Walk-behind mower including debris container

• US 9,750,186 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Hurst, John O., Wadzinski, Chris A., Gill, John T., Johnson, Daniel C., Macklem, Lee G., Schulz, Mark W., Wood, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fbin-Kovcs, rpd
• Application Number:
  US14/595,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 56202, 56 166, 56DIG 9, 56199, 56 2, 280 4726, 383 16
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/0636 Flexible containers

Abstract

A walk-behind is configurable in a grass catching mode, wherein a debris container is attached to the mower in a grass collecting configuration to permit the collection of grass clippings. The mower may further be configured such that the debris container is stored on the mower in a stowed configuration. The debris container may be partially or fully supported by a handle of the mower when in the stowed configuration.

Claims

1. A lawn mower comprising:

a deck comprising an upper wall and downwardly extending sidewalls that together define a cutting chamber, wherein one or both of the upper wall and the sidewalls define a discharge port;

a plurality of wheels supporting the deck upon a ground surface;

a cutting element operatively supported within the cutting chamber;

an operator handle assembly connected to the deck and extending outwardly therefrom; and

a debris container defining an opening, the debris container comprising a frame, the debris container adapted to attach to the mower both;

in a grass collecting configuration, wherein the debris container is supported by one or both of the deck and the handle assembly such that the opening is in communication with the discharge port to receive clippings into the debris container through the opening; and

alternatively in a stowed configuration, wherein the debris container is supported above the ground surface by the handle assembly such that the opening faces upwardly and is exposed and accessible.

2. The mower of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises attachment members adapted to couple:

to the deck when the debris container is in the grass collecting configuration; and

to the handle assembly when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

3. The mower of claim 2, wherein the attachment members comprise laterally protruding first and second pins that engage:

associated first and second receivers, respectively, on the deck when the debris container is in the grass collecting configuration; and

engage third and fourth receivers, respectively, on the handle assembly when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

4. The mower of claim 1, wherein one or both of the deck and the handle assembly further comprises a stop member adapted to abut and immobilize the debris container when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

5. The mower of claim 1, wherein the debris container further comprises a flexible bag supported by the frame.

6. The mower of claim 5, wherein the frame is adapted to support the debris container, upon an end opposite the opening, in a free-standing configuration when the debris container is removed from the mower.

7. The mower of claim 5, wherein the frame is adapted for end-user assembly from two pieces.

8. A lawn mower comprising:

a deck comprising an upper wall and downwardly extending sidewalls that together define a cutting chamber, wherein a discharge port extends through one or more of the upper wall and the sidewalls;

a plurality of wheels supporting the deck upon a ground surface;

a prime mover attached to the upper wall of the deck;

a rotatable cutting element positioned within the cutting chamber, the cutting element operatively attached to an output shaft of the prime mover;

an operator handle assembly connected to the deck and extending upwardly and rearwardly; and

a debris container comprising laterally protruding first and second pins and further defining an opening, wherein the debris container is adapted to attach to the mower both;

in a grass collecting configuration, wherein the laterally protruding first and second pins mechanically couple to the deck such that the opening is in communication with the discharge port; and

alternatively in a stowed configuration, wherein the laterally protruding first and second pins mechanically couple to the handle assembly such that the opening is exposed and accessible.

9. The mower of claim 8, wherein the laterally protruding first pin is located on a first side of the debris container, and the laterally protruding second pin is located on a second side of the debris container.

10. The mower of claim 9, wherein the handle assembly comprises first and second lugs operable to receive the first and second pins, respectively, when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

11. The mower of claim 9, wherein the first and second pins are coaxial.

12. The mower of claim 9, wherein the debris container may rotate about the first and second pins when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

13. The mower of claim 12, further comprising a stop member configured to limit rotation of the debris container about the first and second pins.

14. The mower of claim 8, wherein the debris container comprises mesh walls supported by a wire frame.

15. The mower of claim 14, wherein the wire frame forms the laterally protruding first and second pins.

16. The mower of claim 8, wherein the laterally protruding first and second pins are adapted to suspend the debris container above the ground surface when the debris container is in the stowed configuration.

17. The mower of claim 8, wherein the debris container further comprises structure adapted to support the debris container, upon an end opposite the opening, in a free-standing configuration when the debris container is removed from the mower.

18. The mower of claim 17, wherein the structure comprises two wheels at or near the end of the debris container opposite the opening of the debris container.

19. A walk-behind lawn mower comprising:

a deck comprising an upper wall and downwardly extending sidewalls that together define a cutting chamber, wherein a discharge port extends through one or more of the upper wall and the sidewalls, the deck further comprising first and second receivers;

a plurality of wheels supporting the deck upon a ground surface;

a prime mover attached to the upper wall of the deck;

a rotatable cutting element positioned within the cutting chamber, the cutting element operatively attached to an output shaft of the prime mover;

a handle assembly connected to the deck, the handle assembly comprising first and second handle tubes extending upwardly to form an operator control handle, wherein the first and second handle tubes comprise third and fourth receivers, respectively; and

a debris container defining an opening, the debris container comprising first and second pins, wherein the debris container is adapted to attach to the mower both;

in a grass collecting configuration, wherein the first and second pins mechanically couple to the first and second receivers, respectively, such that the opening is in communication with the discharge port; and

alternatively in a stowed configuration, wherein the first and second pins mechanically couple to the third and fourth receivers, respectively, such that the opening faces upwardly.

20. The mower of claim 19, wherein the debris container further comprises a frame adapted to support the debris container, upon an end opposite the opening, in a free-standing configuration when the debris container is removed from the mower.