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US 9,844,181 B2Granted
Mower with attachment having a hopper and conveyor assembly
AssigneeGreen Industry Innovators, L.L.C.
InventorSteffon L. Hoppel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a mower having a removable mower deck, and a removable attachment which includes a hopper and conveyor assembly for discharging particulate material from the hopper. The attachment and mower deck may be mounted on the frame of the unit together or separately. The attachment may be configured for rapid mounting and dismounting on the frame of the mower.
Claims23
An outdoor power equipment unit comprising:
- a frame including a front end and a rear end defining a longitudinal direction therebetween, a left side and a right side defining an axial direction therebetween;
- a mower deck mounted to the frame in a mounting space, the mower deck including a discharge chute for discharging yard clippings carried by air currents generated by the mower deck;
- a hopper mounted on the frame above the mounting space;
- a conveyor belt assembly secured to the hopper;
- and
- a discharge pipe coupling the mower deck to the hopper, the discharge pipe connected to the discharge chute at a pipe intake end and connected to the hopper at a pipe outlet end;
- wherein the discharge pipe defines a discharge pathway extending from the pipe intake end to the pipe outlet end, wherein yard clippings move along the discharge pathway into the hopper.
4 more elements
A method for moving yard clippings comprising the steps of:
- generating yard clippings carried by air current from a mower deck mounted on an outdoor power equipment unit;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings out from a discharge chute on the mower deck;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings along a discharge pathway defined by a discharge pipe from a pipe intake end to a pipe outlet end, the pipe intake end connected to the discharge chute;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings from the pipe outlet end into an interior chamber defined by a hopper mounted to the outdoor power equipment unit above the mower deck;
- wherein air current carrying the yard clippings passes through a screen atop the hopper, wherein the screen prevents yard clippings from passing therethrough such that the yard clippings remain in the interior chamber of the hopper;
- and
- discharging the yard clippings from the hopper with a conveyor assembly.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a mower having a frame;
- a plurality of ground engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the frame and including a front wheel and a rear wheel;
- a mower deck which is attached to the frame in a mounting space which is forward of the rear wheel and rearward of the front wheel;
- and
- an attachment which comprises a hopper and a conveyor belt, wherein the attachment is removably mountable on the frame so that the hopper and conveyor belt are above the mounting space when the attachment is mounted on the frame.
2 more elements
An outdoor power equipment unit comprising:
- a frame including a front end and a rear end defining a longitudinal direction therebetween, a left side and a right side defining an axial direction therebetween;
- a mower deck mounted to the frame in a mounting space, the mower deck including a discharge chute for discharging yard clippings carried by air currents generated by the mower deck;
- a hopper removably mounted on the frame;
- a discharge pipe coupling the mower deck to the hopper, the discharge pipe connected to the discharge chute at a pipe intake end and connected to the hopper at a pipe outlet end and defining a discharge pathway extending therebetween, wherein the discharge pipe includes:
- a pipe first section having a first elbow bend;
- a pipe second section connected to the pipe first section, the pipe second section having a linear portion extending, at least partially, in the longitudinal direction, wherein the pipe second section extends rearwardly and upwardly from the pipe first section;
- a pipe third section connected to the pipe second section, the pipe third section having a second elbow bend at an angle in a range from about 30 to about 60 degrees;
- a pipe fourth section connected to the pipe third section, the pipe fourth section having a linear portion extending, at least partially, in the axial direction;
- wherein the pipe sections are connected together to define respective portions of the discharge pathway and the discharge pathway includes a first portion upstream from the pipe third section extending, at least partially, in the longitudinal direction, and a second portion downstream from the pipe third section extending, at least partially, in the axial direction.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.