Snowthrower having impeller assist propulsion
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsDonald M. White, III, Thomas J. Beckey, John T. Gill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved single-stage snow thrower including a wheeled frame assembly for supporting the snow thrower upon a ground surface and a driven impeller capable of being placed in ground contact to forwardly propel the snow thrower across the ground surface. A handle assembly including a user interface is further provided to permit the operator to selectively control the normal force associated with the driven impeller, and thus selectively control the propulsive drive force of the snow thrower. A bail control assembly may be provided upon the handle to permit the operator to selectively control a downward movement of the impeller to selectively control the degree of impeller ground contact.
Claims34
A single-stage snowthrower for use on a ground surface, said snowthrower comprising:
- a frame;
- a handle coupled to the frame, said handle for directing the snowthrower across the ground surface;
- an impeller coupled to the frame and in engaging contact with the ground surface, said impeller having a force normal to the ground surface associated with the engaging contact with the ground surface;
- and
- an impeller positioning device coupled to the snowthrower, said impeller positioning device being movable relative to the handle between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein when the impeller positioning device is in said first orientation the normal force developed between the impeller and the ground surface is a first value, and wherein when the impeller positioning device is in the second orientation the normal force is a second value different than the first value.
A single-stage snowthrower, comprising:
- a frame;
- an impeller coupled with the frame and in engaging contact with the ground surface, said impeller having a force normal to the ground surface associated with the engaging contact with the ground surface, said impeller being movably coupled relative to the frame;
- and
- an impeller positioning device coupled with the impeller, said impeller positioning device being movable relative to the frame between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein when the impeller positioning device is in the first orientation the normal force between the impeller and the ground surface is a first value, and wherein when the impeller positioning device is in the second orientation the normal force is a second value different than the first value.
A single-stage snowthrower for clearing snow from a ground surface, said snowthrower comprising:
- a frame;
- an impeller coupled to the frame, said impeller being in engaging contact with the ground surface and having an associated force normal to the ground surface;
- and
- a propulsion control structure coupled to the snowthrower, at least a portion of said propulsion control structure being movable relative to the snowthrower between a plurality of orientations, including a first orientation wherein the normal force developed between the impeller and the ground surface is a first value, and a second orientation wherein the normal force is a second value larger than the first value.
A method of operating a single-stage snowthrower, said method including the steps of:
- providing a frame;
- coupling a snow-contacting impeller to the frame, said impeller being in engaging contact with the ground surface to provide a force normal to the ground surface;
- providing a propulsion control structure upon the snowthrower, at least a portion of said propulsion control structure being movable relative to the frame between at least a pair of operational conditions including a first operational condition wherein the normal force developed between the impeller and the ground surface is a first value, and a second operational condition wherein the normal force is a second value larger than the first value;
- and
- changing the propulsion control structure from its first operational condition to its second operational condition to increase the normal force of the impeller and to provide an increased propulsive assist force to the snow thrower.
A single-stage snowthrower, comprising:
- a frame;
- an engine coupled to the frame;
- an impeller coupled to the engine and in engaging contact with the ground surface, said impeller having a force normal to the ground surface associated with the engaging contact with the ground surface, said impeller being movably coupled relative to the frame wherein an impeller axis of rotation is movable relative to the frame;
- and
- an impeller positioning device being movably coupled relative to the frame between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein when the impeller positioning device is in the first orientation the impeller axis of rotation is at a first distance away from the frame, and wherein when the impeller positioning device is in the second orientation the impeller axis of rotation is at a second distance away from the frame.
A single-stage snowthrower for use on a ground surface, said snowthrower comprising:
- a frame;
- an impeller coupled to the frame and rotating about an axis of rotation, said impeller in engaging contact with the ground surface and having a force normal to the ground surface associated with the engaging contact with the ground surface, and
- an impeller positioning device coupled to the snowthrower and being movable between at least a pair of operational orientations, said impeller positioning device for controlling a position of the impeller axis of rotation relative to the frame, wherein when the impeller positioning device is in a first orientation the impeller axis of rotation is at a first distance away from the frame and a first normal force exists between the impeller and the ground surface, and wherein when the impeller positioning device is in a second orientation the impeller axis of rotation is at a second distance away from the frame and a second normal force substantially different that the first normal force exists between the impeller and the ground surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.