Patent Application
20240237572
The present invention relates to an articulated apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an articulated apparatus with a body portion and a winged portion, wherein the articulated apparatus is for towing behind a vehicle.
Articulated apparatus are common in industries such as agriculture, where such apparatus are often towed behind vehicles for use in fields and the like. For example, articulated apparatus often include mowers for cutting grass. Here, the use of articulated apparatus can be advantageous as, in use, the apparatus can extend over a large section of ground whilst retaining its ability to be stored in a compact manner. Generally, the articulated apparatus may comprise a central body and one or more wings connected to the body. Generally, but not exclusively, the wings include the means by which the articulated apparatus performs its major function. For example, in the case of a mower, the wings may include cutting blades for cutting grass and other vegetation. These cutting blades or other active members are generally driven by a vehicle towing the articulated apparatus via a gearbox mounted on or within the articulated apparatus.
In order to avoid and or traverse obstacles on the ground, it is useful to be able to lift the portion of the articulated apparatus comprising the active members. However, if that portion is lifted too high while the active members are still working, this act can damage the gearbox or other aspects of the linkage between the gearbox and the active members. Also, lifting the active members too high while still working can be dangerous for other people near the articulated apparatus.
Objects and aspects of the present claimed invention seek to alleviate at least these problems with the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an articulated apparatus, the articulated apparatus comprising a body portion, and a wing portion, with the wing portion comprising an active member, the wing portion is mounted on the body portion, the wing portion is moveable between a first position and a second position, the articulated apparatus further includes a gearbox configured to transmit drive from a drive source to the active member, wherein the articulated apparatus has a coupling system, the coupling system configured to couple the gearbox with the active member when the wing portion is in the first position, and to decouple the gearbox from the active member when the wing portion is in the second position.
In this way, the gearbox is decoupled from the active member such that it cannot jam, break or become otherwise damaged due to the elevation of the wing portion in the second position. Further, the active member is not driven when the wing portion is in the second position, increasing safety of the articulated apparatus.
It should be understood that the wing portion may be mounted directly or indirectly on the body portion, with the connection to the body portion not particularly limited. It should be understood that the wing portion may be mounted in any way such that the wing portion is substantially fixed to the body portion.
Preferably, the coupling system is a mechanical coupling system. The use of a mechanical system may be advantageous as it is more reliable than an electronic system. Additionally, the use of a mechanical coupling system may be more reliable than a system that relies on pneumatic or hydraulic linkages. Additionally, a mechanical system may be advantageous in that it can be more easily maintained and serviced by a user.
Preferably, the wing portion comprises an intermediate position, wherein the wing portion is positioned between the first position and the second position, and the coupling system is configured to couple the gearbox with the active member when the wing portion is in the intermediate position. In this way, the wing portion can be raised to overcome obstacles without the active member being decoupled from the gearbox. Such a feature is of particular benefit when the articulated apparatus is traversing uneven ground or is working in an area with paths or other low level obstacles.
Preferably, the coupling system includes a blocking member and a first pin, the blocking member having a first blocking position, wherein the blocking member abuts the first pin and blocks the motion of the wing portion from the intermediate position to the second position. Preferably, the blocking member has a first pin notch configured to removably retain the first pin. Preferably, the first pin notch is located proximate the end of the blocking member distal the body portion.
Preferably, when the wing portion is in the intermediate position, the blocking member is configured to move substantially away from the wing portion to remove the blocking member from the first blocking position. In this way, the wing portion cannot be moved into the second position without intentional movement of the blocking member out of the blocking position. As such, the wing portion cannot be raised to the second position accidently, preventing damage of the gearbox and risk to persons and items close to the articulated apparatus.
Preferably, the coupling system includes a coupling member coupled to the gearbox such that motion of the wing portion from the intermediate position to the second position decouples the gearbox from the active member and motion of the wing portion from the second position to the intermediate position couples the gearbox with the active member. Preferably, the coupling member is coupled to the gearbox via a pivoting member and the articulated apparatus is configured such that motion of the wing portion between the intermediate position and the second position pivotably rotates the pivoting member. In some embodiments, the pivoting member is substantially V-shaped. In some embodiments, the pivoting member is configured to pivot about the central axis of the pivoting member.
Preferably, the coupling system has a second pin configured to abut the coupling member when the wing portion is in the second position. Preferably, the coupling member includes a guide surface and the articulated apparatus is configured such that the second pin is guided over the guide surface as the wing portion is moved between the intermediate position and the second position.
Preferably, the guide surface abuts the first pin when the wing portion is positioned in the intermediate position. Preferably, the guide surface has a curved profile. Preferably, the guide surface extends substantially for the length of the coupling member. Preferably, the guide surface is substantially smooth. Preferably, the guide surface is located on the surface of the coupling member located proximate to the body portion. In this way, the coupling member rests on the first pin or second pin when no external forces are acting on the coupling member.
Preferably, the blocking member comprises a complementary surface and the articulated apparatus is configured such that the complementary surface and the guide surface are aligned or coplanar when the wing portion is in a third position, the third position located between the second position and the intermediate position. In this way, the first pin member abuts both the coupling member and the blocking member when the wing portion is in the third position such that greater control of the motion of the coupling member and blocking member is provided.
Preferably, the blocking member includes a second blocking position, wherein the articulated apparatus is configured such that the second pin abuts the blocking member and blocks motion of the wing portion from the second position to the intermediate position. Preferably, the blocking member has a second pin notch configured to removably retain the second pin. Preferably, the second pin notch is located proximate to the end of the blocking member distal the first pin notch.
Preferably, the coupling member is fixed along a first axis and the blocking member is pivotably fixed along the first axis. Preferably, an elongate member extends along the first axis and the pivoting member is fixed to the elongate member. In this way, as the wing portion is raised to the second position, the movement of the coupling member causes rotation of the elongate member. Rotation of the elongate member causes the pivoting member to pivot, thereby coupling and decoupling the gearbox with the active member.
Preferably, the first pin and the second pin are at a fixed distance relative to one another. Preferably, the first pin and the second pin are located on a pin member. Preferably, the pin member is attached at a first end to the wing portion and a second end is pivotably fixed to the body portion, such that motion of the wing portion pivotably rotates the pin member. In some embodiments, the pin member may have a substantially triangular portion.
In some embodiments, the articulated apparatus includes at least two wing portions. More preferably, the articulated apparatus has a pair of wing portions mounted on opposing sides of the body portion. Preferably the wing portions are substantially identical. More preferably the wing portions are operated independently of each other.
Preferably, the gearbox is mounted on or within the body portion. Such a configuration may allow for a simplified mechanical arrangement, especially where the articulated apparatus comprises multiple wing portions.
Preferably, the active member has a cutting blade. Preferably, the active member is a mower blade.
Preferably, the articulated apparatus is a mower.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the detailed description herein, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure.
4 depicts a view of the articulated apparatus of
With reference to
The wing portion 110 is moveable between a first position (not shown) and a second position (shown in
The coupling system 120 comprises a blocking member 125, a coupling member 130, a pivoting member 140 and a pin member 135. The pin member 135 comprises a substantially triangular portion upon which is located a first pin 145a and a second pin 145b. The first pin 145a is located between the body portion 105 and the second pin 145b when the wing portion 110 is in the first position. The first pin 145a and the second pin 145b are at a fixed distance relative to one another on the pin member 135. The pin member 135 is attached at a first end 135a to the wing portion and a second end 135b of the pin member 135 is pivotably fixed to the body portion 105, such that motion of the wing portion 110 pivotably rotates the pin member 135.
The wing portion 110 can be located in an intermediate position, as illustrated in
The blocking member 125 can be poisoned in a first blocking position, as illustrated in
When the wing portion 110 is in the intermediate position, the blocking member 125 is moved substantially away from the wing portion 110, in direction B, to remove the blocking member 125 from the first blocking position, as shown in
The coupling member 130 is coupled to the gearbox 115 such that motion of the wing portion 110 from the intermediate position to the second position decouples the gearbox 115 from the active member and motion of the wing portion 110 from the second position to the intermediate position couples the gearbox 115 with the active member. The coupling member 130 is connected or coupled to the gearbox 115 via the pivoting member 140. Motion of the wing portion 110 between the intermediate position and the second position pivotably rotates the pivoting member 140. As shown in
The second pin 145b is configured to abut the coupling member 130 when the wing portion 110 is in the second position, as illustrated in
The blocking member 125 comprises a complementary surface 155 and the complementary surface 155 and the guide surface 150 are aligned or coplanar when the wing portion is in a third position, as illustrated in
The blocking member 125 can be located in a second blocking position, as illustrated in
The coupling member 130 is fixed along a first axis 160, the first axis perpendicular to the plane of
As may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein, numerous changes and modifications may be made to the above-described and other embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Further embodiments within the scope of the present invention may be envisaged that have not been described above, for example, it is envisaged that alternative shaped blocking members, coupling members and pivoting members can be provided to better suit the desired application. The invention is not limited to the specific examples or structures illustrated; a greater number of components than are illustrated in the figures could be used, for example. Accordingly, this detailed description of the currently-preferred embodiments is to be taken in an illustrative, as opposed to limiting of the disclosure
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has”, and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”), and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes,” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, an element of a device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes,” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features. Furthermore, a device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
The disclosure has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. It will be understood that the architectural and operational embodiments described herein are exemplary of a plurality of possible arrangements to provide the same general features, characteristics, and general system operation. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2115317.6 | Oct 2021 | GB | national |
This continuation application claims priority benefit from International Application No. PCT/GB2022/052452 filed on Sep. 28, 2022, entitled Articulated Apparatus, which claimed priority from Great Britain Application No. 2115317.6 filed on Oct. 25, 2021, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/GB2022/052452 | Sep 2022 | WO |
| Child | 18618709 | US |
