Outdoor power equipment with converter seated and standing operator positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397691-B2
Application number	US-202217693727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2022
Priority date	Mar 12, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An outdoor power equipment having sitting configuration and standing configuration is presented herein. The outdoor power equipment can be transformed from the sitting configuration to the standing configuration and vice versa, allowing an operator to use the outdoor power equipment in either a sitting position or standing position. The sitting position can place the operator at least in part forward of a drive axis of the outdoor power equipment, whereas the standing position can place the operator at least in part coincident with or behind the drive axis. The outdoor power equipment can be electric powered in some aspects, with modular and replaceable battery packs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outdoor power equipment, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of drive wheels rotatable about a drive wheel rotation axis;
a rollover protection (ROP) bar secured to the frame;
an operator seat secured to the frame;
a cushion configured to be in one or more of a first position associated with a sitting configuration of the outdoor power equipment or a second position associated with a standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment;
drive controls for operator-initiated drive and steering functions of the outdoor power equipment; and
a standing platform positioned at least in part rearward of the operator seat, wherein at least two of the ROP bar, the cushion, or the drive controls are configured to move together between the sitting configuration and the standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment.

2. The outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the ROP bar and the cushion are configured to move together between the sitting configuration and the standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment.

3. The outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the ROP bar and the drive controls are configured to move together between the sitting configuration and the standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment.

4. The outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the drive controls and the cushion are configured to move together between the sitting configuration and the standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment.

5. The outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the ROP bar, the cushion, and the drive controls are configured to move together between the sitting configuration and the standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment.

6. An outdoor power equipment, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of drive wheels rotatable about a drive wheel rotation axis;
an operator seat secured to the frame;
a movable cushion configured to be alternately in a first position associated with a sitting configuration of the outdoor power equipment and a second position associated with a standing configuration of the outdoor power equipment, wherein the movable cushion is configured to be a seat back in the first position;
drive controls for operator-initiated drive and steering functions of the outdoor power equipment; and
a standing platform positioned at least in part rearward of the operator seat.

7. The outdoor power equipment of claim 6 , wherein the movable cushion is configured to slide along a track to move between the first position and the second position.

8. The outdoor power equipment of claim 6 , wherein the movable cushion is configured to rotate around an axis to move between the first position and the second position.

9. The outdoor power equipment of claim 6 , wherein the movable cushion is configured to removably couple to a first one or more mounts associated with the first position and to removably couple to a second one or more mounts associated with the second position.

10. The outdoor power equipment of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first position or the second position is configured to be adjusted.

11. The outdoor power equipment of claim 6 , wherein the movable cushion is configured to be a hip pad in the second position.

Assignees

• Mtd Products Inc

Inventors

• Kucera Jeff
• Bringhurst Cory
• Powell Jeremy
• Misenko Seth
• Davis Robert

Classifications

• B60R21/131

  Protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors (means for preventing overturning or tipping of tractors B62D49/08) · CPC title

• B60N2/20

  the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/04, B60N2/22 {, B60N2/3002} take precedence) · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D75/18

  Safety devices for parts of the machines · CPC title

• A01D67/04

  Seats · CPC title