Patent ID: 7805920
Filing Date: 2010-10-05
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A lawn mower having at least a collecting mode of operation, which comprises: (a) a cutting deck having a downwardly facing cutting chamber; (b) a handle assembly extending upwardly and rearwardly from the cutting deck to allow a user who walks behind the cutting deck to guide and operate the cutting deck; (c) a rotatable cutting blade within the cutting chamber for cutting grass, wherein the cutting blade rotates about a substantially vertical axis of rotation within a substantially horizontal cutting plane; (d) an exit tunnel located on the deck, wherein the exit tunnel extends rearwardly from a front inlet opening to a rear discharge opening located on a rear face of the deck; (e) a grass collector for receiving and retaining grass clippings therein, the grass collector having an open mouth substantially overlying the rear face of the deck and completely overlying the rear discharge opening of the exit tunnel, wherein the grass collector extends rearwardly from the cutting deck; and (f) wherein the exit tunnel has a bottom wall that includes a rear ramp section having a rear edge that forms a lower edge of the rear discharge opening, wherein the rear ramp section is inclined approximately at least 45° upwardly relative to the horizontal for projecting the grass clippings upwardly into an upper portion of the grass collector.