Tiller with removable battery

• US 8,162,072 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marcil, Patrick, Mooney, P. Wade, Baetica, Florin, Makeev, Olga
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troutman, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/081,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20110180281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 172/42, 172/43, 172/256, 172/259, 172/329, 172/351, 172/354, 172/358, 172/359, 172/362, 172/364, 172/125, 372/70, 372/71, 56/171, 56/172, 563/22
• US Class Current: 172/42
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 33/028 of the walk-behind type walk-type tractors B62D51/04

Abstract

A tiller can include a frame supported by at least one wheel. An upright assembly can extend from the frame. A drive mechanism can be supported by the frame and include a motor having an output member. A tilling implement can have a drive shaft that is driven by the output member. The tilling implement can comprise at least one tine plate. A slider assembly can communicate with the wheel and be movably coupled along the upright assembly. The slider assembly can be configured to securably locate in at least a first position wherein the wheel is located at a first elevation relative to the frame and a second position wherein the wheel is located at a second elevation relative to the frame. The first and second elevations can be distinct.

Claims

1. A tiller comprising:

a frame supported by at least one wheel;

an upright assembly extending from the frame;

a drive mechanism supported by the frame and including a motor having an output member;

a tilling implement having a drive shaft that is driven by the output member in a first rotational direction, the tilling implement comprising at least one tine plate;

an unjamming mechanism including a key that is selectively rotatable in a first receiving member, wherein rotation of the key causes the drive shaft to rotate in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction; and

a second receiving member, wherein the key must be inserted into the second receiving member during operation of the drive mechanism, and withdrawal of the key from the second receiving member causes the drive mechanism to be disconnected from a power source of the tiller.

2. The tiller of claim 1 wherein rotation of the key causes the motor to rotate.

3. The tiller of claim 2, further comprising a gearing unit that provides a mechanical advantage to assist rotation of the drive shaft.

4. The tiller of claim 3 wherein the gearing unit further comprises a gripping detail that is configured to be rotatably fixed to the key when the key is received into the first receiving member.

5. The tiller of claim 4 wherein multiple rotations of the gripping detail corresponds to a single rotation of the driving implement.

6. The tiller of claim 5 wherein the output member of the motor rotates multiple times for every rotation of the tilling implement.

7. The tiller of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery removably received into a receiving portion defined on the frame wherein when the battery is in an installed position on the frame, the battery supplies the motor with a current.

10. The tiller of claim 7 wherein the battery defines a generally box-like housing having a forward side, a rearward side, an upper side and a bottom side, wherein a handle is formed on an upper side, the battery further comprising a first mating portion that is configured to selectively mate with a second mating portion defined on the tiller when the battery is in the installed position.

8. A tiller comprising:

a frame supported by at least one wheel;

an upright assembly extending from the frame;

a drive mechanism supported by the frame and including a motor having an output member;

a tilling implement having a drive shaft that is driven by the output member in a first rotational direction, the tilling implement comprising at least one tine plate;

an unjamming mechanism including a key that is selectively rotatable in a first receiving member, wherein rotation of the key causes the drive shaft to rotate in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction wherein rotation of the key causes the motor to rotate and wherein the key is selectively received into a second receiving member on the frame during normal operation of the tiller, wherein current from a battery is supplied to the motor only upon receipt of the key into the second receiving member; and

a gearing unit that provides a mechanical advantage to assist rotation of the drive shaft.

9. The tiller of claim 8 wherein the key is alternatively accepted by either of the first and second receiving members.

11. A tiller comprising:

a frame supported by at least one wheel;

an upright assembly extending from the frame;

a drive mechanism supported by the frame and including a motor having an output member;

a tilling implement having a drive shaft that is driven by the output member in a first rotational direction, the tilling implement comprising at least one tine plate; and

first and second receiving members formed on the tiller and configured to selectively and alternatively receive a key, wherein the first receiving member corresponds to an unjamming mechanism where rotation of the key while in the first receiving member causes the at least one tine plate to rotate in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction and wherein withdrawal of the key from the second receiving member causes the drive mechanism to be disconnected from a power source of the tiller.

12. The tiller of claim 11, wherein the power source comprises a battery that supplies a current to the motor.

13. The tiller of claim 11, further comprising a gearing unit connected to the motor so that rotation of the gearing unit rotates the at least one tine plate.

14. The tiller of claim 13 wherein the gearing unit further comprises a gripping detail that is configured to be rotatably fixed to the key when the key is received into the first receiving member.

15. The tiller of claim 14 wherein multiple rotations of the gripping detail corresponds to a single rotation of the tilling implement.

16. The tiller of claim 14, wherein the motor output member has an axis, and the gripping detail has an axis that is aligned with the axis of the output member.

17. A method of unjamming a tilling implement of a tiller, the method comprising:

removing a key from a first receiving member on the tiller causing a drive mechanism to be disconnected from a power source of the tiller;

inserting the key into a second receiving member distinct from the first receiving member formed on the tiller;

wherein inserting the key into the second receiving member thereby couples the key to a gearing unit that translates rotational motion of the key into rotational motion of the tilling implement; and

rotating the key a first rotational direction causing the tilling implement to rotate.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein rotating the key comprises rotating the key multiple revolutions corresponding to a partial revolution of the tilling implement.