productivity and stability when cutting units are extended laterally.
Innovation Solution
A shift mechanism with slidable carriers and hydraulic cylinders allows for independent lateral movement of cutting units, increasing overlap and cutting width, while maintaining stability and preventing uncut strips, by using guide rods and hydraulic extension and shifting cylinders to control the position of cutting units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cutting units are shifted laterally to reach edges of hazards, then adaptability is improved, but stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cutting unit system into independently controllable segments. Each cutting unit can be shifted laterally independently of the others through separate hydraulic cylinders, allowing the machine to reach hazard edges while maintaining balance by distributing weight across multiple independent support points rather than shifting the entire machine mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by enabling lateral shifting only where needed (at the cutting units) rather than moving the entire vehicle. The hydraulic extension cylinders are positioned to provide lateral movement capability specifically at the cutting heads, allowing adaptability to improve locally without compromising overall vehicle stability.
2Reliability
If additional overlap is added between cutting units to prevent uncut strips, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of cutting unit positions through hydraulic lateral shifting mechanisms. The cutting units can dynamically change their lateral position and overlap during operation, allowing the system to optimize both reliability (by ensuring adequate overlap to prevent uncut strips) and productivity (by adjusting overlap based on terrain and hazard conditions rather than maintaining fixed maximum overlap).
3Power
If machine weight is increased to improve cutting performance, then power is improved, but harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pure mechanical weight-based power with a hybrid system combining mechanical cutting units and hydraulic lateral shifting mechanisms. This substitution allows the machine to achieve cutting performance through optimized cutting unit positioning and overlap control rather than relying solely on increased weight, thereby reducing harmful effects on hazards and instability while maintaining effective cutting power.
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 mechanism enhances productivity and stability on side hills, reduces the risk of uncut strips, and minimizes damage to golf course features by allowing precise control over cutting unit positioning and overlap, ensuring a consistent cut quality and pattern.
Implementation Method 1
A pair of extension hydraulic cylinders (21, 22) are connected to the slidable carriers (17, 18) and independently extended or retracted to laterally move the slidable carriers (17, 18) and attached cutting units (11, 12) outward or inward from the mower frame
Implementation Method 2
A hydraulic shifting cylinder (27) is mounted between the two extension hydraulic cylinders (21, 22) and extended or retracted to shift both slidable carriers (17, 18) laterally inward or outward to a center or extended position
Implementation Method 3
The slidable carriers (17, 18) are constrained to slide along a pair of guide rods (19, 20) mounted to the mower frame
Data Source
AI summary
A shift mechanism for trim mower cutting units includes a pair of slidable carriers. Each slidable carrier can slide along a pair of guide rods mounted to a mower frame. A hydraulic extension cylinder is connected to each slidable carrier and independently extends to move the slidable carrier laterally outward from the mower frame or retracts to move the slidable carrier laterally inward in relation to the mower frame. A hydraulic shifting cylinder is mounted between the two extension cylinders and extends to shift both slidable carriers laterally inward toward a center position, and retracts to move both slidable carriers laterally outward toward an extended position.