Adjustable electric control handle for a lawn mower

#Self-propelled machines such as lawn mowers often provide handles on which controls are mounted for manipulation by a user. Known lawn mowers generally include the handle extending behind a main operative assembly of the lawn mower, the handle including gripping areas for gripping by a user as the user walks behind the lawn mower during movement thereof in a forward direction. Because lawn mower handles often require the user to constantly grip the handle during operation, one or more controls are mounted on the handles for the user to manipulate while gripping the handles and operating the lawn mower. With this construction, access to controls by the user during operation of the lawn mower are limited to those controls disposed on the gripping areas. Further, due to the limited space for gripping areas provided on lawn mower handles having ergonomic designs, ergonomic lawn mower handles feature limited control means available to the user while operating the lawn mower. Additionally, because lawn mower handle gripping areas feature limited space for controls, known lawn mower control handles lack the ability to adjust preset ground speeds of the lawn mower while the lawn mower is in operation, or a clutch disposed on the handle for modulating the lawn mower ground speed.

#According to one aspect, an adjustable electric control handle for a lawn mower includes a first lever configured to actuate between an extended position and a depressed position and a second lever configured to actuate between an extended position and a depressed position. The second lever faces the first lever such that a section of the first lever is closer to the second lever when the first lever is in the depressed position relative to the extended position, and a section of the second lever is closer to the first lever when the second lever is in the depressed position relative to the extended position. A controller is operatively associated with each of the first lever and the second lever so as to determine a position of the first lever with respect to the depressed position or the extended position of the first lever, and a position of the second lever with respect to the depressed position or the extended position of the second lever. Also, the first lever defines an interior having an opening facing the second lever such that the interior of the first lever is configured for receiving the second lever when at least one of the first lever and the second lever are actuated toward the respective depressed position.

#According to another aspect, an adjustable electric control handle for a lawn mower includes a cover, a first lever disposed within the cover and pivotally fixed to the cover, and a second lever disposed within the cover. The second lever is pivotally fixed to the first lever and the cover such that the first lever and second lever share a common axis of rotation with respect to the cover. The first lever and the second lever face each other within the cover such that a middle section of the first lever is closer to the second lever when the first lever is in a depressed position relative to an extended position of the first lever, and a middle section of the second lever is closer to the first lever when the second lever is in a depressed position relative to an extended position of the second lever.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary adjustable electric control handle for a lawn mower according to the present disclosure.

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the control handle taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a top view of the control handle.

#It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the present disclosure. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 illustrate an adjustable electric control handle 100 for an associated lawn mower (not shown) according to the present disclosure. The handle includes a cover 104 which defines a handle exterior 106 that is ergonomically formed to include each of a first gripping area 110 and a second gripping area 112. Both the first gripping area 110 and the second gripping area 112 are bent downwards from a handle center 116 for being gripped by a user. As shown, the first gripping area 110 and the second gripping area 112 are typified by a first hole 118 and a second hole 122 defined in the cover 104 and respectively configured for a first button 202 of a first lever 200 (FIG. 5) and a second button 302 of a second lever 300 (FIG. 5) extending therethrough, beyond the exterior defined by the cover 104. Each of the first button 202 and second button 302 are normally biased in an extended position beyond the handle exterior 106 such that a user gripping the handle 100 over the first button 202 and second button 302 will actuate the first button 202 and second button 302 towards a respective depressed position. To provide an ergonomic gripping area 110, 112, an exterior surface 206 of the first button 202 and an exterior surface 306 of the second button 302 extend slightly outwardly from and are parallel along the gripping area 110, 112 when each of the first button 202 and second button 302 are in the respective extended position (FIG. 7).

#The first button 202 and the second button 302 respectively extend from the first lever 200 and the second lever 300. The first lever 200 and the second lever 300 are each disposed in the cover 104 and are configured for actuating between a respective extended position and depressed position. As shown between FIGS. 8 and 9, the extended position and depressed position of both the first button 202 and second button 302 respectively correspond to the extended position and depressed position of the first lever 200 and the second lever 300. The depressed position of the first lever 200 defines an end of a range of motion of the first lever 200 that is unobstructed by the second lever 300, and the depressed position of the second lever 300 defines an end of a range of motion of the second lever 300 that is unobstructed by the first lever 200. As depicted, the first lever 200 and the second lever 300 are configured for being simultaneously actuated into the respective depressed positions.

#As shown in FIG. 7, the first button 202 is defined by a raised portion of the first lever 200 which extends away from the second lever 300 and through the first hole 118 defined by the cover 104. The second button 302 is defined by a raised portion of the second lever 300 which extends away from the first lever 200 and through the second hole 122 defined by the cover 104. In this manner, each of the first lever and the second lever are biased toward the respective extended position and are configured to be actuated toward the respective depressed position by pressing the first button 202 and second button 302 respectively. Both the first lever 200 and the second lever 300 are disposed in the cover 104 facing each other, such that the first lever 200 is closer to the second lever 300 when the first lever 200 is in the depressed position relative to the extended position, and the second lever 300 is closer to the first lever 200 when the second lever 300 is in the depressed position.