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US 12,588,587 B2Granted
Rotatable ring control mechanism and method for control arm of wheeled lawn care machine
AssigneeKubota Corporation
InventorsDouglas Swartz, Min Sung Kim, Michael Phan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotatable ring control mechanism is mounted on a control arm of a riding mower and allows a user to control a function of the riding mower. The mechanism includes an inner support component and an outer interface ring. The inner component secures the mechanism to the control arm and includes a signal generating technology receiving a control input and generating a corresponding control signal. The outer ring rotates around the inner component and around a longitudinal axis of the control arm to provide the control input to the signal generating technology.
Claims17
A wheeled lawn care machine for moving over a ground, the wheeled lawn care machine comprising:
- a drive apparatus for propelling the wheeled lawn care machine over the ground;
- a control handle configured to be gripped by a user and to facilitate directing the wheeled lawn care machine, the control handle including a grip portion arranged along a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a rotatable ring control mechanism mounted on the control handle proximate to the grip portion to allow a user operating the wheeled lawn care machine to control a function of the wheeled lawn care machine, the rotatable ring control mechanism including—
- an inner support component securing the rotatable ring control mechanism to the control handle and including a signal generating technology receiving a control input and generating a corresponding control signal to control the function, and
- an outer interface ring rotatable around the inner support component and around the longitudinal axis of the control handle to provide the control input to the signal generating technology to control the function,
- the outer interface ring including an outer periphery which is substantially the same height as a surface of the control handle so as to present a minimal profile relative to the control handle, wherein the rotatable ring control mechanism is located at or near the end of the control handle, and
- the function controlled by the rotatable ring control mechanism includes at least one of—
- i. starting and stopping the drive apparatus,
- ii. increasing and decreasing the speed of the drive apparatus,
- iii turning on and off a component of the riding lawn mower
- iv. adjusting a height of a lower deck,
- v. starting or stopping one or more deck motors driving one or more cutting blades of the lower deck,
- vi. increasing and decreasing the speed of one or more deck motors driving one or more cutting blades of the lower deck,
- vii. applying and releasing a brake,
- viii. engaging and disengaging a power take-off, and/or
- ix. opening and closing a discharge chute.
14 more elements
A zero-turn riding lawn mower for moving over a ground, the zero-turn riding lawn mower comprising:
- a drive apparatus for propelling the zero-turn riding lawn mower over the ground;
- a control handle including first and second control arms configured to be gripped by a user and to facilitate directing the zero-turn riding lawn mower, each of the first and second control arms including a grip portion arranged along a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a plurality of rotatable ring control mechanisms, with at least one rotatable ring control mechanism mounted around each of the first and second control arms proximate to the grip portion to allow a user operating the zero-turn riding lawn mower to control a function of the zero-turn riding lawn mower, and each of the rotatable ring control mechanisms including—
- an inner support component securing the rotatable ring control mechanism to the control handle and including a signal generating technology receiving a control input and generating a corresponding control signal to control the function, and
- an outer interface ring rotatable around the inner support component and around the longitudinal axis of the control handle to provide the control input to the signal generating technology to control the function,
- the outer interface ring including an outer periphery which is a same height as a surface of the control handle so as to present a minimal profile relative to the control handle,
- the rotatable ring control mechanism controlling a single function of the zero-turn riding lawn mower, with the single function being selectable by the user from among a plurality of different functions.
5 more elements
A control method for controlling a function of a riding lawn mower, the control method comprising:
- operating a riding lawn mower having a pair of steering control arms, wherein at least one of the steering control arms comprises a grip portion and a rotatable ring control mechanism mounted proximate to the grip portion;
- while operating the riding lawn mower, steering the riding lawn mower by moving the steering control arms;
- and
- while operating the riding lawn mower, controlling a non-steering function of the riding lawn mower by rotating an outer interface ring of the rotatable ring control mechanism to provide a control input to a signal generating technology of the ring control mechanism, wherein the outer interface ring includes an outer periphery which is substantially the same height as a surface of the control handle so as to present a minimal profile relative to the grip portion.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.