Airflow Management

• US 20130278093A1
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Baxter, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,093,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/59
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft

Abstract

The present invention relates to an airflow management system, particularly for a lawn mower, especially a robotic lawn mower. We describe a battery-operated robotic lawn mower with an active airflow management system, said active airflow management system comprising: at least one first air vent positioned on an underside of said mower; at least one second air vent; an internal housing surrounding a motor; a fan; and at least one cooling air channel located within said housing and around said motor. An air flow path is defined between the first and the second vents; and said at least one second vent has a lower air flow capacity than an air flow capacity of said at least one cooling air channel, such that in operation, a greater volume of air is drawn through the first vent than the second.

Claims

1. A battery operated robotic lawn mower with an active airflow management system, said active airflow management system comprising:

at least one first air vent positioned on an underside of said mower;

at least one second air vent;

an internal housing surrounding a motor;

a fan; and

at least one cooling air channel located within said internal housing and around said motor,

wherein an air flow path is defined between the at least one first air vent and the at least one second air vent, and

wherein said at least one second air vent has a lower air flow capacity than an air flow capacity of said at least one cooling air channel such that, in operation, a greater volume of air is drawn through the first vent than the second.

2. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an enveloping outer shell, defining an insulating layer between said mower and ambient atmospheric conditions.

3. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when said mower is in operation, said fan provides a downward flow of air around said motor.

4. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one first air vent is positioned behind a cutting area of said mower.

5. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a barrier, positioned between said cutting area and said at least one first air vent, said barrier extending downwardly from and substantially across a width of said underside.

6. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 5, wherein said barrier is substantially in contact with grass at a highest cut level.

7. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 5, wherein said barrier is substantially 50 mm deep in a direction of travel of said mower.

8. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one second air vent is positioned in an opposing side of said mower, to enable convection cooling of the mower when said motor is not in operation.

9. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 8, wherein said at least one second air vent is positioned under said outer shell.

10. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said mower includes a battery, and

said at least one first air vent has substantially equal dimensions as said battery.

11. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one first air vent is at least about 40 mm above a height of grass at a highest cut level.