Mowers, mower deck mount systems, and methods
AssigneeTechtronic Cordless GP
InventorsTrent J. Dingman, Michael Feng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lawn mower including a frame; a mower deck; and mounting hardware configured to detachably couple the frame to the mower deck, wherein the mounting hardware includes a quick release engagement interface; and a latched interface including a support defining a receiving area configured to receive a mating interface; and a self-closing latch movable relative to the support between an open configuration and a closed configuration to selectively restrict access of the mating interface into and out of the receiving area, wherein a size of the receiving area is reduced when the self-closing latch is in the open configuration.
Claims20
A lawn mower comprising:
- a frame;
- a mower deck;
- and
- mounting hardware configured to detachably couple the frame to the mower deck, wherein the mounting hardware comprises:
- a quick release engagement interface;
- and
- a latched interface comprising:
- a mating interface;
- a support defining a receiving area configured to receive the mating interface;
- and
- a self-closing latch movable relative to the support between an open configuration and a closed configuration to selectively restrict access of the mating interface to and from the receiving area;
- wherein the mating interface is disposed in the receiving area of the support when the frame is coupled to the mower deck,
- wherein the mating interface remains disposed within the receiving area of the support after the self-closing latch is moved to the open configuration until the mower deck is raised in a vertical direction relative to the support, and
- wherein a size of the receiving area is reduced when the self-closing latch is in the open configuration.
A lawn mower comprising:
- a frame;
- a mower deck;
- and
- mounting hardware configured to detachably couple the frame to the mower deck, wherein the mounting hardware comprises:
- a quick release engagement interface;
- and
- a latched interface comprising:
- a support defining a receiving area configured to receive a mating interface;
- and
- a self-closing latch movable relative to the support between an open configuration and a closed configuration to selectively restrict access of the mating interface into and out of the receiving area, wherein a size of the receiving area is reduced when the self-closing latch is in the open configuration.
A method of detaching a mower deck from a lawn mower frame, the method comprising:
- moving a self-closing latch from a closed configuration to an open configuration, wherein in the closed configuration a mating interface is captured and retained in a receiving area defined by the mower deck or the frame, wherein a size of the receiving area is reduced when the self-closing latch is in the open configuration, and wherein in the open configuration the mating interface is removable from the receiving area;
- with the self-closing latch in the open configuration, translating the mower deck in a lateral direction such that the mating interface exits the receiving area through an opening in a side of the receiving area;
- and
- allowing spring biased release of the self-closing latch from the open configuration to the closed configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.