Patent ID: 8001753
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A lawn care device comprising: a power lawnmower having a mower frame supported above a ground surface on a plurality of drive wheels, a power lawn care deck attached to the mower frame and a motive drive system attached to the mower frame and interconnected with at least one of the plurality of drive wheels for driving the power lawnmower in forward and rearward driving directions and wherein the motive drive system also drives elements of the power lawn care deck to perform lawn care tasks; a forward extending frame comprising one or more longitudinal frame members each having a first end rigidly attached to the mower frame and a second end extending longitudinally forward from the first end to provide one or more first attaching points rigidly supported in a path of forward movement of the lawn care deck at a substantially fixed height above the ground surface; a transverse frame, pivotally attached to the forward extending frame at the one or more first attaching points, comprising one or more transverse frame members disposed substantially orthogonal to the one or more longitudinal frame members; a rake assembly attached to said transverse frame comprising at least one row of flexible rake tines disposed across the entire transverse width of the power lawn care deck in the forward path thereof for raking the path of forward movement of the lawn care device; a pivot rod pivotally extending through the one or more first attaching points and fixedly attached to the transverse frame for pivoting the transverse frame and the rake assembly about a longitudinal axis of the pivot rod, wherein a range of pivoting motion of the rake assembly extends from a non-operating pivot angle wherein the at least one row of flexible rake tines is pivoted to a non-raking position, to one or more pivot angles wherein the at least one row of flexible rake tines is pivoted to one or more raking positions and wherein each of the one or more raking positions forces the at least one row of flexible rake tines to contact a ground surface with a different downward force; a pivot handle disposed at a location accessible to a user operating the lawn care device; a pivot handle support element attached to the longitudinal frame and configured to support the pivot handle at various support positions each corresponding with a pivot angle in the range of pivoting motion of the rake assembly; wherein the pivot handle pivots around a point that lies on the longitudinal axis of the pivot rod; a handle bracket fixedly attached to the pivot rod; wherein the at least one row of flexible rake tines comprises: a first row of flexible rake tines formed by two upper rake heads attached to the transverse frame; a second row of flexible rake tines formed by two lower rake heads attached to the transverse frame through holes in the two upper rake heads; and, wherein the first row and the second row are offset longitudinally such that each of the first row and the second row of flexible rake tines rake the entire transverse width of the power lawn care deck in the forward path thereof; wherein the pivot handle support element includes: a first detent for supporting the pivot handle in a first support position corresponding with supporting the rake assembly at the non-raking position; a second detent for supporting the pivot handle in a second support position corresponding to one of the one or more pivot angles wherein the at least one row of flexible rake tines is pivoted to a raking position; two substantially parallel transverse brace members extending between and rigidly attached to each of the longitudinal frame members to form a first rigid rectangular frame; a pair of frame mounts fixedly attached to the mower frame on opposing sides thereof for coupling with the first ends of the two longitudinal frame members to attach the forward extending frame to the lawn care device and align the forward extending frame to position the two first attaching points at a design height above the ground surface; opposing substantially parallel left and right longitudinal frame members fastened to the opposing transverse front and rear frame members and thereby forming a second rigid rectangular frame; and opposing substantially parallel left and right pivot posts each having a bottom end fixedly attached to the front transverse frame member, a top end extending substantially vertically up from the bottom end and a pair of coaxially aligned through holes extending there through at the top ends for receiving the pivot rod there through.