VARIABLE SPEED CONTROLLER

• US 20110000175A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna Consumer Outdoor Products Na Incorporated (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna Consumer Outdoor Products Na Incorporated (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Lahey, Clint, Lambert, Matt
• Application Number:
  US12/496,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20110000175A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.8
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2034/6843 Control levers on the handle of the mower
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/68 with motor driven cutters or wheels

Abstract

A variable speed control apparatus 240 is provided for controlling a self-propelled speed of a mowing machine 20 including an operational trigger 38 and a variable speed transmission 44. The variable speed control apparatus 240 includes a body 254 and a cable 242 coupled between the operational trigger 38 and the variable speed transmission 44, and a control lever 268 is rotatably coupled to the body 254 for rotational movement between a first position 70 and a second position 72. A cable tensioner 84 is operatively coupled to the control lever 268 and adapted to translate rotational motion of the control lever 268 to the cable coupler 86. Movement of the control lever 268 towards a first portion relatively decreases tension in the cable 242, and movement towards a second tensioner position relatively increases tension in the cable 242. In one example, the operational trigger 38 is coupled to the handle 28 adjacent the grip portion 34 for operating the variable speed transmission 44 between a halt condition and an advancement condition.

Claims

1. A self-propelled mowing machine 20, including:

a chassis 22;

a power unit 24 coupled to the chassis 22;

a handle 28 coupled to the chassis 22, including a grip portion 34;

a pair of driving wheels 26b rotatably coupled to the chassis 22;

a variable speed transmission 44 for propelling the mowing machine 20, interposed between the power unit 24 and the pair of driving wheels 26b;

an operational trigger 38 coupled to the handle 28 adjacent the grip portion 34 for operating the variable speed transmission 44 between a halt condition and an advancement condition;

a cable 242 coupled between the operational trigger 38 and the variable speed transmission 44, whereby a self-propelled speed of the mowing machine 20 is controlled via a relative tension in the cable 242; and

a variable speed control apparatus 240 for controlling the relative tension in the cable 242, including;

a body 254, wherein an intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 extends through the body 254;

a control lever 268 pivotally coupled to the body 254 for pivotal movement between a first lever position 70 and a second lever position 72;

a rotatable driving member 76 operatively coupled to the control lever 268; and

a cable tensioner 84 coupled to the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 and operatively coupled to the driving member for movement between a first tensioner position to relatively decrease tension in the cable 242, and a second tensioner position to relatively increase tension in the cable 242,

wherein pivotal movement of the control lever 268 causes rotational movement of the driving member which in turn causes movement of the cable tensioner 84 relative to the control lever 268.

2. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the driving member is adapter to cause generally linear movement of the cable tensioner 84 relative to the control lever 268.

3. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 2, wherein the cable tensioner 84 is adapted for linear movement along an axis 293 oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis 293 of the cable 242.

4. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the cable tensioner 84 is adapted to provide infinite adjustability of the tension in the cable 242 within a range defined between the first tensioner position and the second tensioner position.

5. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the rotatable driving member 76 including a plurality of protrusions 295 extending a distance therefrom, the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 extending between the protrusions 295 in a serpentine fashion.

6. The variable speed control apparatus 240 of claim 1, wherein the rotatable driving member 76 includes a rotatable cam 114 pivotable about an axis 293 and including a generally circular portion 397 at one end 31 thereof, and an extended cam portion 395 at the other end 31 thereof, the extended cam portion 395 having a radius with respect to the axis 293 relatively greater than a radius of the generally circular portion 397 with respect to the axis 293.

7. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the cable tensioner 84 includes at least one of a generally “

C”

-shaped geometry and a generally “

U”

-shaped geometry for coupling to the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242.

8. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the control lever 268 includes a sensory feedback element 94 for engagement with corresponding structure to provide sensory feedback to an operator upon pivotal movement of the control lever 268.

9. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 1, wherein the operational trigger 38 includes a plurality of triggers 52a, and wherein each of the plurality of triggers 52a can independently control operation of the variable speed transmission 44.

10. A self-propelled mowing machine 20, including:

a chassis 22;

a power unit 24 coupled to the chassis 22;

a handle 28 coupled to the chassis 22, including a grip portion 34;

a driving wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis 22;

a variable speed transmission 44 for propelling the mowing machine 20, interposed between the power unit 24 and the driving wheel;

an operational trigger 38 coupled to the handle 28 adjacent the grip portion 34 for operating the variable speed transmission 44 between a halt condition and an advancement condition;

a cable 242 coupled between the operational trigger 38 and the variable speed transmission 44, whereby a self-propelled speed of the mowing machine 20 is controlled via a relative position of the cable 242; and

a variable speed control apparatus 240 for controlling the relative position of the cable 242, including;

a body 254;

a control lever 268 rotatably coupled to the body 254 for rotational movement between a first position 70 and a second position 72; and

a cable adjuster 291 operatively coupled to the control lever 268 and adapted to rotate together with the control lever 268, the cable adjuster 291 including a cable coupler 86 adapted to engage the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 and to be moveable between a first adjuster position and a second adjuster position,

wherein rotational movement of the control lever 268 towards the first position 70 causes movement of the cable coupler 86 towards the first adjuster position to adjust the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 to be relatively closer to the transmission 44, and wherein rotational movement of the control lever 268 towards the second position 72 causes movement of the cable coupler 86 towards the second adjuster position to adjust the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 to be relatively farther from the transmission 44.

11. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the cable adjuster 291 is adapted for linear motion along an axis 293 oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis 293 of the cable 242.

12. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the cable adjuster 291 is adapted to provide infinite adjustability of the position of the cable 242 within a range defined between the first adjuster position and the second adjuster position.

13. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the cable adjuster 291 includes a rotatable member including a plurality of protrusions 295 extending a distance therefrom, the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 extending between the protrusions 295 in a serpentine fashion.

14. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the cable adjuster 291 includes a rotatable cam 114 pivotable about an axis 293 and including a generally circular portion 397 at one end 31 thereof, and an extended cam portion 395 at the other end 31 thereof, the extended cam portion 395 having a radius with respect to the axis 293 relatively greater than a radius of the generally circular portion 397 with respect to the axis 293.

15. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the cable coupler 86 includes at least one of a generally “

C”

-shaped geometry and a generally “

U”

-shaped geometry for coupling to the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242.

16. The self-propelled mowing machine 20 of claim 10, wherein the operational trigger 38 includes a plurality of triggers 52a, and wherein each of the plurality of triggers 52a can independently control operation of the variable speed transmission 44.

17. A variable speed control apparatus 240 for controlling a self-propelled speed of a mowing machine 20 including an operational trigger 38 and a variable speed transmission 44, the variable speed control apparatus 240 including:

a body 254;

a cable 242 coupled between the operational trigger 38 and the variable speed transmission 44, wherein an intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 extends through the body 254;

a control lever 268 rotatably coupled to the body 254 for rotational movement between a first position 70 and a second position 72; and

a cable adjuster 291 operatively coupled to the control lever 268 and adapted to rotate together with the control lever 268, the cable adjuster 291 including a cable coupler 86 adapted to engage the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 and to be moveable between a first adjuster position and a second adjuster position,

wherein rotational movement of the control lever 268 towards the first portion causes movement of the cable coupler 86 towards the first adjuster position to relatively decrease tension in the cable 242, and wherein rotational movement of the control lever 268 towards the second portion causes movement of the cable coupler 86 towards the second adjuster position to relatively increase tension in the cable 242.

18. The variable speed control apparatus 240 of claim 17, wherein the cable adjuster 291 is adapter to translate rotational motion of the control lever 268 into generally linear motion.

19. The variable speed control apparatus 240 of claim 17, wherein the cable adjuster 291 can include a rotatable member including a plurality of protrusions 295 extending a distance therefrom, the intermediate portion 256 of the cable 242 extending between the protrusions 295 in a serpentine fashion.

20. The variable speed control apparatus 240 of claim 17, wherein the cable adjuster 291 includes a rotatable cam 114 pivotable about an axis 293 and including a generally circular portion 397 at one end 31 thereof, and an extended cam portion 395 at the other end 31 thereof, the extended cam portion 395 having a radius with respect to the axis 293 relatively greater than a radius of the generally circular portion 397 with respect to the axis 293.