Brake system and lawn mower implementing the same

• US 8,381,885 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Discovery Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Huibregtse, Mark, Vlietstra, Nathaniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Justin
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLUHART, STACEY A
• Application Number:
  US12/696,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 477/185, 477/200, 477/204, 56/105, 56/113, 188/156, 188/158, 188/159, 188/166
• US Class Current: 188/166
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6812 Braking or clutching mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/223 Ridable lawn mowers

Abstract

A brake system and powered implement, such as a lawn mower, incorporating the same. In one aspect the invention is a system for stopping an electrically grounded rotating member of an engine powered by an ignition circuit, the system comprising: a conductive member operably coupled to the ignition circuit that renders the engine inoperative when electrically grounded, the conductive member mounted adjacent the rotating member; and the conductive member normally biased into a brake position in which the conductive member contacts the rotating member and is electrically grounded as a result of the contact with the rotating member.

Claims

1. A powered implement having an engine comprising:

a rotating member rotated by the engine, the rotating member being electrically ground;

an ignition circuit that powers the engine, the ignition circuit operably coupled to a conductive member that renders the engine inoperative when electrically grounded;

a brake system comprising an actuator, the conductive member normally biased into a brake position in which the conductive member contacts the rotating member and is electrically grounded as a result of the contact with the rotating member; and

the actuator operably coupled to the conductive member so that actuation of the actuator moves the conductive member from the brake position to an operating position in which the conductive member is spaced-apart from the rotating member and is in an electrically non-grounded state.

2. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the rotating member is a flywheel.

3. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the conductive member is an electrically conductive brake pad and the contact in the brake position is achieved by surface contact between a working surface of the brake pad and a surface of the rotating member.

4. The powered implement of claim 3, wherein the brake pad comprises a conductive terminal extending from the brake pad, the ignition circuit comprising an electrical wire operably coupled to the conductive terminal.

5. The powered implement of claim 1 wherein the conductive member is an electrically conductive brake pad, and wherein the brake system further comprises a pivotable brake arm, the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm.

6. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the brake system further comprises a resilient member operably coupled to the conductive member, the resilient member biasing the conductive member into the brake position and being under a non-zero spring force when the conductive member is in the brake position.

7. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the actuator is selected from a group consisting of a lever, a pedal and a seat.

8. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the powered implement is a lawn mower.

9. The powered implement of claim 1, further comprising:

the conductive member being an electrically conductive brake pad comprising a conductive terminal;

the ignition circuit comprising an electrical wire operably coupled to the conductive terminal;

the brake system further comprising a brake arm, a resilient member, a brake plate, and a linkage member;

the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm;

the brake plate fixedly mounted adjacent the rotating member, the brake arm pivotably mounted to the brake plate so as to be pivotable between the brake position and the operating position;

the resilient member having a first end connected to the brake arm and a second end connected to the brake plate, the resilient member biasing the brake arm into the brake position, the resilient member being under a non-zero spring force in the brake position;

the linkage member having a first end connected to the actuator and a second end connected to the brake arm; and

wherein the brake pad is constructed of a resin composite material containing interlocking metal fibers.

10. The powered implement of claim 1, wherein the conductive member is electrically coupled to the ignition circuit in both the brake position and the operating position.

11. A system for stopping an electrically grounded rotating member of an engine powered by an ignition circuit, the system comprising:

a conductive member operably coupled to the ignition circuit that renders the engine inoperative when electrically grounded, the conductive member mounted adjacent the rotating member;

the conductive member normally biased into a brake position in which the conductive member contacts the rotating member and is electrically grounded as a result of the contact with the rotating member; and

wherein the conductive member is in an electrically non-grounded state when not in contact with the rotating member.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an actuator operably coupled to the conductive member so that user applied force to the actuator moves the conductive member from the brake position to an operating position in which the conductive member is spaced-apart from the rotating member and is in the electrically non-grounded state.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotating member is a flywheel.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the conductive member is an electrically conductive brake pad and the contact in the brake position is achieved by surface contact between a working surface of the brake pad and a surface of the rotating member.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a pivotable brake arm and wherein the conductive member is an electrically conductive brake pad, the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the conductive member being an electrically conductive brake pad comprising a conductive terminal;

the ignition circuit comprising an electrical wire operably coupled to the conductive terminal;

the brake assembly further comprising a brake arm, a resilient member, a brake plate, and a linkage member;

the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm;

the brake plate fixedly mounted adjacent the rotating member, the brake arm pivotably mounted to the brake plate so as to be pivotable between the brake position and the operating position;

the resilient member having a first end connected to the brake arm and a second end connected to the brake plate, the resilient member biasing the brake arm into the brake position, the resilient member being under a non-zero spring force in the brake position;

the linkage member having a first end connected to the actuator and a second end connected to the brake arm; and

wherein the electrically conductive brake pad is constructed of a resin composite material containing interlocking metal fibers.

17. A brake system for stopping an electrically grounded rotating member of an engine powered by an ignition circuit, the brake system comprising:

an electrically conductive brake pad operably coupled to the ignition circuit that renders the engine inoperative when electrically grounded; and

wherein the electrically conductive brake pad is electrically coupled to the ignition circuit when the engine is inoperative and when the engine is operative.

18. The brake system of claim 17, further comprising a brake arm, the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm.

19. The brake system of claim 17, wherein the brake pad comprises a conductive terminal extending from the brake pad and is constructed of a resin composite material containing interlocking metal fibers.

20. The brake system of claim 17, further comprising a resilient member operably coupled to the brake pad, the resilient member biasing the brake pad into the brake position and being under a non-zero spring force when the brake pad is in the brake position.

21. The brake system of claim 17, further comprising:

wherein the brake pad comprises a conductive terminal extending from the brake pad;

an electrical wire having a first end operably coupled to the conductive terminal and a second end operably coupled to the ignition circuit

a brake arm, a resilient member, a brake plate, an actuator, and a linkage member;

the brake pad mounted to and electrically insulated from the brake arm;

the brake plate fixedly mounted adjacent the rotating member, the brake arm pivotably mounted to the brake plate;

the resilient member having a first end connected to the brake arm and a second end connected to the brake plate, the resilient member biasing the brake arm into the brake position, the resilient member being under a non-zero spring force in the brake position;

the linkage member having a first end connected to the actuator and a second end connected to the brake arm; and

wherein actuation of the actuator overcomes the non-zero spring force and moves the brake pad to be spaced apart from the rotating member and in an electrically non-grounded state.

22. A brake system for stopping an electrically grounded rotating member of an engine powered by an ignition circuit, the brake system comprising:

an electrically conductive brake member movable between;

(1) a brake position in which the electrically conductive brake member contacts the electrically grounded rotating member; and

(2) an operating position in which the electrically conductive brake member is in an electrically non-grounded state;

the electrically conductive brake member operably coupled to the ignition circuit to render the engine inoperative when electrically grounded; and

wherein the electrically conductive brake member is electrically coupled to the ignition circuit in both the brake position and the operating position.