Modular lawn maintenance machine and method

• US 9,848,532 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, ALICIA M
• Application Number:
  US13/834,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20130333342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 180 20, 180 22, 180 656
• 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 system, the system comprising:

an unmanned, electric powered lawn or turf care maintenance machine, including;

front and rear wheels including left and right wheels;

a modular electric drive system for driving the wheels;

a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance electric motors;

a plurality of modular attachments providing a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance functions driven by the electric motors;

a positioning system;

a computer controller coupled to the modular electric drive system, the modular attachments, and the positioning system; and

a server coupled to the computer controller and which provides for unmanned, location based operation of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine and the modular attachments,

wherein the modular electric drive system includes a power train with respective drive units for each of the front and rear wheels,

each drive unit includes a planetary gear system and servo motor system for each of the front and rear wheels,

the power train includes steerable or non-steerable wheel power units, housing the respective drive units, and including respective servo controllers for each of the front and rear wheels,

the wheel power units are configured for single, double or triple wheel configurations,

the front and rear wheels are located so as to form an adjacent, continuous wheel track pattern over an entire width of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine over the lawn or turf,

the drive units include an upper portion movably coupled to a lower portion such that the lower portion follows the ground by swiveling relative to the upper portion,

the planetary gear system of the lower portion includes a left planetary gear for coupling to a left wheel and a right planetary gear for coupling to a right wheel,

the servo motor system of the lower portion includes a left servo motor coupled to the left planetary gear, and a right servo motor coupled to the right planetary gear,

and

one or more of the drive units are configured to rotate 360 degrees around a central vertical axis thereof.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system is one of a global positioning system, a Galileo positioning system, and a Glonass positioning system and which provides automatic steering, and

the server includes a data capture system for capturing data for seeding, fertilizing, pesticides spreading, weed control, and irrigation needs.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the modular electric drive system includes the power train with interchangeable tires, and with the wheels, the planetary gears, the servo motors, the servo controllers, and the drives also being interchangeable across a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance system platforms.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric motors drive 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.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the modular attachments include a clippings collection and dispersing attachment, an aerator attachment, a seeder attachment, a brusher attachment, a finishing roller attachment, and a fertilizer attachment.

6. A computer implemented method for a lawn or turf care maintenance system, the method comprising:

providing an unmanned, electric powered lawn or turf care maintenance machine, including;

providing front and rear wheels including left and right wheels;

providing a modular electric drive system for driving the wheels;

providing a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance electric motors;

providing a plurality of modular attachments providing a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance functions driven by the electric motors;

providing a positioning system;

providing a computer controller coupled to the modular electric drive system, the modular attachments, and the positioning system;

providing a server coupled to the computer controller and which provides for unmanned, location based operation of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine and the modular attachments,

wherein the modular electric drive system includes a power train with respective drive units for each of the front and rear wheels,

each drive unit includes a planetary gear system and servo motor system for each of the front and rear wheels,

the power train includes steerable or non-steerable wheel power units, housing the respective drive units, and including respective servo controllers for each of the front and rear wheels,

the wheel power units are configured for single, double or triple wheel configurations,

the front and rear wheels are located so as to form an adjacent, continuous wheel track pattern over an entire width of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine over the lawn or turf,

the drive units include an upper portion movably coupled to a lower portion such that the lower portion follows the ground by swiveling relative to the upper portion,

the planetary gear system of the lower portion includes a left planetary gear for coupling to a left wheel and a right planetary gear for coupling to a right wheel,

and

one or more of the drive units are configured to rotate 360 degrees around a central vertical axis thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the positioning system including one of a global positioning system, a Galileo positioning system, and a Glonass positioning system and which provides automatic steering, and

providing the server with a data capture system for capturing data for seeding, fertilizing, pesticides spreading, weed control, and irrigation needs.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing the modular electric drive system including the power train with interchangeable tires, and with the wheels, the planetary gears, the servo motors, the servo controllers, and the drives also being interchangeable across a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance system platforms.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising driving with the electric cutting motors including 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 method of claim 6, further comprising providing the modular attachments including a clippings collection and dispersing attachment, an aerator attachment, a seeder attachment, a brusher attachment, a finishing roller attachment, and a fertilizer attachment.

11. A non-transitory computer program product having stored thereon a program that when executed by one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to execute a method for a lawn or turf care maintenance, the method comprising:

providing an unmanned, electric powered lawn or turf care maintenance machine, including;

providing front and rear wheels including left and right wheels;

providing a modular electric drive system for driving the wheels;

providing a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance electric motors;

providing a plurality of modular attachments providing a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance functions driven by the electric motors;

providing a positioning system;

providing a computer controller coupled to the modular electric drive system, the modular attachments, and the positioning system;

providing a server coupled to the computer controller and which provides for unmanned, location based operation of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine and the modular attachments,

wherein the modular electric drive system includes a power train with respective drive units for each of the front and rear wheels,

each drive unit includes a planetary gear system and servo motor system for each of the front and rear wheels,

the power train includes steerable or non-steerable wheel power units, housing the respective drive units, and including respective servo controllers for each of the front and rear wheels,

the wheel power units are configured for single, double or triple wheel configurations,

the front and rear wheels are located so as to form an adjacent, continuous wheel track pattern over an entire width of the lawn or turf care maintenance machine over the lawn or turf,

the drive units include an upper portion movably coupled to a lower portion such that the lower portion follows the ground by swiveling relative to the upper portion,

the planetary gear system of the lower portion includes a left planetary gear for coupling to a left wheel and a right planetary gear for coupling to a right wheel,

and

one or more of the drive units are configured to rotate 360 degrees around a central vertical axis thereof.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising providing the positioning system including one of a global positioning system, a Galileo positioning system, and a Glonass positioning system and which provides automatic steering, and

providing the server with a data capture system for capturing data for seeding, fertilizing, pesticides spreading, weed control, and irrigation needs.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising providing the modular electric drive system including the power train with interchangeable tires, and with the wheels, the planetary gears, the servo motors, the servo controllers, and the drives also being interchangeable across a plurality of lawn or turf care maintenance system platforms.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising driving the electric cutting motors including 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.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising providing the modular attachments including a clippings collection and dispersing attachment, an aerator attachment, a seeder attachment, a brusher attachment, a finishing roller attachment, and a fertilizer attachment.