MOWER

• US 20100275564A1
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosa, Richard P., Baetica, Florin, Mooney, P. Wade
• Granted Patent: US 8,653,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/11.9
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/37 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/58 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/78 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery-powered lawn mower includes a deck, a latch assembly, a battery, a motor and a blade. The deck is supported by wheels and defines a pocket. The latch assembly is coupled to the deck and is movable between a locked position and a fully opened position. The battery is secured within the pocket by the latch assembly in a first configuration and is removable from the pocket in a second configuration. The motor is supported by the deck and electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration. The blade is coupled to the deck and driven by the motor. During operation, the battery powers the motor to drive the blade.

Claims

1. A battery-powered lawn mower comprising:

a deck supported by wheels and defining a pocket;

a latch assembly coupled to the deck and movable between a locked position and a fully opened position;

a battery being secured within the pocket by the latch assembly in a first configuration and being removable from the pocket in a second configuration;

a motor supported by the deck and electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration; and

a blade coupled to the deck and driven by the motor, wherein the battery powers the motor to drive the blade.

2. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, further comprising a mower connector within the pocket, wherein the battery includes a first battery connector for mating with the mower connector and a second battery connector for mating with a charger cable.

3. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 2, wherein the first battery connector automatically mates with the mower connector as the battery is inserted within the pocket.

4. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 2, wherein the second battery connector is inaccessible in the first configuration.

5. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 2, wherein the latch assembly includes a biasing member to bias the latch assembly to the fully opened position.

6. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the pocket has a first shape and the battery has a second shape that complements the first shape such that the battery can be inserted within the pocket in a single orientation.

7. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the battery includes at least one cell within a battery housing that includes a first handle on a first side of the battery housing and a second handle on a second side of the battery housing opposite the first side.

8. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 7, wherein the first and second handles are monolithically formed with the battery housing.

9. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the battery is configured to be charged in the first configuration.

10. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the deck includes a front, a rear and a longitudinal center and the battery includes a center, the center of the battery being positioned rearward of the longitudinal center of the deck in the first configuration.

11. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 10, further comprising a drive mechanism electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration, the battery powering the drive mechanism to propel at least one of the wheels coupled to the rear of the deck.

12. A removable battery for use with a battery-powered lawn mower, comprising:

a battery housing;

at least one cell arranged within the battery housing;

a first battery connector electrically coupled with the at least one cell, the first battery connector configured to mate with a mower connector of the battery-powered lawn mower; and

a second battery connector electrically coupled with the at least one cell, the second battery connector configured to mate with a charger cable.

13. The battery of claim 12, wherein the battery housing includes a first handle on a first side of the battery housing and a second handle on a second side of the battery housing opposite the first side.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the first and second handles are monolithically formed with the battery housing.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the battery has a first shape that complements a second shape of a pocket of the battery-powered lawn mower such that the battery can be inserted within the pocket in a single orientation.

16. The battery of claim 15, wherein the first battery connector automatically mates with the mower connector as the battery is inserted within the pocket.

17. The battery of claim 12, wherein the battery has a first shape that complements a second shape of a pocket of the battery-powered lawn mower such that the battery can be inserted within the pocket in a single orientation.

18. The battery of claim 17, wherein the first battery connector automatically mates with the mower connector as the battery is inserted within the pocket.

19. A battery-powered lawn mower comprising:

a deck supported by wheels and defining a pocket;

a mower connector arranged within the pocket;

a battery being secured within the pocket in a first configuration and being removable from the pocket in a second configuration, the battery including a first battery connector for mating with the mower connector and a second battery connector for mating with a charger cable;

a motor supported by the deck and electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration; and

a blade coupled to the deck and driven by the motor, wherein the battery powers the motor to drive the blade and the first battery connector automatically mates with the mower connector as the battery is inserted within the pocket.

20. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 19, wherein the second battery connector is inaccessible in the first configuration.

21. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 20, wherein the pocket has a first shape and the battery has a second shape that complements the first shape such that the battery can be inserted within the pocket in a single orientation.

22. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 21, wherein the battery includes at least one cell within a battery housing that includes a first handle on a first side of the battery housing and a second handle on a second side of the battery housing opposite the first side.

23. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 22, wherein the first and second handles are monolithically formed with the battery housing.

24. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 19, wherein the battery is configured to be charged in the first configuration.

25. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 19, wherein the deck includes a front, a rear and a longitudinal center and the battery includes a center, the center of the battery being positioned rearward of the longitudinal center of the deck in the first configuration.

26. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 25, further comprising a drive mechanism electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration, the battery powering the drive mechanism to propel at least one of the wheels coupled to the rear of the deck.