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US 10,721,864 B1Granted
Suspension system for lawnmower
AssigneeBad Boy Mowers, LLC
InventorsCharles Bradley Covington, Warren Russell Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a riding mower having a frame, a mower deck supported beneath the frame, a chair on said frame and a source of motive power also supported on said frame and including two hydraulic transaxles depending beneath the frame to each selectively rotate a drive wheel. The frame is supported on forward and rear wheel assemblies with a supporting wheel. The transaxles are supported beneath the frame and pivotally secured thereto by a flange captivating vibration pillows and proximate the driven wheel and an inner pivot rod secured to the frame by apertures in downwardly depending tabs.
Claims28
A riding lawnmower system comprising:
- a frame;
- a right rear drive system comprising:
- a right integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a right hydraulic pump, a right hydraulic motor and a right drive axle, the right drive axle configured to rotate about a right axle axis, and the right integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a right pivot assembly such that the right integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a right pivot axis oriented transverse to the right axle axis;
- the right pivot assembly comprising:
- a first right pivot element coupled to a first side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second right pivot element coupled to a second side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the right pivot axis and the first right pivot element;
- a right rear drive wheel coupled to the right drive axle of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit, the right rear drive wheel configured to rotate about the right axle axis and to pivot about the right pivot axis with the right integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a right resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit about the right pivot axis;
- and
- a left rear drive system comprising:
- a left integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a left hydraulic pump, a left hydraulic motor and a left drive axle, the left drive axle configured to rotate about a left axle axis, and the left integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a left pivot assembly such that the left integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a left pivot axis oriented transverse to the left axle axis;
- the left pivot assembly comprising:
- a first left pivot element coupled to a first side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second left pivot element coupled to a second side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the left pivot axis and the first left pivot element;
- a left rear drive wheel coupled to the left drive axle of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit, the left rear drive wheel configured to rotate about the left axle axis and to pivot about the left pivot axis with the left integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a left resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit about the left pivot axis.
17 more elements
A riding lawnmower system comprising:
- a frame;
- a right rear drive system comprising:
- a right integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a right hydraulic pump, a right hydraulic motor and a right drive axle, the right drive axle configured to couple to a right rear drive wheel and configured to rotate about a right axle axis, and the right integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a right pivot assembly such that the right integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a right pivot axis oriented transverse to the right axle axis;
- the right pivot assembly comprising:
- a first right pivot element coupled to a first side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second right pivot element coupled to a second side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the right pivot axis and the first right pivot element;
- and
- a right resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit about the right pivot axis;
- and
- a left rear drive system comprising:
- a left integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a left hydraulic pump, a left hydraulic motor and a left drive axle, the left drive axle configured to couple to a left rear drive wheel and configured to rotate about a left axle axis, and the left integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a left pivot assembly such that the left integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a left pivot axis oriented transverse to the left axle axis;
- the left pivot assembly comprising:
- a first left pivot element coupled to a first side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second left pivot element coupled to a second side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the left pivot axis and the first left pivot element;
- and
- a left resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit about the left pivot axis.
15 more elements
A riding lawnmower system comprising:
- a frame;
- a right rear drive system comprising:
- a right integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a right drive axle, the right drive axle configured to couple to a right rear drive wheel and configured to rotate about a right axle axis, and the right integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a right pivot assembly such that the right integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a right pivot axis oriented transverse to the right axle axis;
- the right pivot assembly comprising:
- a first right pivot element coupled to a first side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second right pivot element coupled to a second side of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the right pivot axis and the first right pivot element;
- and
- a right resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit about the right pivot axis;
- and
- a left rear drive system comprising:
- a left integrated hydraulic drive unit comprising a left drive axle, the left drive axle configured to couple to a left rear drive wheel and configured to rotate about a left axle axis, the left integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame by way of a left pivot assembly such that the left integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a left pivot axis oriented transverse to the left axle axis;
- the left pivot assembly comprising:
- a first left pivot element coupled to a first side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- and
- a second left pivot element coupled to a second side of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit and oriented coaxial with the left pivot axis and the first left pivot element;
- and
- a left resilient member configured to be compressed by pivoting of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit about the left pivot axis.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.