Lawn care vehicle brake system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10045485-B2
Application number	US-201415308419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2014
Priority date	May 8, 2014
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A riding lawn care vehicle (10) may include a frame (60), a steering assembly (30), a brake assembly (110), and a mechanical brake linkage assembly (120). At least a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel (32) of the riding lawn care vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a first steering lever and a second steering lever (34), where the first and second steering levers are operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels respectively to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers. The brake assembly may be operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels to enable brakes to be selectively applied to the first and second drive wheels. The mechanical brake linkage assembly may be configured to activate the brake assembly relative to the first and second drive wheels in response to one of the first steering lever or the second steering lever being moved outwardly to an outboard position independent of a position of the other of the first steering lever or the second steering lever.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A riding lawn care vehicle comprising:
a frame to which at least a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel of the riding lawn care vehicle are attachable;
a steering assembly comprising a first steering lever and a second steering lever, wherein the first and second steering levers are operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels via a first lever mount and a second lever mount, respectively, to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers, and wherein the first and second lever mounts are pivotable between an operating position and an outboard position;
a brake assembly operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels to enable brakes to be selectively applied to the first and second drive wheels; and
a mechanical brake linkage assembly configured to activate the brake assembly relative to the first and second drive wheels in response to one of the first steering lever or the second steering lever being moved outwardly to the outboard position independent of a position of the other of the first steering lever or the second steering lever,
wherein the mechanical brake linkage assembly comprises a first motion converter, a second motion converter, and a third motion converter,
wherein the first motion converter operably couples the first lever mount to the brake assembly via a first upper brake linkage and the third motion converter,
wherein the second motion converter operably couples the second lever mount to the brake assembly via a second upper brake linkage and the third motion converter,
wherein the third motion converter is disposed proximate to a longitudinal centerline of the riding lawn care vehicle on a rotatable shaft,
wherein the third motion converter is coupled to the first and second upper brake linkages at a mounting plate disposed on one side of the rotatable shaft, and
wherein the third motion converter is coupled to first and second lower brake linkages at an opposite side of the rotatable shaft relative to the mounting plate, the first and second lower brake linkages being operably coupled to the brake assembly.

2. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical brake linkage assembly is configured to enable the first steering lever to be pivoted to the outboard position to engage a corresponding pawl and gear associated with each of the first and second drive wheels to lock a transaxle of each of the first and second drive wheels while the second steering lever remains in an inboard position.

3. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first motion converter comprises a first rod and a first pivot body, the first rod being configured to move responsive to pivoting of the first lever mount, and the first pivot body comprising a first brake linkage reception slot,
wherein the second motion converter comprises a second rod and a second pivot body, the second rod being configured to move responsive to pivoting of the second lever mount, and the second pivot body comprising a second brake linkage reception slot, and
wherein inward motion of the first rod causes the first pivot body to pivot to urge the first upper brake linkage to move the third motion converter and the second upper brake linkage, thereby causing a portion of the second upper brake linkage to slide within the second brake linkage reception slot without pivoting the second pivot body.

4. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first rod is configured to move linearly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the riding lawn care vehicle responsive to pivoting of the first lever mount to pivot the first pivot body and move the first and second upper brake linkages in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the riding lawn care vehicle.

5. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 3 , wherein movement of the first rod pushes or pulls the first pivot body to rotate the first pivot body about a pivot axis.

6. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first motion converter further comprises:
a converter base that at least partially houses the first rod; and
an indicator switch carried on the first pivot body and comprising a push button, wherein the indicator switch is configured to indicate that the first steering lever is positioned in the outboard position when the push button is at least partially depressed against the first converter base responsive to pivoting of the first pivot body.

7. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, and third motion converters comprises a bellcrank.

8. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a locking member configured to enable the third motion converter to be locked in a position that activates the brake assembly.

9. The riding lawn care vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the riding lawn care vehicle is a zero turn mower.

10. A mechanical brake linkage assembly of a riding lawn care vehicle, wherein the riding lawn care vehicle further comprises first and second drive wheels, first and second steering levers, and a brake assembly, wherein the brake assembly is operably coupled to the first and second drive wheels to enable brakes to be selectively applied to the first and second drive wheels, wherein the first steering lever is operably coupled to the first drive wheel via a first lever mount and the second steering lever is operably coupled to the second drive wheel via a second lever mount, the first and second lever mounts being pivotable between an operating position and an outboard position, and wherein the riding lawn care vehicle is steerable via the first and second steering levers to facilitate turning of the riding lawn care vehicle based on drive speed control of the first and second drive wheels responsive to positioning of the first and second steering levers,
wherein the mechanical brake linkage assembly is operably coupled to the brake assembly and is configured to activate the brake assembly relative to the first and second drive wheels in response to one of the first steering lever or the second steering lever being moved outwardly to the outboard position independent of a position of the other of the first steering lever or the second steering lever,
wherein the mechanical brake linkage assembly comprises a first motion converter, a second motion converter, and a third motion converter,
wherein the first motion converter operably couples the first lever mount to the brake assembly via a first upper brake linkage and the third motion converter,
wherein the second motion converter operably couples the second lever mount to the brake assembly via a second upper brake linkage and the third motion converter,
wherein the third motion converter is disposed proximate to a longitudinal centerline of the riding lawn care vehicle on a rotatable shaft,
wherein the third motion converter is coupled to the first and second upper brake linkages at a mounting plate disposed on one side of the rotatable shaft, and
wherein the third motion converter is coupled to first and second lower brake linkages at an opposite side of the rotatable shaft relative to the mounting plate, the first and second lower brake linkages being operably coupled to the brake assembly.

11. The mechanical brake linkage assembly of claim 10 , wherein the mechanical brake linkage assembly is configured to enable the first steering lever to be pivoted to the outboard position to engage a corresponding pawl and gear associated with each of the first and second

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Burns Duncan
• Dwyer Sean

Classifications

• A01D34/64

  mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle (A01D34/695 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D69/10 Primary

  Brakes · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• B62D11/006

  Mechanical control systems · CPC title