IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0502622
(2006-08-11)
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등록번호 |
US-7712294
(2010-06-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Wright, Edward R.
- Waesche, Luke B.
- Wright, William R.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Wright Manufacturing, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
9 |
초록
▼
A power lawn mower includes at least one cutting blade driven, directly or indirectly, by an engine. A cutter deck assembly of the mower includes a cutter deck, cutting blade(s) housed therein, and a pulley/belt system powered by a drive shaft of the engine for driving the cutting blade(s). The cutt
A power lawn mower includes at least one cutting blade driven, directly or indirectly, by an engine. A cutter deck assembly of the mower includes a cutter deck, cutting blade(s) housed therein, and a pulley/belt system powered by a drive shaft of the engine for driving the cutting blade(s). The cutter deck assembly is selectively adjustable upward/downward to adjust the cutting height of the mower and/or to allow an operator to put the cutter deck assembly in a heightened position for storage and/or transport and thereafter lower the cutter deck assembly to a cutting position. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a latch system is provided as part of a deck lift system for permitting the cutter deck assembly to be more easily and/or efficiently raised/lowered.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A power lawn mower including a deck lift system for raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower comprising: a pivotal deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering the cutter deck assembly of the mower when the lever is pivoted about a pivot axis, a
The invention claimed is: 1. A power lawn mower including a deck lift system for raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower comprising: a pivotal deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering the cutter deck assembly of the mower when the lever is pivoted about a pivot axis, a latch pin being connected to the deck lift lever for movement therewith; a pivotal latch adapted to engage the latch pin; wherein, when the latch is not contacting the latch pin, a biasing member applies a biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a first position so that the latch is ready to engage the latch pin should an operator raise the cutter deck assembly; wherein, when the deck lift lever is moved in a first direction to a first extent from a grass cutting position, the latch engages and latches the latch pin in order to hold the cutter deck assembly in a raised position, and when the deck lift lever is moved still further to a second extent in the same first direction force applied against the latch causes the latch to become unlatched from the latch pin thereby releasing the latch pin; wherein, when weight of the cutter deck assembly causes the lever to move in an opposite second direction along with the latch pin after the latch pin has been released by the latch, the latch is disengaged with the latch pin and the biasing member automatically resets the latch to the first position, and the height of the cutter deck assembly is lowered to a desired grass cutting height as the lever moves in the second direction and comes into contact with a stop member which is for maintaining a grass cutting height of the cutter deck assembly; and wherein the latch includes first and second detents defined adjacent to one another along an edge of the latch, and wherein the biasing member engages the first detent when the latch is in the first position and the latch pin is not engaged with the latch, and the biasing member moves at least partially into the second detent when the deck lift lever is moved to the second extent in the same first direction. 2. The mower of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring biased arm including a roller or bearing at an end portion thereof, the roller or bearing engaging the latch and applying biasing force thereto. 3. The mower of claim 1, wherein the latch pin slides along a substantially U-shaped inner surface of the latch when the deck lift lever is moved to the second extent in the same first direction so as to become unlatched from a hook-shaped portion of the latch. 4. The mower of claim 1, wherein the deck lift lever and a deck lift arm are both mounted on a common pivot axis defined by a deck lift pivot shaft. 5. The mower of claim 4, wherein one of the deck lift arm and the deck lift lever is mounted in a floating manner on the deck lift pivot shaft, and the other of the deck lift arm and the deck lift lever is rigidly mounted to the deck lift pivot shaft so as to move therewith. 6. The mower of claim 5, wherein the deck lift lever is mounted in the floating manner on the deck lift pivot shaft. 7. A power lawn mower including a deck lift system for raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower comprising: a pivotal deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering the cutter deck assembly of the mower when the lever is pivoted about a pivot axis, a latch pin being connected to the deck lift lever for movement therewith; a pivotal latch adapted to engage the latch pin; wherein, when the latch is not contacting the latch pin, a biasing member applies a biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a first position so that the latch is ready to engage the latch pin should an operator raise the cutter deck assembly; wherein, when the deck lift lever is moved in a first direction to a first extent from a grass cutting position, the latch engages and latches the latch pin in order to hold the cutter deck assembly in a raised position, and when the deck lift lever is moved still further to a second extent in the same first direction force applied against the latch causes the latch to become unlatched from the latch pin thereby releasing the latch pin; wherein, when weight of the cutter deck assembly causes the lever to move in an opposite second direction along with the latch pin after the latch pin has been released by the latch, the latch is disengaged with the latch pin and the biasing member automatically resets the latch to the first position, and the height of the cutter deck assembly is lowered to a desired grass cutting height as the lever moves in the second direction and comes into contact with a stop member which is for maintaining a grass cutting height of the cutter deck assembly; wherein the deck lift lever and a deck lift arm are both mounted on a common pivot axis defined by a deck lift pivot shaft; Wherein the deck lift lever is mounted in a floating manner on the deck lift pivot shaft, and the deck lift arm is rigidly mounted to the deck lift pivot shaft so as to move therewith; and wherein the deck lift lever has at least one aperture defined therein, and a contact member rigidly attached to the deck lift arm is located at least partially in the aperture, so that when the deck lift lever has been moved to a certain extent in a given direction an edge of the aperture engages the contact member thereby causing the deck lift lever, deck lift arm and deck lift pivot shaft to all move together about an axis defined by the deck lift pivot shaft. 8. The mower of claim 7, wherein the contact member is a spacer. 9. A power lawn mower including a deck lift system for raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower comprising: a pivotal deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering the cutter deck assembly of the mower when the lever is pivoted about a pivot axis, a latch pin being connected to the deck lift lever for movement therewith; a pivotal latch adapted to engage the latch pin; wherein, when the latch is not contacting the latch pin, a biasing member applies a biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a first position so that the latch is ready to engage the latch pin should an operator raise the cutter deck assembly; wherein, when the deck lift lever is moved in a first direction to a first extent from a grass cutting position, the latch engages and latches the latch pin in order to hold the cutter deck assembly in a raised position, and when the deck lift lever is moved still further to a second extent in the same first direction force applied against the latch causes the latch to become unlatched from the latch pin thereby releasing the latch pin; wherein, when weight of the cutter deck assembly causes the lever to move in an opposite second direction along with the latch pin after the latch pin has been released by the latch, the latch is disengaged with the latch pin and the biasing member automatically resets the latch to the first position, and the height of the cutter deck assembly is lowered to a desired grass cutting height as the lever moves in the second direction and comes into contact with a stop member which is for maintaining a grass cutting height of the cutter deck assembly; and an anti-unlatch spring that biases the latch pin into engagement with the latch so as to reduce the likelihood of the latch pin unlatching from the latch during typical transport conditions of the mower. 10. The mower of claim 9, wherein the latch includes first and second detents defined adjacent to one another along an edge of the latch, and wherein the biasing member engages the first detent when the latch is in the first position and the latch pin is not engaged with the latch, and the biasing member moves at least partially into the second detent when the deck lift lever is moved to the second extent in the same first direction. 11. The mower of claim 9, further comprising a latch position retaining spring which biases the biasing member so that the biasing member applies the biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a manner so that the latch is ready to engage the latch pin should an operator elect to raise the cutter deck assembly, and wherein the latch position retaining spring and the anti-unlatch spring form an angle of from about 20-75 degrees with one another when viewed from the side, more preferably from about 30-60 degrees. 12. A lawn mower comprising: a deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower, an engagement member being connected to the deck lift lever for movement therewith; a pivotal latch adapted to engage the engagement member; wherein, when the cutter deck assembly is at a first grass cutting height, a biasing member applies a biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a first position so that the latch is ready to engage the engagement member should an operator raise the cutter deck assembly; wherein, when the deck lift lever is moved in a first direction to a first extent from a grass cutting position, the latch engages and latches the engagement member in order to hold the cutter deck assembly in a raised position, and when the deck lift lever is moved still further to a second extent in the same first direction the latch becomes unlatched from the engagement member; and wherein, when the deck lift lever moves in an opposite second direction along with the engagement member after the engagement member has been released by the latch, the biasing member resets the latch to the first position; and an anti-unlatch spring that biases the engagement member into engagement with the latch so as to reduce the likelihood of the engagement member unlatching from the latch during typical transport conditions of the mower. 13. The mower of claim 12, wherein the engagement member comprises a latch pin which extends outwardly from a main body portion of the deck lift lever. 14. The mower of claim 12, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring biased arm including a roller or bearing at an end portion thereof, the roller or bearing engaging the latch and applying biasing force thereto. 15. The mower of claim 12, wherein the engagement member slides along a substantially U-shaped inner surface of the latch when the deck lift lever is moved to the second extent in the same first direction so as to become unlatched from a hook-shaped portion of the latch. 16. The mower of claim 12, wherein the deck lift lever and a deck lift arm are both mounted on a common pivot axis defined by a deck lift pivot shaft. 17. The mower of claim 16, wherein one of the deck lift arm and the deck lift lever is mounted in a floating manner on the deck lift pivot shaft, and the other of the deck lift arm and the deck lift lever is rigidly mounted to the deck lift pivot shaft so as to move therewith. 18. The mower of claim 17, wherein the deck lift lever is mounted in the floating manner on the deck lift pivot shaft. 19. The mower of claim 18, wherein the deck lift lever has at least one aperture defined therein, and a contact member rigidly attached to the deck lift arm is located at least partially in the aperture, so that when the deck lift lever has been moved to a certain extent in a given direction an edge of the aperture engages the contact member thereby causing the deck lift lever, deck lift arm and deck lift pivot shaft to all move together about an axis defined by the deck lift pivot shaft. 20. The mower of claim 12, further comprising a latch position retaining spring which biases the biasing member so that the biasing member applies the biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a manner so that the latch is ready to engage the engagement member should an operator elect to raise the cutter deck assembly, and wherein the latch position retaining spring and the anti-unlatch spring form an angle of from about 20-75 degrees with one another when viewed from the side, more preferably from about 30-60 degrees. 21. A lawn mower comprising: a deck lift lever for selectively raising and lowering a cutter deck assembly of the mower, an engagement member being connected to the deck lift lever for movement therewith; a pivotal latch adapted to engage the engagement member; wherein, when the cutter deck assembly is at a first grass cutting height, a biasing member applies a biasing force against the latch to position the latch in a first position so that the latch is ready to engage the engagement member should an operator raise the cutter deck assembly; wherein, when the deck lift lever is moved in a first direction to a first extent from a grass cutting position, the latch engages and latches the engagement member in order to hold the cutter deck assembly in a raised position, and when the deck lift lever is moved still further to a second extent in the same first direction the latch becomes unlatched from the engagement member; and wherein, when the deck lift lever moves in an opposite second direction along with the engagement member after the engagement member has been released by the latch, the biasing member resets the latch to the first position; and wherein the latch includes first and second detents defined adjacent to one another along an edge of the latch, and wherein the biasing member engages the first detent when the latch is in the first position and the engagement member is not engaged with the latch, and the biasing member moves at least partially into the second detent when the deck lift lever is moved to the second extent in the same first direction.
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