Lawn care vehicle having a conveyor seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10674664-B2
Application number	US-201616300190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2016
Priority date	May 28, 2016
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A yard waste collection assembly comprising a yard waste collector (200) comprising a yard waste inlet, a conveyor (100) configured to receive yard waste at a receiving end of the conveyor (100) and discharge the yard waste at a discharge end of the conveyor (100), wherein the conveyor comprises a telescopic seal (102) configured to cover an outlet (103), at the discharge end, in a shut position when the conveyor (100) is not engaged with the yard waste collector (200), and wherein the telescopic seal (102) is further configured to slide along a longitudinal axis (L) of the conveyor (100) to an open position when the conveyor engages the yard waste collector (200) causing the outlet (103) to be uncovered.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A yard waste collection assembly comprising:
a yard waste collector comprising a yard waste inlet;
a conveyor configured to receive yard waste at a receiving end of the conveyor and discharge the yard waste at a discharge end of the conveyor,
wherein the conveyor comprises:
a telescopic seal configured to cover an outlet, at the discharge end, in a shut position when the conveyor is not engaged with the yard waste collector, and
wherein the telescopic seal is further configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the conveyor to an open position when the conveyor engages the yard waste collector causing the outlet to be uncovered.

2. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is an auger.

3. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor further comprises:
a biasing element configured to bias the telescopic seal toward the shut position.

4. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor further comprises:
at least one guide configured to maintain an alignment of the telescopic seal and the outlet.

5. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor further comprises a mechanical stop to resist travel of the telescopic seal beyond a predetermined operation range.

6. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the yard waste collector further comprises a collar disposed around the yard waste inlet,
wherein the telescopic seal comprises an engagement protrusion; and
wherein the engagement of the conveyor and yard waste collector comprises the engagement protrusion being pressed against the collar.

7. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 6 , wherein the yard waste collector is configured to be pivoted between a collection position and a dump position,
wherein the engagement protrusion presses against the collar in response to the yard waste collector being pivoted to the collection position.

8. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 7 , wherein the telescopic seal has a first range of travel from the collection position to the dump position and a second range of travel in the collection position, in which the outlet remains uncovered.

9. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the telescopic seal is configured to at least partially surround a circumference of the conveyor.

10. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the yard waste inlet further comprises:
a flexible seal.

11. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 10 , wherein the flexible seal comprises a slit seal.

12. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 10 , wherein the yard waste collector is configured to be pivoted between a collection position and a dump position, and
wherein the conveyor penetrates the flexible seal in the dump position and the flexible seal closes in response to the conveyor being removed from the yard waste collector in the dump position.

13. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 10 , wherein the flexible seal comprises a geometry complementary to an outer geometry of the conveyor.

14. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
an air inlet plate configured to be operably coupled over an air inlet on an engine and below the yard waste collector.

15. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 14 , wherein the air inlet plate comprises a raised perimeter configured to inhibit yard waste from escaping a surface of the air inlet plate, and
wherein the raised perimeter comprises a discharge plane configured to permit yard waste to exit the surface of the air inlet plate.

16. The yard waste collection assembly of claim 15 , wherein the air inlet plate comprises a grade toward the discharge plane to bias the yard waste toward the discharge plane.

17. A lawn care vehicle comprising:
a yard waste collector comprising a yard waste inlet; and
a conveyor configured to receive yard waste at an inlet and discharge the yard waste at an outlet,
wherein the conveyor comprises:
a telescopic seal configured to cover the outlet in a shut position when the conveyor is not engaged with the yard waste collector, and

wherein the telescopic seal is further configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the conveyor to an open position when the conveyor engages the yard waste collector causing the outlet to be uncovered.

18. The lawn care vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the conveyor further comprises:
a biasing element configured to bias the telescopic seal toward the shut position,
at least one guide configured to maintain an alignment of the telescopic seal and the outlet, or
a mechanical stop to resist travel of the telescopic seal beyond a predetermined operation range.

19. The lawn care vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the yard waste collector further comprises a collar disposed around the yard waste inlet,
wherein the telescopic seal comprises an engagement protrusion; and
wherein the engagement of the conveyor and yard waste collector comprises the engagement protrusion being pressed against the collar.

20. The lawn care vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the conveyor is an auger, and
wherein the telescopic seal is configured to at least partially surround a circumference of the conveyor.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Hultgren Andreas
• Loci Arpad
• Hedqvist Andreas
• Claesson Magnus
• Nordquist Dennis
• Robertsson Martin

Classifications

• A01D43/077 Primary

  with auxiliary means, e.g. fans, for transporting the mown crop · CPC title

• A01D43/063 Primary

  in or into a container carried by the mower; Containers therefor (A01D43/077 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G33/14

  comprising a screw or screws enclosed in a tubular housing · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D34/64

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