Patent Publication Number: US-2003226738-A1

Title: Discharge chute directional control system and method

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/367,583 filed Mar. 25, 2002. 
    
    
     
       FIELD  
       [0002] The disclosed invention relates generally to outdoor power equipment; more particularly, the present invention pertains to outdoor power equipment designed for residential or light commercial use. The present invention is illustrated as having applicability to outdoor power equipment which includes a discharge chute such as typically found on either a snowblower or a mobile chipper.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003] Many pieces of outdoor power equipment such as snowblowers, mobile chippers, lawnmowers, leaf sweepers, etc. include a discharge chute. For convenience to the operator of the piece of outdoor power equipment, the discharge chute needs to be rotated from one side to another to direct snow, clippings, leaves, chips, etc., to a desired location. This is best understood by considering the case of a sidewalk which needs to be cleared of snow. If the homeowner desires to throw the snow onto the lawn in front of the house, the discharge chute is directed, for example, to the right of the snowblower. When the operator reaches the end of the sidewalk and turns the snowblower around, the discharge chute will now be pointing to the street on the other side of the sidewalk. To continue blowing the snow onto the yard, the direction of the discharge chute must be reoriented from the right discharge position to a left discharge position. In still other applications, it may be necessary for the operator of the snowblower to throw the snow out more toward the front of the machine.  
       [0004] In the simplest of machines, no mechanism is provided which enables the operator to change the orientation of the discharge chute. In such simple machines, it is expected that once the operator brings the machine to a halt, the operator will manually re-position the discharge chute before the machine is turned around and caused to travel in the opposite direction. On some high-end machines, the discharge chute is reoriented by the use of a gear mechanism such as a worm drive. Thus, when it is necessary to rotate the chute, the worm or gear drive is turned. Because of engagement with the teeth on a worm gear with toothed ring or gear set at the bottom of the discharge chute, the orientation of the discharge chute can be changed by the turning of a drive rotational handle mechanically connected to the worm gear.  
       [0005] As can be easily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, those pieces of outdoor power equipment which require manual adjustment of the discharge chute are inconvenient for the operator, as the operator must first leave a position behind the machine, then walk to the front of the machine to manually adjust the orientation of the discharge chute. Finally, the operator returns to a position behind the machine to continue operation. For high-end machines, the combination of a worm or gear drive with a toothed ring or gear set around the base of the rotatable chute brings a level of complexity to the piece of outdoor power equipment which causes its price to increase. Further adjustment of the orientation of the discharge chute is cumbersome and does not provide a positive method of adjustment. Specifically, it has been found that when extreme bumping or vibration occurs, the sensitivity of a worm or gear drive system to breakdown increases, as does the susceptibility to breakage or wear from inclement weather increases.  
       [0006] There is therefore needed a simple, low cost system which is easy to manufacture and install which can control the orientation of a rotatably mounted discharge chute on a piece of outdoor power equipment.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] The disclosed discharge chute directional control system and method provides a simple, low cost system to control the orientation of a rotatably mounted discharge chute on a piece of outdoor power equipment. While the disclosed system for orienting the discharge chute is shown mounted on a snowblower, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the present system may be used on a wide variety of different pieces of outdoor power equipment.  
       [0008] The operator, when desiring to change the orientation of the discharge chute, moves the handle portion of a locking, spring loaded handle assembly. The movement of a cam assembly mechanically connected to the handle portion imparts opposing forces on a pair of cables attached to the rotatably mounted discharge chute. The opposing forces on the rotatably mounted discharge chute re-orient the chute by rotation on its rotatable mounting.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
     [0009] A still better understanding of the discharge chute directional control system and method of the present invention may be had by reference to the drawing figures, wherein:  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snowblower as the operator sees it when walking behind the snowblower;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cam assembly;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotatably mounted discharge chute oriented to the left; and  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rotatably mounted discharge chute oriented partially to the right. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
     [0014] In FIG. 1, the piece of outdoor power equipment  100  including a preferred embodiment of the present invention  10  is seen from the vantage point of the operator. The disclosed invention controls the orientation of the rotatably mounted chute  20 . To use the disclosed invention, the chute  20  is re-oriented by grasping the knob  12  on top of the handle  14 , depressing the spring loaded lever to dis-engage the cross bolt lock  16  from de-tented teeth  18 . With the cross bolt lock  16  disengaged, the handle  14  is allowed to move from one end of its travel to the other. With the handle  14  in the left position or all the way forward, the rotatably mounted discharge chute  20  causes the snow to be thrown to the left. Similarly, when the handle  14  is moved to the right or all the way to the rear as shown in FIG. 1, the discharge chute  20  causes the snow to be thrown to the right. Directional control between the left and right limits is provided by multiple handle  14  positions between the left and right limits.  
     [0015] The mechanical operation of the directional control system  10  for a rotatably mounted discharge chute is best understood by reference to FIG. 2, wherein it may be seen that underneath the handle assembly is located a rotatable cam assembly  30 . At the top of the cam assembly is a tang  32 . The tang  32  extends through a hole  34  in the rotatable cam assembly  30 . The tang  32  is mechanically connected to the bottom of the handle  14  so that when the handle  14  is moved, the tang  32  causes the rotatable cam assembly  30  to rotate. When the rotatable cam assembly  30  is caused to turn, the cables  42 ,  44  attached to either side of the rotatable cam assembly  30  will move in the same direction. Accordingly, when the rotatable cam assembly  30  is rotated in a clockwise fashion, when observed from the bottom as in FIG. 2, a tension force will be put on the left-most cable  42 , and a compression force will be put on the right-most cable  44 . Because each cable  42 ,  44  is enclosed in a sheath  43 ,  45  mounted at both ends, each cable will transmit a pushing force. These opposite forces are then transmitted by the pair of cables  42 ,  44  to the rotatably mounted discharge chute  20 . Because of the opposite direction of these forces, a rotating motion will be imparted to the mounting assembly  50  for the discharge chute  20 . This rotating motion will be around a central mounting pivot  52 .  
     [0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge chute has been moved to its left-most position by pushing the handle  14  forward.  
     [0017] As shown in FIG. 4, the discharge chute is moved partially to a position wherein the snow will be directed to the right of the snowblower by pulling the handle  14  rearward.  
     [0018] While the disclosed invention has been described for its utility in moving a discharge chute, numerous other applications are available for the present invention where a need exists to transport input from the operator by handle movement to forces needed to control the operation of a system on a piece of equipment.  
     [0019] While the present system and method has been disclosed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other embodiments have also been enabled. Such other embodiments shall fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims.