Electric Power Hover Lawn Mower

An electric power hover lawn mower is employed in use to care for lawns. The electric power hover lawn mower is battery-powered and includes a deck housing, a handle, a main housing, an electric motor, an impeller, and a blade, among other possible components. The deck housing has an underside. The handle extends from the deck housing. The main housing is supported on the deck housing, and has one or more battery cavities. A battery, such as a lithium-ion battery, is received in the battery cavity(s) and powers the electric motor. The electric motor is housed by the main housing, and has a shaft that drives rotational motion of the impeller and of the blade. The impeller resides at the deck housing's underside, and the blade also resides at the deck housing's underside.

INTRODUCTION

The present disclosure generally relates to lawn care equipment and, more particularly, relates to hover lawn mowers used to cut grass in lawns of yards, gardens, parks, and other areas.

Hover lawn mowers are rotary mowers that float on a cushion of air produced between the hover lawn mowers and the underlying ground. The cushion of air raises the hover lawn movers and elevates them above the ground. Since they lack wheels like wheeled rotary mowers, hover lawn mowers can be maneuvered more easily by an operator and moved side-to-side in addition to forward and backward when employed in use to cut grass. Past hover lawn mowers are commonly powered by gasoline engines.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, an electric power hover lawn mower is employed for use in cutting grass on lawns. The electric power hover lawn mower may include a deck housing, a handle, a main housing, an electric motor, an impeller, and a blade. The deck housing has an underside. The handle extends from the deck housing. The main housing is supported on the deck housing and has one or more battery cavities for reception of one or more batteries. The electric motor can be powered by the battery(s). The electric motor is housed by the main housing and has a shaft. The impeller is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated. The impeller resides at the underside of the deck housing. The blade is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated. The blade resides at the underside of the deck housing.

In an embodiment, an electric power hover lawn mower may include a deck housing, a handle, a main housing, an electric motor, an impeller, and a blade. The handle extends from the deck housing. The main housing is supported on the deck housing. The main housing has multiple first walls that establish a first interior region of the main housing, and has multiple second walls that establish a second interior region of the main housing. The main housing further has one or more battery cavities that reside at the first interior region. The electric motor resides at the second interior region of the main housing, and has a shaft. The impeller is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated. Likewise, the blade is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated.

In an embodiment, an electric power hover lawn mower may include a deck housing, a handle, a bail control arm, a lever, a main housing, one or more batteries, an electronic control unit, an electric motor, an impeller, and a blade. The deck housing has an underside. The handle extends from the deck housing. The bail control arm is located at the handle, and the lever is located adjacent the bail control arm. The main housing is supported on the deck housing. The main housing has one or more battery cavities. The battery(s) are received in the battery cavity(s). The electronic control unit is housed by the main housing. The electric motor can be powered by the battery(s). The electric motor is housed by the main housing and has a shaft. The impeller is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated. The impeller resides at the underside of the deck housing. The blade is driven to rotate by the electric motor's shaft when the electric motor is activated. The blade resides at the underside of the deck housing. In order to activate the electric motor and hence cause rotation of the impeller and of the blade, the lever is moved to an open position and the bail control arm is moved to a pulled position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of an electric power hover lawn mower10is presented in the figures and detailed in this description. The electric power hover lawn mower10is of the walk-behind type, and is employed in use to cut grass growing in lawns for yards, gardens, parks, and other areas including private and public areas, as well as residential and commercial areas. Compared to past gasoline-powered power hover lawn mowers with gasoline engines, the electric power hover lawn mower10is battery-powered and has a significant reduction in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Diminished vibration at the electric power hover lawn mower's handle means that an operator can physically operate the electric power hover lawn mower10for a longer period of time. And diminished noise emitted by the electric power hover lawn mower10means that it can be operated at times that would otherwise be prohibitive by local ordinances or off-limits in other respects such as during early morning hours. Furthermore, since it is battery-powered, the electric power hover lawn mower10is cordless. The electric power hover lawn mower10is also lighter in weight and better for the environment than the gasoline-powered power hover lawn mowers of the past.

The electric power hover lawn mower10can have various designs, constructions, and components in different embodiments depending upon—among other possible factors—the size of the electric power hover lawn mower. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-5, for example, the electric power hover lawn mower10has, as some of its primary components, a deck housing12, a handle14, a main housing16, an electric motor18, an impeller20, and a blade22; still, the electric power hover lawn mower could have more, less, and/or different components in other embodiments. The deck housing12, also called a hood, houses certain components of the electric power hover lawn mower10and supports others, and serves as a main body of the electric power hover lawn mower10. It can be composed of a high-density polyethylene (HPDE) material, in an example. The deck housing12has a shrouded skirt24on all of its sides, and defines a central opening26. The electric motor18spans through the central opening26. An upturned flange28extends from the shrouded skirt24and surrounds the shrouded skirt24. The deck housing12defines an underside30where the deck housing12houses the impeller20and houses the blade22. The underside30has an open bottom. At an exterior the deck housing12supports the handle14, the main housing16, and the electric motor18.

The handle14extends from the deck housing12and can be grasped by the operator amid use of the electric power hover lawn mower10. The handle14has a pair of side arms32mounted at their proximal ends to the deck housing12. A handlebar34extends between the side arms32. To initiate activation of the electric motor18and deactivate the electric motor18, a bail control bar36is provided at the handle14. The bail control bar36is pivotably connected to the side arms32and can be moved by the operator from a released position, as presented inFIGS. 1 and 2, to a pulled position. The bail control bar36is spring-biased to the released position. The pulled position brings the bail control bar36in abutment or near abutment with the handlebar34, and is represented inFIGS. 3 and 5by a broken-line depiction38. The bail control bar36can be in electrical communication with an electronic control unit (described below) of the electric power hover lawn mower10via wiring and circuitry such that, at the released position, the electric motor18is deactivated and remains deactivated (i.e., turned OFF) and, at the pulled position, the electric motor18is activated and remains activated (i.e., turned ON). Movement to the pulled position can work to pull a cable spanning to the electronic control unit, for instance.

As part of a two-step safety starting procedure, a lever40is provided at the bail control bar36. The lever40is depicted inFIGS. 1 and 2. The lever40can take different forms in different examples, and serves to preclude the bail control bar36from moving to its pulled position and hence activating the electric motor18when the lever40is in a closed position. In an example form ofFIG. 2, the lever40is hinged on one of the side arms32via bolting and is located near or at the pivotal connection of the bail control bar36. The lever40can be a metal piece. At the closed position, the lever40physically obstructs and blocks the bail control bar36from movement; and at the open position, the lever40is clear of the bail control bar36and the bail control bar36is thus free to move to the pulled position. The lever40is swung outboard42by the operator when moved to the open position, and conversely is swung inboard44by the operator when moved to the closed position. Still, the lever40can take other forms in other embodiments to effect this preclusion and freeing functionality. The two-step safety starting procedure involves a first step of moving the lever40to the open position, and then a second step of moving the bail control bar36to the pulled position. The electric motor18is activated when these steps and actions are carried out in succession; that is, the operator cannot move the bail control bar36to the pulled position unless and until the operator moves the lever40to the open position. Inadvertent starting and electric motor activation is consequently avoided. In another embodiment of the two-step safety starting procedure and as presented in the figures, a switch46is provided at the handle16. The switch46electrically communicates with the electronic control unit via wiring and circuitry. In the first step, the operator actuates the switch46by pressing it. Pressing the switch46readies the electric motor18for activation. And in the second step, the operator moves the bail control bar36to the pulled position. The electric motor18is thereby activated. In this other embodiment, the lever40need not be provided.

The main housing16serves as a battery holder for the electric power hover lawn mower10, and houses the electric motor18. The main housing16can have various designs and constructions in various embodiments. It can be composed of a plastic material. In the embodiment of the figures, and with particular reference toFIGS. 4 and 5, the main housing16is seated on top of the deck housing12. The main housing16is segmented into an upper section48and a lower section50. The upper section48houses batteries (described below) of the electric power hover lawn mower10, and the lower section50, on the other hand, houses the electric motor18. The upper section48is situated vertically above the lower section50, and the lower section50spans more immediately from the deck housing12. The arrangement locates the batteries vertically above the electric motor18. Together, the upper and lower sections48,50constitute a vertically-stacked configuration of the batteries relative to the electric motor18. The vertically-stacked configuration has been found to facilitate packaging among the components of battery reception and the electric motor18, and facilitates the establishment of electrical communication thereamong.

The main housing16is made up structurally of various walls. A set of first walls52at the upper section48establishes a first interior region54. The set of first walls52can include internal walls of the main housing16, and can include external walls of the main housing16. The first interior region54exhibits a distal location with respect to the deck housing12. A first battery cavity56and a second battery cavity58reside within the first interior region54; still, in other embodiments a single battery cavity could be provided. The first and second battery cavities56,58receive respective insertion of a first battery60and a second battery62; in an embodiment with a single battery cavity, a single battery could be provided. The first and second battery cavities56,58are wholly enclosed by the main housing16at the upper section48. A top cover64can be hinged for open and close motions in order to access the first and second cavities56,58, and for inserting and removing the first and second batteries60,62. When closed, as depicted in the figures, the first and second battery cavities56,58and first and second batteries60,62are protected against the external environment. The first and second battery cavities56,58have battery receptors to suitably accept power discharge from the first and second batteries60,62. Electrical communication can be provided between the first and second battery cavities56,58and batteries60,62and the electric motor18.

The first and second batteries60,62provide power to the electric motor18, and can be of various types and can have various specifications in different embodiments. In an example, the first and second batteries60,62are lithium-ion batteries. Here, specifications for a battery pack can include: a rated voltage of 125V d.c., a rated capacity of 2500 mAh, a maximum discharge current of 20 A, and a charging voltage/current of 126V d.c./4A. Still, other specifications for the battery pack may be suitable. In this example, specifications for a battery cell can include: a rated capacity of 2500 mAh, a charging voltage of up to 4.2V d.c., and a discharging voltage of up to 2.7V d.c. Still, other specifications for the battery cell may be suitable.

A set of second walls66at the lower section50establishes a second interior region68. The set of second walls66can include internal walls of the main housing16, and can include external walls of the main housing16. The second interior region68exhibits a proximal location with respect to the deck housing12. The set of second walls66can be separate and distinct structures from the set of first walls52, can be unitary and monolithic extensions of the set of first walls52, or can be a combination of both. The first and second interior regions54,68are distinct regions relative to each other, with an intervening wall or walls spanning between them. The electric motor18is situated within the second interior region68.

The electric motor18incites rotational drive of the impeller20and of the blade22amid use of the electric power hover lawn mower10. The electric motor18is powered by the first and second batteries60,62. In this embodiment, the electric motor18is seated on top of the deck housing12and can be situated on a mount formation70, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. The mount formation70facilitates seating of the electric motor18and provides inlet recesses72for letting air enter the underside30upon being drawn-in by the spinning impeller20. Components of the electric motor18such as its rotor, stator, windings, and commutator are housed at the second interior region68. With particular reference toFIG. 4, a shaft74of the electric motor18extends from the main housing16for connection with the impeller20and with the blade22. The shaft74spans through the central opening26. The shaft74spins and rotates when the electric motor18is activated and outputs rotational drive to the impeller20and to the blade22. Due to the arrangement of the electric motor18on the deck housing12, the shaft74exhibits a vertical arrangement with respect to the underlying ground. In an example, specifications of the electric motor18can include: a voltage of 125V DC, a rated output of 1250 W, a rated speed of 2900 RPM, a rated current of 13 A, and a rated torque of 4.15N.M. Still, other specifications for the electric motor18may be suitable.

An electronic control unit76is programmed to manage operation of the electric power hover lawn mower10, including activation and deactivation of the electric motor18, among other possible operational functionalities. The electronic control unit76is depicted inFIG. 4. In this embodiment, the electronic control unit76is housed by the main housing16at the first interior region54, but could be located elsewhere such as at the second interior region68in other embodiments. The electronic control unit76can have electrical communication via wiring and circuitry with the electric motor18, with the first and second battery cavities56,58, and with the bail control bar36. By way of the electrical communications, the electrical control unit76receives operational commands and instructions from the bail control bar36, and in turn sends operational commands and instructions to the electric motor18.

The impeller20spins rapidly amid use and produces increased pressure beneath the deck housing12and thereby elevates the electric power hover lawn mower10slightly above the underlying ground. This causes floatation of the electric power hover lawn mower10. The impeller20can be composed of a plastic material. Referring now toFIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the impeller20resides at the underside30of the deck housing12in assembly. The impeller20is situated vertically above the blade22. The impeller20is fixed to the shaft74of the electric motor18, whereby rotation of the shaft74causes concurrent rotation of the impeller20. When spun about its central axis, a series of curved fan blades78work to draw-in air outside of the deck housing12to the underside30, and increase the pressure of air present at the underside30.

The blade22spins rapidly and comes into contact with grass and cuts grass amid use of the electric power hover lawn mower10. The blade22can take different forms in different embodiments. In the embodiment of the figures, and with reference now toFIG. 3, the blade22is an assembly of components that includes a disk80and multiple blade knives82attached to the disk80and extending therefrom. Like the impeller20, the blade22resides at the underside30of the deck housing12and is fixed to the shaft74of the electric motor18. Rotation of the shaft74upon activation of the electric motor18causes rotation of the blade22. In other forms, the blade22could be a single elongated blade knife, a set of string blades, or something else.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more aspects of the disclosure. The disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the disclosure or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.