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US 12,063,884 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.
Claims35
A zero-turn radius (ZTR) riding lawnmower system comprising:
- a frame;
- a right rear drive system comprising:
- a right integrated hydraulic transaxle 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 transaxle pivotally coupled to the frame such that the right integrated hydraulic transaxle is configured to pivot about a right pivot axis oriented transverse to the right axle axis and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riding lawnmower system, the right axle axis intersecting a portion of the right integrated hydraulic transaxle;
- a right rear drive wheel coupled to the right drive axle of the right integrated hydraulic transaxle, 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 transaxle;
- and
- a right resilient member, pivoting of the right integrated hydraulic transaxle about the right pivot axis configured to cause compression of the right resilient member;
- and
- a left rear drive system comprising:
- a left integrated hydraulic transaxle 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 transaxle pivotally coupled to the frame such that the left integrated hydraulic transaxle is configured to pivot about a left pivot axis oriented transverse to the left axle axis and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the riding lawnmower system, the left axle axis intersecting a portion of the left integrated hydraulic transaxle;
- a left rear drive wheel coupled to the left drive axle of the left integrated hydraulic transaxle, 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 transaxle;
- and
- a left resilient member, pivoting of the left integrated hydraulic transaxle about the left pivot axis configured to cause compression of the left resilient member.
9 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 rotate about a right axle axis, and the right integrated hydraulic drive unit pivotally coupled to the frame such that the right integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a right pivot axis oriented transverse to the right axle axis and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riding lawnmower system, the right axle axis intersecting a portion of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- the right drive axle configured to couple to a right rear drive wheel, 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, pivoting of the right integrated hydraulic drive unit about the right pivot axis configured to cause deformation of the right resilient member;
- 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 such that the left integrated hydraulic drive unit is configured to pivot about a left pivot axis oriented transverse to the left axle axis and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the riding lawnmower system, the left axle axis intersecting a portion of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit;
- the left drive axle configured to couple to a left rear drive wheel, 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, pivoting of the left integrated hydraulic drive unit about the left pivot axis configured to cause deformation of the left resilient member.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.