Abstract:
An electric switch operating mechanism is disclosed utilizing a rotating bail and a secondary inward moving interlock, wherein a single multiple function spring rotatively biases the moving bail into an inactive position, biasing the interlock into a non-engaged outward position and in addition operates the switch.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a switch for an electric mower, and more particularly in the preferred embodiment, to a switch for a battery powered electric mower. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electric powered mowers and other lawn and garden appliances are increasingly becoming important to lawn and garden care. A major reason for this is that environmental restrictions require less and less emissions from lawn appliances. These restrictions can even preclude the utilization of conventional internal combustion engines. This provides an environment which is conducive to electric powered devices. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to simplify the construction of electric powered appliances. 
     It is another object of the present invention to simplify the design of electric powered appliances. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to lower the costs of electric powered appliances. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to simplify the operation of electric powered appliances. 
     Other objects and a more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following descriptions and drawings in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The structure, operation and advantages of the presently disclosed preferred embodiment of the invention will become apparent when considered in view of the following description, particularly in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 from the back side in respect to FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating the alignment piece and switch; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along lines  4 — 4  thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the multiple function spring of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the spring of FIG. 5; and; 
     FIG. 7 is a view of a cutaway cross sectional view of the case of the embodiment of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a new and novel switch for a device including an electric component. 
     The invention will be described in its preferred embodiment of a switch for a battery powered electric lawn mower incorporating a operator presence bail. 
     The particular lawn mower disclosed includes a housing, a motor, and a switch mechanism  30 . 
     The housing is designed to hold the motor and rotary blade in position in respect to the vegetation being cut, in addition to dispersing same over the traversed field and/or bagging same. The particular housing disclosed is a mulching housing. 
     The motor is intended to provide the power for the blade within the housing, which blade actually accomplishes the cutting of the vegetation. The particular motor disclosed is a G.E. electric motor having the capability of 17 amps at 24 volts. 
     The switch  30  which is the subject of this application is designed to incorporate the specific invention of the present application. 
     Customarily, with electric lawn mowers, there is some sort of switch which allows the selective activation of the motor, and thus the cutting of vegetation underneath the housing, based upon a particular positioning of switches. In addition due to certain regulatory restrictions, it is preferred that the motor not operate until certain operation restrictions are met, one of which is that the operator be present behind the handle bars. Most electric lawn mowers therefore have a bail  40  which is operative based on the operator&#39;s presence in order to allow the functioning of the motor, in addition to the utilization of a separate manual turn on switch. 
     On selective manipulation of the bail from the operator&#39;s position the motor operates, with such operation ceasing upon release of the bail. Certain mowers also incorporate a secondary interlocking control that must be manually set prior to manipulation of the bail so as to avoid unintentional operation. 
     These mower controls typically have many moving parts and a number of biasing springs, all of which increase the cost and complexity of the controls. Further, and in certain devices with interlocking controls, it is possible to move the bail without manipulating the secondary interlocking control (i.e., movement that physically damages the device). 
     The present invention provides a switch  30  with few parts, including a multiple function spring. The switch  30 , while including a secondary interlocking control, further has an associated bail that can be moved at any time between positions anywhere along its arc of movement without physical damage to the switch or any of its components. 
     In the present invention, there is a bias means, such as a multiple function spring  50 , which: 1) biases the bail  40  in an inactivated condition; 2) biases the secondary interlocking control (later described button  90 ) outwards into an inactivated condition; and further, 3) serves to toggle the electric switch  80  between on and off states. This reduces the number of parts for the control while simplifying its construction. 
     The environment of this switch  30  begins with a molded two piece plastic case  31 . The case  31  serves to retain the parts of the switch  30  in their operative positions with respect to each other as well as providing some environmental protection thereto. A semi-circular groove  32  running lengthwise down one piece of the plastic case  31  serves to align the case  31  to the handle bars  5  of the mower while bolts through holes in both pieces of the case  31  and such handle bars retain the case  31  in position. Preferably, glue and/or small screws hold the case  31  together as a single unit before the bolts are inserted. This allows for the switch  30  and its contained parts to be assembled at a location and/or time different than its point of installation on the mower without concern for losing or misaligning parts. 
     The case  31  includes mounting positions for the bail  40 , the multiple function spring  50 , the interlock button  90 , the actual switch  80 , and an alignment piece  100 . 
     The bail  40  is the manual operator presence sensor for the mower. It is thus something that needs to be actively selectively manipulated in order for the mower to function. 
     The particular bail  40  disclosed is a metal rod  41  bent into a large U with two end pivots  43 . The width of the U is approximately equal to the distance between the inner edge of the case to the opposite handle bar with a total width across the pivots equal to or slightly more than the distance from the outer edges of the case  31  to the outer edge of the opposite handlebar. This allows the bail  40  to be retained in an operative position and rotated with respect to the handle bars. 
     The bail  40  is preferably pivotally mounted to the case  31  and the opposing handle bar with the U section positioned beneath the handle bars. This allows the gravity to assist movement of the bail  40  to an inactivated position upon operator release thereof, thus reducing the strength requirements of the spring  50 . 
     The pivot mounting of the bail  40  to the case  31  includes an intermediate pivot piece  44 . This pivot piece  44  is a generally cylindrical hat shaped piece of plastic that fits into a correspondingly shaped cavity  34  in the case  31 . This intermediate piece allows for smooth rotation of the bail  40  as well as allowing for an efficient interconnection to the later described spring  50 . 
     The case  31  has an opening  35  for about 60°. This allows for the fork  47  of the pivot piece  44  to extend into the opening  35  of the case  31  so as to interconnect the later described extension  70  of the spring  50  to the pivot piece  44  (and thus the bail  40 ). The extension  70  of the spring  50  is located within the fork  47  to connect to the pivot piece  44  for common movement. The extension  70 , as shown in FIG. 1, is captured between tongs  150  of the extending fork  47 . 
     The bail  40  is fixedly connected to the pivot piece  44 , in the embodiment disclosed via a slot  45  in the end of the bail  40  and a corresponding raised cross member  46  in the pivot piece  44 . Glue or other means of interconnection could alternately be used. The other end of the bail  40  extends through a simple equal diameter hole in the opposing handle bar in a conventional manner. 
     As previously set forth, the spring  50  performs multiple functions. 
     The spring  50  is itself a split spiral wound spring having an extension  70  at one end and a stub  51  at the other end with spirals  52  intermediate. This spring  50  is within the case  31  with the spirals  52  extending about the inner circumference of the pivot piece  44  with the axis of the spring  50  coincident with the axis of the bail  40 . 
     This is accomplished by the fact that the axis of the spring  50  is coincident with the axis of the bail  40 . With this coincidence and that fact that the spring  50  is interconnected with the bail  40  through the pivot piece  44 , the bail  40  is maintained in a unstressed condition without actuation of switch  30 . 
     In addition to the above, there is an extension  70  of the spring  50 . Normally in its normal position, this extension  70  does not cause anything to occur (i.e., the bail  40 , and with it the extension  70 , can be moved throughout its full extent without anything happening). 
     There is, however, in a preferred embodiment of the invention a toggle means, a such as button  90 . This button  90  selectively causes movement of the extension  70  of spring  50  axially of the axis of such spring, which movement causes such extension to toggle the switch  80  between inactive and activated positions. The reason for selective activation of the switch  80  is due in part in the preferred embodiment to the alignment piece  100 , which alignment piece  100  reacts with the movement of the button  90  so as to cause extension  70  to interact with the spring  50 . 
     In the absence of the actuation of the button  90 , the extension  70  will move on one side of the alignment piece  100 —the inner side shown—and thus will not activate the switch  80 . 
     Upon actuation of the button  90 , the extension  70  is physically relocated to the other side of the alignment piece. Thus on movement of the bail  40  causes the extension  70  of the spring  50  to interact with the switch  80  so as to cause the actuation thereof. Thus, the position of the button  90  interacts with the positioning of the bail  40  to allow the actuation or inactivation of the switch  80 , and thus to control the operational status of the connected mower  10 . 
     The spring  50  thus both biases the bail  40  into its inoperative position and in addition, by the extension  70 , provides for the actuation or inactivation of the related mower blade. 
     The button  90  thus controls the operation of the mower, irrespective of the position of the bail  40 . In this respect it is noted the bail  40  can be moved from an inactive to an active position with no effect on the operational status of the mower. In specific, it is necessary for the button  90  to be pressed from an inactive to an active condition before the mower will actually function as a vegetation cutting unit. Without actuation of the button  90 , the bail  40  would be moved, but no active cutting action will be produced by the mower and no physical harm will be occasioned to the control mechanism. 
     Although this invention has been described in its preferred mode with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood certain changes can be made without deviating from the invention as hereinafter claimed.