Patent Publication Number: US-2020281117-A1

Title: Multi-configurable mower deck

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent document claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/555,806, filed Sep. 8, 2017. The disclosure of this priority application is fully incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to mower decks for use with ride-on, stand-on, and/or walk-behind lawnmowers, and more particularly to a single, multi-configurable mower deck constructed to selectively provide side-discharge, rear-discharge, mulching, and combined mulching/rear-discharge capabilities. 
     In side-discharge mower decks, grass or other clippings travel through one or more cutting chambers to a side-discharge opening on one lateral side of the mower deck, where the grass or other clippings are expelled from the mower deck. Rear-discharge configurations, on the other hand, allow grass or other clippings to travel from the one or more cutting chambers to a rear-discharge opening on a rear side of the mower deck, thereby causing the grass or other clippings to be discharged to the rear of the lawnmower relative to the lawnmower&#39;s direction of travel. The choice between using a mower deck configured for either side-discharge or rear-discharge may be dependent upon many factors, including lawnmower type/size, regional conditions, customer preferences, etc. 
     One way to alter and/or customize the cutting configurations available to a mower deck is to employ one or more baffles proximate to the cutting chambers on the underside surface of the mower deck. The one or more baffles may be removably attachable to the mower deck and act to divert the flow of grass or other clippings based on cutting conditions, user needs, and/or customer preferences. For example, one or more baffles may be utilized to convert a mower deck typically configured for side-discharge or rear-discharge into a mulching configuration, wherein grass or other clippings are shredded and returned to the cutting surface below, without being discharged from the side- or rear-discharge openings of the deck. However, even with the mower deck convertibility available through the use of one or more baffles, the user must still choose between a side-discharge deck and a rear-discharge deck, thereby limiting the number of cutting configuration options that a single mower deck may provide to a user. Thus, if the user wishes to switch between side-discharge and rear-discharge configurations, the user must switch mower decks entirely, adding time, cost, and complexity to the act of changing cutting configurations. Additionally, dedicated side-discharge and rear-discharge mower decks are often complex to manufacture, as they each utilize a number of permanent sidewalls and specialized shapes and/or contours specific to side-discharge or discharge configurations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a multi-configurable mower deck is disclosed. The multi-configurable mower deck includes a top surface. The mower deck may further includes a front leading edge. The mower deck may also include at least one side wall extending from the top surface. Additionally, the mower deck may include at least one partial rear wall extending from the top surface. A side-discharge opening may be formed on one side of the mower deck between the front leading edge and the at least one partial rear wall. A rear-discharge opening may be formed through the at least one partial rear wall. Also, a plurality of cutting chambers may be included, wherein each cutting chamber is configured to partially house a respective cutting blade. 
     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a multi-configurable mower deck is disclosed, the mower deck including a top surface. The mower deck may also include a front leading edge. The mower deck may further include at least one side wall extending from the top surface. At least one partial rear wall extending from the top surface may also be included. A side-discharge opening may be formed on one side of the mower deck between the front leading edge and the at least one partial rear wall. A front baffle may extend from the top surface substantially between the at least one side wall and the side-discharge opening to direct clippings to the side-discharge opening. A rear-discharge opening may be formed through the at least one partial rear wall. Additionally, a selectively removable secondary front baffle configured to block the flow of clippings through the side-discharge opening and direct the flow of clippings toward the rear-discharge opening may be included. The mower deck may also include at least one selectively removable rear baffle, wherein the at least one selectively removable rear baffle is configured to at least partially block the rear-discharge opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a zero turn radius (ZTR) lawnmower in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the underside of a mower deck in a side-discharge configuration in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the underside of the mower deck in a rear-discharge configuration in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the underside of the mower deck in a mulching configuration in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the underside of the mower deck in a combination mulching/rear-discharge configuration in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present system and method and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed in this document. Further, particular features described in this document can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations. 
     Unless otherwise specifically defined in this document, all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc. 
     It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless otherwise specified. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. All publications mentioned in this document are incorporated by reference. Nothing in this document is to be construed as an admission that the embodiments described in this document are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. As used herein, the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Additionally, use the term “couple”, “coupled”, or “coupled to” may imply that two or more elements may be directly connected or may be indirectly coupled through one or more intervening elements. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of a zero turn radius (ZTR) lawnmower  100  in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. ZTR lawnmower  100  may include a main frame  102 , front caster wheels  106 , rear drive wheels  104 , and an operator seat  110 . The ZTR lawnmower  100  may also include a mower deck  10  positioned between the front caster wheels  106  and rear drive wheels  104 . As will be described in further detail below, mower deck  10  is configured to hold one or more rotating mower blades for the cutting of grass and/or other vegetation. Mower deck  10  may include one or more roller (or anti-scalp) wheels  130 , which aid in maintaining the height of mower deck  10  above the cutting surface, thereby helping to prevent scalping of the cutting surface, damage from rocks or other debris, etc. ZTR lawnmower  100  may also include at least one power source  108 , such as an internal combustion engine, and electric powerhead, etc. In some embodiments, the power source  108  is coupled to mower deck  10  via a series of belts and pulleys (not shown) so as to power the mower blades. Additionally, the ZTR lawnmower  100  may also include left and right control levers  134  for controlling forward, reverse, and turning of the ZTR lawnmower  100 . While ZTR lawnmower  100  is shown in  FIG. 1  as being a ride-on lawnmower, it is to be understood that ZTR lawnmower  100  could be configured as a stand-on lawnmower, a walk-behind lawnmower, etc. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an underside view of mower deck  10  in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. Specifically, as will be described further below,  FIG. 2  shows mower deck  10  in a side-discharge configuration. 
     As described above with respect to  FIG. 1 , mower deck  10  may be mounted to any appropriate form of outdoor power equipment, such as a ride-on lawnmower, a stand-on lawnmower, a wide-area walk-behind lawnmower, etc. Mower deck  10  may be formed by any appropriate means, such as sheet metal fabrication, stamping, molding, etc. Additionally, mower deck  10  (and the components of mower deck  10 ) may be formed of any appropriate material, such as, for example, steel, aluminum, composite materials, and/or any combination thereof. 
     Mower deck  10  includes a plurality of neighboring cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16 , wherein each cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  is configured to house a cutting blade (not shown) rotatably mounted within mower deck  10  at respective blade mounts  18 . Each cutting blade may be rotated by any appropriate means, such as a belt-and-pulley configuration on a top surface of mower deck  10 , a dedicated electric blade motor, etc. Furthermore, while three cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  are shown in  FIG. 2 , it is to be understood that mower deck  10  may include more or fewer cutting chambers, along with more or fewer cutting blades (e.g., two, four, or more). 
     Mower deck  10  includes a front leading edge  20 . In  FIG. 2 , front leading edge  20  is formed by a front wall extending downward from a top surface  21  of mower deck  10  (i.e., toward the cutting surface when mounted to a lawnmower). Also extending downward from the top surface  21  is a side wall  22  on a non-discharge side surface, and a partial rear wall  24 . In some embodiments, the front wall forming the front leading edge  20  may include a plurality of roller mounts  23 , which may be configured to rotatably hold a plurality of rollers (or anti-scalp wheels) (not shown). Alternatively, in other embodiments, instead of a front wall extending downward from top surface  21 , mower deck  10  may include a sloped front nose portion (not shown), wherein at least a portion of top surface  21  slopes downward toward the front leading edge  20  of the mower deck  10 . 
     Partial rear wall  24  includes an elongated rear-discharge opening  26  which, in certain configurations of mower deck  10 , allows grass or other clippings to exit the mower deck  10  in a rearward direction relative to the direction of travel of the lawnmower carrying mower deck  10 . A rear deflector  28  may extend at least partially across rear-discharge opening  26 , with rear deflector  28  acting to block, deflect, or knock down any objects such as rocks, branches, etc. which may be expelled by the mower blades at a high rate of speed, while still allowing grass or other clippings to exit the mower deck  10  when utilized in a rear-discharge configuration. Additionally, a deflector plate  19  extends from top surface  21  at a location ahead of rear-discharge opening  26 . Deflector plate  19  may extend across all cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and may be angled downwardly in the direction of rear-discharge opening  26  such that clippings are forced downward toward the rear of mower deck  10 . The rear edge of deflector plate  19  may extend below the top surface  21  a distance capable of forcing clippings downward in the direction of rear-discharge opening  26  (e.g., 1 inch, 2 inches, etc.). Additionally, deflector plate  19  may be formed of any appropriate material, such as steel, aluminum, composite, etc., and may be permanently affixed or removably attached to the top surface  21  and/or other surfaces of the mower deck  10 . 
     On a side surface opposite side wall  22 , mower deck  10  includes an elongated side-discharge opening  30 . In a side-discharge configuration of mower deck  10 , side-discharge opening  30  is configured to allow grass or other clippings to be directed from the respective cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  and directed out of one side of the mower deck  10 . A side-discharge deflector  32  may be coupled to the mower deck  10  at a location proximate to side-discharge opening  30 . Similar to rear deflector  28  described above, side-discharge deflector  32  is configured to block or deflect any objects such as rocks, branches, etc. which may be expelled by the mower blades, while still allowing grass or other clippings to exit the mower deck  10  when utilized in a side-discharge configuration. While not shown in  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, side-discharge deflector  32  may be removably coupled to mower deck  10  by a hinge so as to allow side-discharge deflector  32  to pivot vertically with respect to the mower deck  10  when coming into contact with outside objects such as stumps, large rocks, curbs, etc. In this way, side-discharge deflector  32  may pivot away from obstructions, as opposed to catching on such obstructions and potentially becoming damaged. 
     As noted above, mower deck  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  is configured in a side-discharge mode of operation. To provide such a configuration, mower deck  10  includes a front baffle  34  between side wall  22  and side-discharge opening  30 , as well as a rear baffle  42  extending across the length of rear-discharge opening  26 . Front baffle  34  is shown as having a plurality of baffle sections  36 ,  38 ,  40  relative to respective cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16 . In some embodiments, one or more of baffle sections  36 ,  38 ,  40  are at least partially arcuate, which may allow for relatively unobstructed flow of clippings between neighboring cutting chambers in the direction of side-discharge opening  30 . In some embodiments, front baffle  34  is permanently fixed to the top surface  21  of mower deck  10  by, for example, welding. However, in other embodiments, front baffle  34  may be removably coupled to the top surface  21  of mower deck  10  by, for example, one or more fasteners. As shown in  FIG. 2 , front baffle  34  may also be spaced apart from front wall  20  so as to provide a buffer between the surfaces of front baffle  34  and front leading edge  20 . Alternatively, though not shown in any of the figures, front baffle  34  may be configured to contact front leading edge  20  (e.g., a front wall) or be otherwise substantially adjacent to front leading edge  20 , or front leading edge  20  may itself be contoured to form the front baffle  34 , thereby providing no spacing between front baffle  34  and front leading edge  20 . 
     Once again, rear baffle  42  is configured to extend substantially across the length of rear-discharge opening  26 , thereby substantially preventing grass or other clippings from exiting the mower deck  10  via rear-discharge opening  26 . Rear baffle  42  includes respective arcuate portions  44 ,  46 ,  48 , which also help to define the respective cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16 . Both front baffle  34  and rear baffle  42  are configured to extend a certain height below top surface  21  in order to reduce clippings from escaping the cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  in any direction other than that of the side-discharge opening  30 . For example, rear baffle  42  may extend between 4 inches to 5 inches below top surface  21 , with front baffle  34  extending a similar amount below top surface  21 . However, it is to be understood that rear baffle  42  may extend any appropriate distance from top surface  21 . With such depth, clippings within each cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  are forced in the direction of the side-discharge opening  30  by the rotating blades, as opposed to at least some clippings escaping the confines of the front baffle  34  and rear baffle  42  and being expelled either forward or rearward of the mower deck  10 . 
     Unlike front baffle  34 , which may, in some embodiments, be permanently fixed to the top surface  21 , rear baffle  42  is removably coupled to the top surface  21 . For example, rear baffle  42  may be coupled to the top surface by one or more fasteners such as bolts, screws, etc. With such a configuration, rear baffle  42  may selectively block rear-discharge opening  26  to substantially prevent clippings from exiting mower deck  10  via rear-discharge opening  26 . However, as will be discussed in further detail below, and in accordance with other aspects of the disclosure, the rear baffle  42  may also be removed so as to unblock rear-discharge opening  26 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, mower deck  10  is shown adapted to be in a rear-discharge configuration. Specifically, in  FIG. 3 , rear baffle  42  shown and described above with respect to  FIG. 3  is removed, thereby unblocking rear-discharge opening  26 . Furthermore, a blocking plate  50  is removably coupled to the mower deck such that side-discharge opening  30  is substantially blocked, thereby preventing clippings from exiting side-discharge opening  30  during use. Blocking plate  50  may be attached to various surfaces of the mower deck  10  via any appropriate fasteners, such as bolts, screws, etc. As the side-discharge capability of mower deck  10  is prevented by blocking plate  50 , side-discharge deflector  32  may also be removed. 
     In addition to blocking plate  50 , a secondary front baffle  52  may also be removably coupled along top surface  21  of mower deck  10  at a position rearward of front baffle  34 . Secondary front baffle  52  may be coupled via one or more appropriate fasteners, such as bolts, screws, etc. The fasteners may couple secondary front baffle directly to the top surface  21 , directly to the front baffle  34 , and/or directly to the blocking plate  50 . 
     Secondary front baffle  52  includes a plurality of respective arcuate portions  54 ,  56 ,  58 . That is, unlike front baffle  34  shown in  FIG. 2 , which is configured to promote the flow of clippings in the direction of side-discharge opening  30 , secondary front baffle  52  is formed so as to promote the flow of clippings toward the rear-discharge opening  26  by creating arcuate cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  which open in the direction of rear-discharge opening  26 . Similar to front baffle  34  and rear baffle  42  described above, secondary front baffle  52  may extend a sufficient distance below the top surface  21  so as to prevent clippings from flowing forward or to either side of mower deck  10 . For example, secondary front baffle  52  may also extend between 4 inches to 5 inches below top surface  21 , thereby ensuring that clippings within each cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  are forced in the direction of the rear-discharge opening  26  by the rotating blades, with the clippings following the contours of respective secondary front baffle  54  until finally expelled from mower deck  10 . In a rear-discharge mode, clippings from each cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  are directed toward the rear-discharge opening  26 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , through the use of various removable baffles and/or blocking plates, a single mower deck  10  may be convertible between side-discharge and rear-discharge configurations. Accordingly, unlike common mower decks, which are generally limited to only side-discharge or only rear-discharge capabilities, mower deck  10  allows for either configuration in one device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, mower deck  10  is shown adapted in a mulching configuration. In a mulching configuration, clippings are not discharged through a side- or rear-discharge opening, but are instead cycled within the respective cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  such that clippings are further shredded by the blades during the mowing operation. The shredded clippings eventually fall from the respective cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  and drop directly onto the cutting surface for decomposition on or within the soil. 
     To provide such a mulching configuration, mower deck  10  shown in  FIG. 4  is adapted to include both the rear baffle  42  and the secondary front baffle  52 , as described above in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , respectively. Accordingly, rear-discharge opening  26  is blocked by rear baffle  42 , while side-discharge opening  30  is blocked by both a portion of secondary front baffle  52  and blocking plate  50 . As rear baffle  42  includes arcuate portions  44 ,  46 ,  48  and secondary front baffle includes arcuate portions  54 ,  56 ,  58 , cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  are formed as partially-cylindrical chambers, which allow clippings to remain and circulate within each respective cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  for further shredding. As discussed above, rear baffle  42  may extend between 4 inches to 5 inches below top surface  21 , with front baffle  34  extending a similar amount below top surface  21 . With this configuration, clippings are not diverted to either of side-discharge opening  30  or rear-discharge opening  26 , but rather downward to the cutting surface during the mowing operation. 
     Next, referring to  FIG. 5 , in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, mower deck  10  is shown adapted in a combination mulching/rear-discharge configuration. As with the mulching configuration shown and described with respect to  FIG. 4 , the combination mulching/rear-discharge configuration shown in  FIG. 5  allows cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  to be formed as partially-cylindrical chambers, allowing some clippings to remain and circulate within each respective cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  for further shredding. However, unlike the mulching configuration shown in  FIG. 4 , the combination mulching/rear-discharge configuration utilizes a rear baffle  60  having shorter sidewalls than those of rear baffle  42  described above. Specifically, rear baffle  60  may have arcuate portions  62 ,  64 ,  66  which extend between, e.g., 2 inches to 3 inches below top surface  21 , while front baffle  34  again extends between, e.g., 4-5 inches below top surface  21 . In other embodiments, rear baffle  60  and/or front baffle  34  may extend other distances from the top surface  21 . For example, rear baffle  30  may extend between 1 inches to 2 inches below top surface  21 , or there may be a 1 inch difference between the depth of rear baffle  60  and the front baffle  34 . 
     With this combination mulching/rear-discharge configuration, some clippings are retained and circulated within each respective cutting chamber  12 ,  14 ,  16  for shredding, while other clippings are directed over the shortened rear baffle  60  for discharge from rear-discharge opening  26 . By enabling some clippings to remain within cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  for shredding, while allowing some clippings to escape through rear-discharge opening  26 , mower deck  10  shown in  FIG. 5  may have increased grass-handling capacity, allowing for longer grass to be mowed with at least a partial mulching configuration, without overloading the blades within cutting chambers  12 ,  14 ,  16  with an excess of clippings. 
     As discussed above, users of lawnmowers are generally forced to choose between either side-discharge or rear-discharge mower decks, with each type sometimes being adaptable for mulching, combined mulching/discharge, etc. However, various cutting conditions and user and/or customer preferences may warrant the use of side-discharge in some instances and rear-discharge mower decks in others, forcing the user to either purchase and maintain both types of mower deck, or settle for one type of mower deck and discharge configuration. With the mower deck  10  described above with respect to  FIGS. 2-5 , though, the user may utilize a single mower deck in a variety of configurations, including side-discharge, rear-discharge, mulching, and combined mulching/rear-discharge modes. Accordingly, the user is able to customize a single mower deck  10  through the use of removable baffles and/or blocking plates to fit the conditions, preferences, and/or customer needs. Additionally, because the single mower deck  10  may include a plurality of openings and/or removably attachable blocking plates and baffles, the overall complexity of manufacturing mower deck  10  may be reduced. 
     The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiment, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.