Patent ID: 6862875
Filing Date: 2005-03-08
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A lawn mower, comprising: a power source for rotationally driving an output shaft; a housing having a front end and a rear end, the housing being disposed below the power source and opening in a downward direction with respect to the power source; a cutting blade disposed in the housing and connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith; an enclosure having a grass discharge passage extending rearwardly and upwardly from the housing, the grass discharge passage having an inlet facing the housing, an outlet opposite the inlet and a bottom portion; a grass receptacle removably mounted to the housing at the outlet of the grass discharge passage; a scroll portion disposed in the housing forwardly of the grass discharge passage for allowing grass clippings cut by the cutting blade to swirl within the housing while guiding the grass clippings to the grass discharge passage as a swirling airflow flows along the scroll portion within the housing when the cutting blade is rotating; and a guide mounted within the housing so as to extend along the scroll portion beneath a top plate of the housing for guiding the swirling airflow toward the grass discharge passage while gradually changing a direction of the swirling airflow toward the grass discharge passage, the guide being disposed forwardly of and having a rear guide end generally orientated toward the bottom portion of the inlet of the grass discharge passage and confronting the inlet of the grass discharge passage so that a space is defined between the rear guide end and the inlet of the grass discharge passage; a shutter member disposed in the grass discharge passage for opening and closing the grass discharge passage, the shutter member comprising a plug member configured to be removed out of or inserted into the grass discharge passage, wherein when the plug member is inserted into the grass discharge passage, the plug member extends toward the rear guide end of the guide and a bottom portion of the plug member is disposed at a height substantially identical to that of the rear guide end relative to the bottom portion of the inlet of the grass discharge passage; wherein when the grass discharge passage is opened by the shutter member, grass clippings cut by the cutting blade are guided through the grass discharge passage and into the grass receptacle; and wherein when the grass discharge passage is closed by the shutter member, grass clippings cut by the cutting blade are discharged in the downward direction.