All wheel drive, walk behind mower

• US 9,622,407 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Helgesen, John, Lennings, Eric, Fancher, Robert, Lambert, Matthew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/377,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 56 108, 56 113, 56 118, 56 136, 56 145, 56 167, 56 176, 180 191, 180357, 180366, 180374, 180383, 180350, 180351, 474 11, 474 198, 474 38, 474 42, 474 46, 474 69, 1922241
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/68 with motor driven cutters or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6812 Braking or clutching mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/69 with motor driven wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/81 Casings; Housings A01D34/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/02 with belts; with V-belts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/0827 for disconnecting the drive

Abstract

A drive system includes a first transmission, a second transmission and at least one flexible driving member. The first transmission is operably coupled to a first set of wheels to provide drive power to the first set of wheels responsive to engagement of the first transmission. The second transmission is operably coupled to a second set of wheels to provide drive power to the second set of wheels responsive to engagement of the second transmission. The at least one flexible driving member is operably coupled to a remote actuator and a drive shaft of the walk-behind outdoor power equipment device. The at least one flexible member selectively engages one of the first transmission or the second transmission to switch a walk-behind outdoor power equipment device between all wheel drive operation and another drive mode via the remote actuator.

Claims

1. A walk behind lawn mower comprising:

a blade housing;

an engine supported at least in part by the blade housing to selectively rotate a drive shaft;

a mobility assembly selectively operably coupled to the engine to provide mobility of the lawn mower responsive at least in part to operation of the engine, wherein the mobility assembly comprises a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels;

a drive system comprising;

a first transmission operably coupled to the first set of wheels;

a second transmission operably coupled to the second set of wheels; and

a single flexible driving member; and

a remote actuator operably coupled to the drive system,

wherein, responsive to operation of the remote actuator, the first transmission rotates or rocks to engage the flexible driving member with the first transmission to switch the lawn mover from a no wheel drive mode to an all wheel drive mode, and

wherein, in the all wheel drive mode, the flexible driving member engages the first transmission to provide drive power from the drive shaft to the first set of wheels, and the flexible driving member engages the second transmission to provide drive power from the drive shaft to the second set of wheels.

2. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the first transmission is positioned on a first axle of the lawn mower, and wherein the second transmission is positioned on a second axle of the lawn mower.

3. The lawn mower of claim 2, wherein the first transmission is a rear transmission, the first set of wheels comprises two rear wheels, the first axle is a rear axle, the second transmission is a front transmission, the second set of wheels comprises two front wheels, and the second axle is a front axle, and

wherein the rear transmission is operably coupled to the rear wheels via the rear axle, wherein the front transmission is operably coupled to the front wheels via the front axle, and wherein, responsive to the operation of the remote actuator, the rear transmission rocks to engage the flexible driving member with the rear transmission and the front transmission.

4. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the drive system further comprises a first idler pulley, a second idler pulley, and a drive shaft pulley, wherein the drive shaft pulley is operably coupled to the drive shaft, wherein the first and second idler pulleys are disposed substantially on opposite sides of the drive shaft pulley from each other, and wherein, in the all wheel drive mode, the first and second idler pulleys engage an opposite surface of the flexible driving member than the surface engaged by the drive shaft pulley.

5. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the first transmission comprises a first drive pulley, and wherein, responsive to the operation of the remote actuator, the flexible driving member engages the first drive pulley to engage the first transmission to switch the lawn mower from the no wheel drive mode to the all wheel drive mode.

6. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the flexible driving member is a drive belt.

7. The lawn mower of claim 1, further comprising:

a handle assembly operably coupled to the blade housing, wherein the handle assembly comprises;

two handle members extending generally rearward and upward away from a rear portion of the blade housing;

a cross bar supported at least in part by the two handle members;

a presence bar supported at least in part by the two handle members and configured to move relative to the cross bar, wherein, at least in the all wheel drive mode, the presence bar is held proximate the cross bar; and

the remote actuator supported at least in part by the two handle members and configured to move relative to the cross bar,

wherein the remote actuator is configured to be moved from a first position relative to the cross bar that corresponds to the no wheel drive mode to a second position relative to the cross bar that corresponds to the all wheel drive mode.

8. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the first transmission is a rear transmission positioned on a rear axle of the lawn mower, wherein the second transmission is a front transmission positioned on a front axle of the lawn mower, wherein the rear transmission is configured to rotate or rock about the rear axle in response to the operation of the remote actuator, and wherein the front transmission is configured not to rotate or rock about the front axle in response to the operation of the remote actuator.

9. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the operation of the remote actuator, the first transmission is configured to drive the first set of wheels at increasing speed as the lawn mower is being switched from the no wheel drive mode to the all wheel drive mode.

10. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the remote actuator is a single actuator.