US 11,589,513 B2Granted

Integrated park brake system for a riding lawn care vehicle

AssigneeHusqvarna AB

InventorBraxton W. Reese

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Abstract

A riding lawn care vehicle may include a frame, a steering assembly, a first brake assembly, and a first biasing assembly. A first drive wheel and a second drive wheel of the riding lawn care vehicle are operably coupled to the frame. The steering assembly includes a first steering lever and a second steering lever. The first and second steering levers are operably coupled to corresponding ones of the first and second drive wheels via a first hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic motor, respectively, to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers to control the first and second hydraulic motors. The first brake assembly is operably coupled to the first hydraulic motor to enable a braking force to be selectively applied to a motor shaft of the first hydraulic motor responsive to movement of the first steering lever from an inboard position to an outboard position. The first biasing assembly is configured to positively assist movement of the first steering lever between the inboard and outboard positions in both directions.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A riding lawn care vehicle comprising:

a frame operably coupled to a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel;
a steering assembly comprising a first steering lever and a second steering lever, wherein the first and second steering levers are operably coupled to corresponding ones of the first and second drive wheels via a first hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic motor, respectively, to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers to control the first and second hydraulic motors;
a first brake assembly operably coupled to the first hydraulic motor to enable a braking force to be selectively applied to a motor shaft of the first hydraulic motor responsive to movement of the first steering lever from an inboard position to an outboard position;
a first biasing assembly configured to positively assist movement of the first steering lever between the inboard and outboard positions in both directions,
wherein the first steering lever is operably coupled to a first lever mount,
wherein the first biasing assembly is operably coupled to the first brake assembly,
wherein the first biasing assembly is a portion of or operably coupled to the first lever mount,
wherein the first lever mount comprises an upper pivot carrier, a lower pivot carrier and a frame mounting bracket,
wherein the first steering lever is operably coupled to the upper pivot carrier,
wherein the upper pivot carrier pivots relative to the lower pivot carrier about a first pivot axis responsive to movement of the first steering lever between the inboard and outboard positions, and
wherein the lower pivot carrier pivots relative to the frame mounting bracket about a second pivot axis responsive to movement of the first steering lever forward or rearward while in the inboard position.

8 more elements

A biasing assembly of a riding lawn care vehicle, wherein the riding lawn care vehicle further comprises first and second drive wheels, first and second steering levers, first and second hydraulic motors, and first and second brake assemblies, wherein the first and second brake assemblies are operably coupled to the first and second hydraulic motors, respectively, to enable a braking force to be selectively applied to a motor shaft of the first and second hydraulic motors responsive to movement of the first and second steering levers, respectively, from an inboard position to an outboard position, and wherein the riding lawn care vehicle is steerable via the first and second steering levers to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers while in the inboard position,

wherein the biasing assembly comprises a first portion configured to positively assist movement of the first steering lever from the inboard to the outboard position, and a second portion configured to positively assist movement of the first steering lever from the outboard to the inboard position,
wherein the first steering lever is operably coupled to a first lever mount,
wherein the biasing assembly is operably coupled to the first brake assembly,
wherein the biasing assembly is a portion of or operably coupled to the first lever mount,
wherein the first lever mount comprises an upper pivot carrier, a lower pivot carrier and a frame mounting bracket,
wherein the first steering lever is operably coupled to the upper pivot carrier,
wherein the upper pivot carrier pivots relative to the lower pivot carrier about a first pivot axis responsive to movement of the first steering lever between the inboard and outboard positions, and
wherein the lower pivot carrier pivots relative to the frame mounting bracket about a second pivot axis responsive to movement of the first steering lever forward or rearward while in the inboard position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/480,486Filed 16 May 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 16 May 2017
Published: US 2020/0000039 A12 Jan 2020
Granted: 28 Feb 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A01D 69/10
Driving mechanisms or parts thereof for harvesters or mowers: brakes
A01D 34/006
Mowers ; Mowing apparatus of harvesters: control or measuring arrangements
A01D 34/64
Having cutters rotating about a vertical axis: mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle
B62D 11/006
Control systems: mechanical control systems