Electric working machine

• US 7,540,132 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yasunori, Hirose, Yoshihisa, Iida, Tetsuo, Takizawa, Toshiaki, Kobayashi, Takao, Shimada, Kenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres; Alicia M
• Application Number:
  US10/177,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 56/119, 563/201, 56/1, 563/202, 56/111, 180/229
• US Class Current: 56/11.9
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6812 Braking or clutching mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/828 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric

Abstract

In an electric working machine, a scroll portion is provided at one of left and right sides of a machine body, and a relay member functioning as a power switch in which a power on/off key is removably inserted is provided at the other side of the machine body. The relay member is provided between a motor-driving battery and a control section so that the battery and control section can be electrically connected with each other by insertion, in the relay member, of the power on/off key and disconnected from each other by removal, from the relay member, of the power on/off key.

Claims

1. An electric working machine comprising:

a machine body section;

one or more rechargeable batteries mounted in the machine body section;

an electric motor driven by the batteries;

a control section for controlling the electric motor to allow the machine body section to travel and perform various functions; and

a single relay member provided between the batteries and the control section for electrical connection therebetween and having a single exposed connector into which a power on/off key or a battery charger connector are alternatively removably insertable, the batteries being charged by insertion of the battery charger connector into the exposed connector when the power on/off key is removed, and the battery and the control section being electrically connected to each other by insertion of the removable power on/off key into the exposed connector and being electrically disconnected from each other to disable the electric motor by removal of the power on/off key from the exposed connector.

2. An electric working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the exposed connector is a female plug, the power on/off key is a male plug insertable into the female plug, and the battery charger connector is a male plug insertable into the female plug when the power on/off key is removed therefrom for conveying power from a power source for recharging the batteries.

3. An electric working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the batteries are nickel-based or lithium-based batteries.

4. An electric working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the control section has a temperature control circuit for monitoring and controlling a temperature of the batteries.

5. An electric working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the relay member includes a positive terminal connected with a positive pole of the batteries, and the positive terminal of the relay member functions as a charging positive terminal for connecting a battery charger to the positive pole of the batteries.

6. An electric lawn mower comprising:

a machine body section having a cutter housing;

an exposed connector provided in the machine body section;

an electric motor mounted in the machine body section for being turned on by insertion into the exposed connector of a power on/off key and turned off by removal from the exposed connector of the power on/off key;

a cutter blade disposed within the cutter housing and rotatable via the electric motor to cut grass;

a scroll portion disposed in a rear portion of the cutter housing for electing grass clippings cut by the cutter blade into a grass bag removably attached to a rear portion of the machine body section;

one or more rechargeable batteries mounted in the machine body section for driving the electric motor;

a control section for controlling the electric motor;

wherein the scroll portion is provided proximate one of left and right lateral sides of the machine body section and the exposed connector for removable insertion therein of the power on/off key is provided at the other of the left and right lateral sides of the machine body section, to thereby enable an operator of the electric lawn mower to remove the power on/off key from the exposed connector to disable the electric motor and lay the machine body section down sideways with the one lateral side of the machine body section facing downward for access to and cleaning of the scroll portion while standing at the other lateral side of the machine body section;

wherein the exposed connector is configured to removably receive only a single connector at one time including the power on/off key and a battery charger connector for recharging the batteries when the power on/off key is removed; and

wherein the exposed connector is a female plug, the power on/off key is a male plug insertable into the female plug, and the battery charger connector is a male plug insertable into the female plug for conveying power from a power source for recharging the batteries.

7. An electric lawn mower comprising:

a housing containing a cutting blade;

an electric motor having an output shaft connected to the cutting blade;

one or more rechargeable batteries for driving the electric motor;

a control section for controlling the electric motor;

a scroll portion provided near one lateral side of the housing for ejecting grass clippings of grass cut by the cutter blade; and

a relay member connected between the batteries and the control section for electrical connection therebetween and having a single connector provided on a second lateral side of the housing opposite the first lateral side and into which a power on/off key or a battery charger connector are alternatively removably insertable, the batteries being charged by insertion of the battery charger connector into the single connector when the power on/off key is removed therefrom, and the batteries and the control section being electrically connected to each other by insertion of the removable power on/off key into the single connector and being electrically disconnected from each other to disable the electric motor by removal of the power on/off key from the single connector.

8. An electric lawn mower according to claim 7;

wherein the single connector is a female plug, the power on/off key is a male plug insertable into the female plug, and the battery charger connector is a male plug insertable into the female plug only when the power on/off key is removed therefrom for conveying power from a power source for recharging the batteries.