Back to results
US 9,137,947 B2Granted
Method of using an attachment assembly and a self-propelled power unit
AssigneeGreen Industry Innovators, L.L.C.
InventorSteffon Hoppel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a self-propelled outdoor power equipment unit, an attachment for use with such a unit and associated methods. The unit may be in the form of a mower having a mower deck. The attachment includes a hopper and conveyor assembly for discharging particulate material from the hopper. The conveyor assembly has operational and stored positions, the latter of which provides a narrower profile of the attachment and unit. The attachment and mower deck may be mounted on the frame of the unit together or separately. The attachment is configured for rapid mounting and dismounting on the frame of the unit, and provides additional functionality to a mower or other unit on which the attachment is mounted.
Claims22
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the steps of mounting on the frame or detaching from the frame either of the hopper and conveyor belt or the mower deck is accomplished without using tools.
6 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the step of mounting the hopper and conveyor belt or the mower deck is accomplished without drilling additional holes in the originally fabricated frame.
6 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the steps of mounting include mounting either of the hopper and conveyor belt or the mower deck in a location on the frame in front of where a human operator will be positioned.
6 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- and
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- wherein the step of mounting the hopper and conveyor belt includes engaging the hopper with the frame such that substantially the entire hopper and conveyor belt extend upwardly away from an upper surface of the frame.
3 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the step of mounting the mower deck includes engaging the mower deck with the frame such that substantially the entire mower deck extends downwardly away from a lower surface of the frame.
6 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- and
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- wherein the step of mounting the attachment includes engaging at least one front mounting mechanism on the hopper with the frame and engaging at least one rear mounting mechanism on the hopper with the frame.
3 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the method of mounting the mower includes:
- inserting at least one front rod extending upwardly from a housing of the mower deck through a forward hole defined in the frame;
- inserting at least one rear rod extending upwardly from the housing of the mower deck through a rearward hole defined in the frame;
- and
- securing the at least one front rod and at least one rear rod in place.
10 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- and
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- wherein the step of mounting the hopper includes the step of:
- sliding a hopper sleeve which is secured to the hopper
- over a caster mount sleeve which extends upwardly from a caster so that the caster mount sleeve is received within a hole of the hopper sleeve.
5 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- and
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper;
- wherein the step of mounting the attachment includes the step of:
- lowering the attachment to insert a rod extending downwardly from a lower portion of the hopper through a hole defined in the frame.
4 more elements
A method comprising the steps of:
- detaching a mower deck from a frame of a mower;
- mounting on the frame an attachment which comprises a hopper and conveyor belt;
- placing particulate material into the hopper;
- revolving the conveyor belt to discharge the particulate material from the hopper,
- detaching the hopper and conveyor belt from the frame;
- mounting on the frame the mower deck;
- and
- mowing grass with the mower deck;
- wherein the frame includes at least one hole defined in a front section thereof;
- and wherein the mower deck includes a front mounting assembly and the attachment includes a front mounting mechanism;
- and wherein the method includes:
- selectively engaging the the front mounting assembly of the mower deck and the front mounting mechanism of the attachment with the same at least one hole.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.