LAWN MAINTENANCE METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS

• US 20130333342A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jukka Keski-Luopa, Mauno Keski-Luopa, Mika Keski-Luopa
• Original Assignee: Jukka Keski-Luopa, Mauno Keski-Luopa, Mika Keski-Luopa
• Inventors: Keski-Luopa, Mauno, Keski-Luopa, Mika, Keski-Luopa, Jukka
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.2A
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2034/645 Lifting means for the cutter of the lawnmower mounted at the front of the vehicle for inspection and maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/006 Control or measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/44 with two or more cutters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 42/00 Mowers convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing; Mowers capable of performing operations other than mowing mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/14 with dispensing apparatus, e.g. for fertilisers, herbicides or preservatives
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for a lawn or turf care maintenance machine, including at least one of fully electric operation; multi-purpose operation; and overnight, silent operation. The machine can be configured for at least one of golf course maintenance, turf care, landscaping, outdoor work, and transportation.

Claims

1. A lawn or turf care maintenance machine, comprising at least one of:

fully electric operation;

multi-purpose operation; and

overnight, silent operation,

wherein the machine configured for at least one of golf course maintenance, turf care, landscaping, outdoor work, and transportation.

2. The machine of claim 1, being lithium-ion battery powered with a battery management system (BMS) and information and communications technology (ICT) systems and programs for providing at least one of quick battery exchange, manual or automatic operation, brake energy recovery, fluid free and silent operation.

3. The machine of claim 1, having a worldwide wireless remote diagnoses system, including machine data collection.

4. The machine of claim 1, having a high efficiency power train and with interchangeable tires, wheels, planetary gears, servo motors, servo controllers, and drives.

5. The machine of claim 1, having system components that are mountable on a plurality compatible frame designs with suitable wheel pattern designs.

6. The machine of claim 1, having 3 frame sizes, covering mowing machine applications, including from 3 to 5 to 7 reel and rotary mowing configurations with a mowing width from about 51 to 138 inches.

7. The machine of claim 1, having an implement mounting, lifting, lowering and down forcing system, with quick implement changing, and with a manual or motorized side-shifting capability.

8. The machine of claim 1, having a multi-purposes design for providing a plurality of lines of machines, wherein a plurality implements are mountable in front, rear, both sides, and under and above configurations, and forward and reverse operating and driving directions.

9. The machine of claim 1, having interchangeable mowing units, including reel and rotary units with electronic programmable cutting height, reel and rotary rotation speed and travelling speed of the machine or cuts per meter.

10. The machine of claim 1, having result measurement devices for measuring results of mowing operations and an automatic clippings collection and dispersing system.

11. The machine of claim 1, having a system for at least one of sharpening, washing and drying mowing units without removing the mowing units from the machine.

12. The machine of claim 1, configured to perform a plurality of jobs for golf course maintenance and turf care in addition to mowing and related jobs.

13. The machine of claim 1, configured as an 11 to 15 wheel, multipurpose machine, including an 11 wheel feeder machine or a 15 wheel carrier machine having interchangeable drive systems and wheel patterns.

14. The machine of claim 1, configured for seed, fertilizer, and pesticide distribution and with distribution needs analyzed with sensors attached to mowing units, and with collected data being transferred wirelessly to an information system, and mapped via GPS.

15. The machine of claim 1, configured as operator driven machines that are retrofittable to operate in an autonomous manner or configured to operate in an autonomous manner.

16. The machine of claim 15, including a location-based system for providing automatic steering, and with a data capture system for capturing data for seeding, fertilizing, pesticides spreading, weed control, and irrigation needs.

17. The machine of claim 15, including a wireless remote diagnoses system, operating system, and material data collections system.