Vegetation Cutting Device Folding System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cutting devices for vegetation, particularly in viticulture and arboriculture, are bulky due to lateral structures extending perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel, making them inconvenient for road transport.
Innovation Solution
A folding system for the lateral structure of cutting devices, allowing them to transition from a working position to a folded position, utilizing pivot connections and actuators to maintain orientation and prevent contact between cutting arms, facilitating transport by reducing bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the lateral structures extend perpendicular to the direction of travel for effective cutting, then the cutting performance is improved, but the device becomes bulky and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral structures are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to transition between an extended working position for cutting and a folded transport position. The pivot connections enable dynamic reconfiguration of the device geometry, transforming it from a static bulky structure to a dynamic adaptable one that can change its volume based on operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral structure is divided into multiple separable segments (upper cutting arm, outer cutting arm, inner cutting arm) connected by pivot joints. This segmentation allows each component to move independently relative to others, enabling the structure to fold compactly while maintaining the full extended configuration during operation.
2Ease of operation
If the cutting arms are folded to reduce device size, then transportability is improved, but the cutting arms may contact each other causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot connections are designed with predetermined geometric relationships that guide the folding sequence. The outer cutting arm maintains its orientation parallel to the direction of advancement throughout the folding process, which is a pre-planned motion path that prevents contact with the inner cutting arm. This preliminary design of the folding trajectory eliminates the risk of collision during the folding operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot connections act as intermediary elements that control and mediate the relative motion between cutting arms. By providing controlled rotation points with specific geometric constraints, these pivots ensure that the arms follow safe trajectories during folding, preventing direct contact between the cutting means while still achieving compact folding.
3Volume of moving object
If the outer cutting arm changes orientation during folding, then folding compactness is improved, but the cutting means may contact and damage each other
Solution Approach 1:
The geometric design of the pivot connections预先 determines that the outer cutting arm maintains its orientation parallel to the direction of advancement throughout the folding process. This pre-planned motion constraint ensures that the cutting edge of the outer arm does not swing toward the inner arm, preventing contact while still achieving effective folding through the controlled rotation at the pivot joints.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a vegetation cutting device (1) comprising a chassis (2) including a base (3) substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the cutting device and equipped with attachment means for the front of a motor vehicle and attachment means for at least a lateral structure (5) comprising an upper cutting arm (9) and two substantially vertical inner (10) and outer (11) cutting arms. According to the invention, a folding system for the lateral structure (5) allows the cutting device (1) to move from a working position to a folded position.