Electric zero-turn working vehicle

• US 8,579,055 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd. (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd. (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sasahara, Kengo, Koga, Kazunari, Itou, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US13/082,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20110247886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.5, 180/6.24, 180/6.28, 180/65.1, 180/65.51, 180/65.6, 56/147, 56/108
• US Class Current: 180/6.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/78 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric

Abstract

An electric zero-turn working vehicle comprises a vehicle body frame, right and left drive wheels, right and left first electric motors for driving the respective right and left drive wheels, a transaxle including at least one of the right and left first electric motors, a working implement, and a second electric motor for driving the working implement. The right and left first electric motors have a space therebetween. The transaxle is supported by the vehicle body frame and is disposed below the vehicle body frame. At least a part of the second electric motor is disposed in the space between the right and left first electric motors.

Claims

1. An electric zero turn working vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body frame;

right and left drive wheels;

a working implement; and

a wheel-driving assembly supported by the vehicle body frame,

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes right and left first electric motors for driving the respective right and left drive wheels, a second electric motor for driving the working implement, and a transaxle, including at least one of the right and left first electric motors,

wherein the right and left first electric motors have a space therebetween,

wherein the transaxle is supported by the vehicle body frame and is disposed below the vehicle body frame,

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes a means overlapping the space in a plan view, and

wherein the second electric motor is supported by the means overlapping the space so that at least a part of the second electric motor is disposed in the space between the right and left first electric motors.

2. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transaxle includes one of the right and left first electric motors, and

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes another transaxle including the other of the right and left first electric motors, so that the transaxle including the right first electric motor is defined as a right transaxle, the transaxle including the left first electric motor is defined as a left transaxle, and a space is provided between the right and left transaxles so as to define the space between the right and left first electric motors, and

wherein the means overlapping the space is interposed between the right and left transaxles so as to connect the right and left transaxles to each, other.

3. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes a horizontal plate-shaped connection member serving as the means overlapping the space, so that the space is disposed above or below a horizontal surface of the connection member, and

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes a drive unit including the second electric motor, the drive unit being provided on the connection member.

4. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the wheel-driving assembly includes a motor casing incorporating the second electric motor so that the motor casing serves as the means overlapping the space.

5. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the motor casing connects the right and left transaxles to the vehicle body frame.

6. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising:

a battery for supplying electric power to the right and left first electric motors and the second electric motor, wherein the battery is mounted on the motor casing.

7. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transaxle includes a transaxle casing incorporating the right and left first electric motors and the second electric motor so that the space between the right and left first electric motors is provided in a part of the transaxle casing incorporating the second electric motor, whereby the part of the transaxle casing serves as the means overlapping the space, and whereby the transaxle serves as the wheel-driving assembly by itself.

8. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the transaxle casing has a hole, and wherein wires for controlling the right and left first electric motors and the second electric motor are bundled and passed through the hole.

9. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the second electric motor has a motor shaft, and wherein an end of the motor shaft projects outward from the transaxle casing, the electric zero-turn working vehicle further comprising:

a cooling fan fixed on the end of the motor shaft.

10. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the working implement is a mower unit disposed below the vehicle body frame, the electric zero-turn working vehicle further comprising:

a grass box; and

a grass duct interposed between the mower unit and the grass box so as to guide grass mowed by the mower unit to the grass box.

11. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the grass duct is extended through the space between the right and left first electric motors.

12. The electric zero-turn working vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the grass duct is extended above the space between the right and left first electric motors.