Abstract:
A multipurpose rear grooming assembly for a lawn and garden vehicle, and more specifically, to a rear grooming assembly capable of use as a spike aerator, a plug aerator, a dethatcher, or even a roller where the grooming assembly also serves as storage for two or more implements. The grooming assembly includes a universal frame with implements when in the operating position and to accommodate more than one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements, much like a protective rack, when the universal frame is oriented vertically in a storage configuration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to a multipurpose rear grooming assembly for a lawn and garden vehicle, and more specifically, to a rear grooming assembly capable of use as a spike aerator, a plug aerator, a dethatcher, or even a roller, where the grooming assembly also serves as storage for two or more of implements. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In rural and urban environments, lawns and other outdoor surfaces often require care. Weather conditions and extraneous uses can compact, damage, or upturn surfaces; branches or thatch can accumulate over parts of the surface; rocks can resurface over time; and dead branches, twigs, or man-made debris can collect over parts of the surface. Different tools exist in the marketplace to care for these surfaces. This disclosure relates generally to these devices and their methods of use. 
         [0003]    Understandably, if a small surface requires care, or a great degree of precision in the work is required, handheld devices may be best suited. For intermediately sized parcels, devices can be attached to small, portable frames moved over the ground by a walking operator by pushing or pulling a handlebar. In some cases, portable frames can include motors to aid with movement over the surfaces, such as classical lawnmowers. For larger parcels, grooming assemblies can be connected to a large vehicle via a tongue. These vehicles can range from small tractors, when private yards are treated, to large agricultural tractors, when, for instance, brush must be cut from the side of a highway. This disclosure relates specifically to grooming apparatuses that are attached to the rear of a vehicle. 
         [0004]    Different types of implements exist to care for the above-described external surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,317 is directed to a dethatcher designed to remove and collect undesirable small ground cover debris known as thatch. U.S. Pat. No. D550,252 is directed to a plug aerator capable of removing small plugs from the surface to benefit natural and artificial water circulation below a surface that has been compacted. U.S. Pat. Nos. D519,529 and 7,063,165 are directed to a spike aerator designed to create aeration veins between compacted zones of a surface to stimulate plant growth. These four patents, owned by the assignee in interest of the present application, are illustrative of different grooming assemblies in the marketplace. These patents are hereby incorporated fully by reference. Rollers and other implements are also used to compact surfaces that have been damaged and are uneven. 
         [0005]    With these grooming assemblies, each has a frame that can be mounted to the rear of a vehicle for transportation and use over a surface. One known method of controlling the level of contact with the ground by the different implements of the grooming assemblies is to design the equipment with variable weight. Weight is added to force the implements into or onto the ground, and the weight is removed to aid with the transportation and storage of the grooming assemblies. These assemblies can also include a frame with a guardrail to hold a dead weight while in operating mode and a handle and movable wheel or wheels to raise the frame away from the ground while in transporting mode. 
         [0006]    One of the main problems with these often heavy grooming assemblies is their size and the need for individual storage space in a warehouse, a garage, a shed, or the like for each of the plurality of grooming assemblies. Some implements are designed to break a surface and may have sharp edges or spikes, which may be a hazard when they are not stored flat against the ground. Presently, an operator who needs to compact a surface, remove thatch, and/or aerate an area must purchase and store a plurality of heavy and bulky pieces of equipment. What is needed is a grooming assembly capable of addressing the issues of storage and need for a plurality of implements without adversely affecting grooming capacity of the overall system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    This disclosure relates to a multipurpose rear grooming assembly for a lawn and garden vehicle, and more specifically, to a rear grooming assembly capable of use as a spike aerator, a plug aerator, a dethatcher, or even a roller, where the grooming assembly also serves as storage for two or more implements. The grooming assembly includes a universal frame with mounting portions designed to accommodate any one of a plurality of lawn-grooming implements when in the operating position and to accommodate more than one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements, much like a protective rack, when the universal frame is lifted off vertically in a transporting or storage position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly for a vehicle with a roller in a functional orientation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly of  FIG. 1  equipped with a dethatcher in a functional orientation according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly of  FIG. 1  equipped with a plug aerator in a functional orientation according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly of  FIG. 1  equipped with a spike aerator in a functional orientation according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly of  FIG. 1  in a storage configuration where the spike aerator grooming implement, the dethatcher grooming implement, and the plug aerator grooming implement are stored together in the grooming assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a close-up view of the frame of the multipurpose rear grooming assembly in the storage configuration as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of the method of storing multiple grooming assemblies within the multipurpose rear grooming assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    For the purposes of promoting and understanding the principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is hereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications of the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed and illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates. 
         [0017]    Each of  FIGS. 1-4  illustrates a multipurpose rear grooming assembly  101   a ,  101   b ,  101   c ,  101   d  for a vehicle (not shown) equipped with, respectively, a roller implement  5   a , a dethatcher implement  5   b , a plug aerator implement  5   c , and a spike aerator implement  5   d . These multipurpose grooming assemblies  101   a - d  are shown in a functional orientation positioned flat over the ground (not shown) according to four different embodiments of the present disclosure. While four different types of implements  5   a - d  are shown attached to the frame  1 , the use within the multipurpose rear grooming assembly  101   a - d  of any lawn garden implement know in the art and that remains functional if placed within the universal frame  1  is contemplated. 
         [0018]    The multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly  101   a - d  includes a universal frame  1  made of a main body  2 , a support assembly  3 , and a tongue  4 . The main body  2  in a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  is made of thin, metal plates bolted, shaped, and welded to form the main body  2 . In one embodiment, the main body  2  includes a central portion  10  and a mounting portion  11  disposed at each longitudinally opposed end of the central portion  10 . Each mounting portion  11  extends from the central portion  10  and is secured to the central portion  10  by a small, reinforced cornice  31 , thus creating a C-shaped main body  2  made of thin metal plates. 
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment, thin steel plates are protected from debris, shocks, and scratches by a surface finish such as partial corrosion, paint, or stainless steel or other rust-proof metal. The main body  2 , where applicable, can be reinforced using ribs (not shown), corners, or plates to support the weight to be placed into the central portion  10  and prevent deformation of the central portion  10  and/or the main body  2 . A guardrail  32  is shown disposed around the central portion  10  and adjacent to the mounting portions  11  to reinforce the main body  2  and to hold any weights (not shown) placed over the central portion  10  of the main body  2  during operation of the grooming assembly  101 . During use, the grooming assembly  101  is subject to shocks and bumps when moved over the ground. While the use of a guardrail  32  is shown, the use of fixed weights attached to the central portion  10  or variable weights (such as a water tank) to hold weights in the universal frame  1  is also contemplated. 
         [0020]    The support assembly  3  of the grooming assembly  101  further includes a crossbar  60  and a ground-engaging element  72 . The support assembly  3  is connected to the frame  1  for relative movement with respect thereto. In a contemplated configuration, the support assembly  3  is rotationally connected to the frame  1  using a pivot and an arm  59  equipped with a gripping handle  58 . The handle  58  of the arm  59  can be bent past a tab  57  connected to the frame  1  to lock the support assembly  3  in place relative to the universal frame  1 . In a preferred embodiment, the tab  57  is connected to the guardrail  32 . If the handle  58  is pushed into the locked position as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and the tab  57  is engaged, the ground-engaging element  72  shown as two wheels with pneumatic tires  73  contacts the ground and lifts the frame  1  a distant from the ground. When the support assembly is locked in place in the lifted configuration as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the selected grooming implement  5   a - d  may no longer make contact with the ground so long as the tongue  4  of the frame is held horizontally and attached to a vehicle (not shown). 
         [0021]    In an alternate embodiment, the support assembly  3  includes an arm  59  connected to each longitudinally opposed end of the crossbar  60  and to one of the mounting portions  37 . In another embodiment, the support assembly  3  further includes a handle  58  connected to one of the arms  59  and extending therefrom for selective engagement with a lock or a tab  57  that secures the support assembly  3  in a storage orientation as shown in  FIG. 5 . The use of a leg connected to each arm  59  and extending from the leg and the ground-engaging element is movably connected to the leg proximate a distal end of the leg such as at the crossbar  60  is also contemplated. 
         [0022]    In a preferred embodiment, the wheels  73  are connected to the support assembly  3  via fixation arms  70 . The arms  70  include a first bend  71  connected to the support  3  and a second bend (hidden) connected via a pivot  74  to the wheel  73 . The crossbar  60  as shown in  FIG. 5  is fixed to the frame at two sharp corners, both at right angles. While one possible mechanical design of the ground-engaging element  72 , the support assembly  3 , and the frame  1  is shown, other mechanical structures capable of the same functions, using similar means, and operating in similar ways are also contemplated. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows the grooming assembly  101  in the storage configuration resting generally vertically against a wall (not shown). In this configuration, the tongue  4  is disposed generally vertically along the wall and the crossbar  60  and ground-engaging element, such as the wheels  73 , are rested contiguous with the ground to protect the frame  1  from contact with the ground. To be stable in the storage configuration, at least two parts of the grooming assembly  101  must rest against a support. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the ground-engaging element  72  and the crossbar  60  rest at two locations against the ground, and alternatively, the guardrail  32  gently rests against a back wall. In a preferred embodiment, for the distance between the crossbar  60  and the ground-engaging element  72  to be fixed and thus bring stability to the grooming assembly, the handle  58  must be in the locked position. Storage of the grooming assembly  101  where the crossbar  60  is locked against the frame  1  and placed against the ground while the guardrail  32  is pushed against a back wall is also contemplated. 
         [0024]    Returning to  FIGS. 1-4 , the tongue  4  includes a tow bar  50  connected to the frame at one end and extending from the main body  2  at a distal end to facilitate operative connection to a tow vehicle (not shown). In one embodiment, the connector is two connection plates  51 . Other types of vehicle connection are contemplated, such as a ball and hitch and the like. 
         [0025]    The lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d  are in turn each configured for tool-less connection to the frame  1 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an axis  33  with an end bolt  34  at the center of the roller  5   a  allows for coupling the implement  5   a  to a coupling assembly  12  on the support assembly  3 .  FIGS. 2-4  show an implement  5   b - d  where a support axis  35  and a bolt  36  are used as the tool-less male connection. The coupling assembly  12  includes a slot  13  defined in the mounting portion  37  with an open end at a distal extent of the mounting portion  37  and a latch  15  having a slot  21  and a biasing element  14 . 
         [0026]    What is shown is a slot  13  where the support axis  35  of the tool-less male connector is slid, in the case of a device as shown with two opposite mounting portions  37 , onto two different coupling assemblies  12  located at opposite ends of the frame  1  and where a long implement  5   a - d  with end support axis  35  is slid into the slots  13 . To lock the implement  5   a - d  to the mounting portion  37 , a plate, such as a latch  15 , rotating and held in place by the biasing element  14 , is then pushed aside using a lever  80  revealing the latch slot  21  for the insertion of the male connector. In a preferred embodiment, the coupling assembly  37  is normally biased in a closed position and must be pushed open during changes in implements  5   a - d . Once the male connector is inserted in the slot  13 , the lever  80  is released and the latch  15  rotates back under the force created in the biasing element  14  such as a coil linear spring to connect the latch slot  21  with the male connector. 
         [0027]    The use of any other locking mechanism located on the mounting portions  37  for a tool-less male connector as found on the implements  5   a - d  is also contemplated. In another embodiment, each of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d  further includes a mounting bearing (not shown) disposed thereon for cooperative registration with the slot  13  and the latch slot  21 . While a bearing can facilitate the rotation or angular movement of the implement  5   a - d  within the mounting portion  37 , what is also contemplated is the use of grease, lubricant, mounting bearings, or friction surfaces to facilitate the cooperative registration. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows how the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   b - d  can each be separately connectable to the frame  1  by selective engagement with the coupling assembly  12  and all collectively connectable to the frame  1 . For example, when the lawn-grooming implements  5   b - d  are in storage orientation, they are not required to be held in their operational location and their connectors can be inserted into slots made for the sole purpose of storing a lawn-grooming implement  5   a - d . The precise location and orientation of the different latches on the coupling assembly  12  can be at different positions based on the different requirements of the lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d.    
         [0029]    In an alternate embodiment, the mounting portion  37  includes additional slots  39 ,  40  to facilitate connection of one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements to the frame when the tongue  4  is disposed in the storage configuration as shown in  FIG. 5 . In yet another embodiment, hooks  22  with rounded ends  24  to be attached in the slot  40  as shown by the arrow and shown in greater detail in  FIG. 6  connect one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   c  to the frame  1  when the tongue  4  is disposed in the storage configuration. 
         [0030]    Finally, the multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly  101  described above has novel functionality resulting in the ability of a user to implement a novel method of use thereof. While one method is described, what is contemplated is the implementation of this method and all equivalents thereof. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows a method  300  of using a multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly for operation and storage of a plurality of lawn-grooming implements  101 . The method comprises the steps of selectively and tool-lessly connecting  301  one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d  to a mounting portion  37  of a main body  2  of a frame  1  of the multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly  101  by actuating a coupling assembly  12  so that a mounting bearing (not shown) disposed on one of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d  is in cooperative registration with a mounting portion slot  12  and a latch slot  21 . Then, orienting  302  the multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly  101  in an operative configuration as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , which is defined when a tongue  4  connected to the frame  1  is disposed generally horizontally. Next, orienting  302  the multipurpose lawn-grooming assembly  101  in a storage configuration shown in  FIG. 5  when the tongue  4  is disposed generally vertically and a crossbar  60  and ground-engaging element  72  of a support assembly  3  that is connected to the frame  1  for relative movement with respect thereto are contiguous with a ground surface (not shown). Finally, connecting  304  others of the plurality of lawn-grooming implements  5   a - d  to the frame  1 . 
         [0032]    It is understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of some examples and embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure made herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention but to provide sufficient disclosure to one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention without undue burden.