MOWER BLADE

• US 20140196428A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: MINOURA, Akira, KOIKE, Kazuo, ITO, Hirokazu, SHIOTSUKI, Motosumi
• Granted Patent: US 10,440,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/289
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/73 Cutting apparatus

Abstract

Mower blade utilizes a blade portion formed on the blade main body and an air circulator portion formed on the blade main body and generating airflow via rotation centered around the vertically-oriented axis of the mower blade. The blade portion is arranged in a length-direction end portion of the blade main body and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction. The air circulator portion is located opposite the blade portion in a width direction, has a rising upward portion, and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction. A boundary portion is arranged between the blade main body and a rising upward portion of the air circulator portion has a portion inclined or angled with respect to the blade portion such that, beginning at the length-direction end portion, a distance between the boundary portion and the blade portion increases along the length-direction and moving toward the vertically-oriented axis. A height of an upper end portion of the air circulator portion measured from a surface of the blade main body is a substantially constant height.

Claims

1. A mower blade rotatably driven and centered around a vertically-oriented axis in an interior of a housing, comprising:

a blade main body having a length-direction;

a blade portion formed on the blade main body; and

an air circulator portion formed on the blade main body and generating airflow via rotation centered around the vertically-oriented axis of the mower blade;

the blade portion is arranged in a length-direction end portion of the blade main body and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction;

the air circulator portion is located opposite the blade portion in a width direction, has a rising upward portion, and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction;

a boundary portion arranged between the blade main body and a rising upward portion of the air circulator portion has a portion inclined or angled with respect to the blade portion such that, beginning at the length-direction end portion, a distance between the boundary portion and the blade portion increases along the length-direction and moving toward the vertically-oriented axis; and

a height of an upper end portion of the air circulator portion measured from a surface of the blade main body is a substantially constant height.

2. The mower blade according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a tip of the blade portion and a position where the boundary portion extends to a length-direction end portion, measured along the width direction, is substantially equal to a distance between an imaginary center line of the blade main body extending along the length-direction and the tip of the blade portion.

3. The mower blade according to claim 1, wherein the boundary portion has a second portion inclined or angled by a greater amount that the portion of the boundary portion.

4. A mower blade, comprising:

a blade main body having a length-direction and opposite first and second cutting ends;

each of the first and second ends comprising;

an air circulator portion arranged opposite a cutting portion;

the cutting portion being arranged in a length-direction end portion of the blade main body and extending along a predetermined area in the length-direction; and

a boundary line defined by where the air circulator portion meets a surface of the blade main body extends along the length-direction and at an angle,

wherein a distance between the boundary line at an outer end of the blade main body and a tip of the cutting portion is less than a distance between the boundary line and the cutting portion at a position spaced from the outer end, and

wherein a height of an upper end portion of the air circulator portion, measured from the surface of the blade main body, is a substantially constant height over a predetermined length.

5. The mower blade according to claim 4, wherein a length of the cutting portion is greater than a length of the air circulator portion measured along the length-direction.

6. A mower blade, comprising:

a blade main body a centrally disposed mounting hole, a length-direction and oppositely arranged first and second cutting ends;

each of the first and second ends comprising;

an air circulator portion arranged opposite a cutting portion; and

a boundary line defined by where the air circulator portion meets a surface of the blade main body extends along the length-direction and at an angle that is not parallel to an imaginary centerline of the blade main body passing through a center of the mounting hole and extending along the length-direction,

wherein the distance between a first portion of the boundary line and the imaginary center line changes continuously by a first amount and the distance between a second portion of the boundary line and the imaginary center line changes continuously by a second different amount.

7. The mower blade according to claim 6, wherein a height of an upper end portion of the air circulator portion measured from the surface of the blade main body is a substantially constant height over a predetermined length.

8. The mower blade according to claim 6, wherein a length of the cutting portion is greater than a length of the air circulator portion measured along the length-direction.

9. The mower blade according to claim 6, wherein a distance between all portions of the boundary line and the imaginary center line changes continuously.

10. The mower blade according to claim 6, wherein the air circulator portion comprises:

a main air circulator portion;

a smaller area air circular portion; and

a boundary line arranged between the main air circulator portion and the smaller area air circulator portion.

11. The mower blade according to claim 10, wherein a height of an upper end portion of the main air circulator portion measured from the surface of the blade main body is a substantially constant height over a predetermined length.

12. The mower blade according to claim 10, wherein a height of an upper end portion of the smaller area air circulator portion measured from the surface of the blade main body changes continuously over a predetermined length.