Zero-turn radius lawnmower with suspension system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016361997-A1
Application number	US-201615244578-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	May 7, 2012
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a suspension system coupled to a main frame of ride-on equipment including a subframe coupled to the main frame with a pivot including a pivot axis. Some embodiments include a transaxle assembly supported on the subframe coupled to a drive wheel, and a power source supported on the main frame coupled to the transaxle assembly. A rider can control the transaxle assembly with a compensated control linkage assembly that can compensate for movement of the subframe. Some embodiments include driven pulleys, idler pulleys and backside idler pulleys supported by the subframe coupled to the power source not supported by the subframe. In some embodiments, the pivot axis resides between the power source and the transaxle assembly. In some embodiments, the drive wheel can be driven by an electric motor supported by the subframe and the power source can be a battery.

First claim

1 . A mower comprising:
a frame; front wheels; rear wheels coupled to a hydrostatic transaxle; a mower deck where at least a portion of the mower deck is at least partially positioned between the front wheels and the rear wheels; an engine coupled to the frame, the engine having a drive shaft; a drive pulley coupled to the drive shaft; a driven pulley coupled to the hydrostatic transaxle; a belt coupling the drive pulley and the driven pulley; at least one motion absorbing suspension component at least partially coupling the frame with at least one of the rear wheels; wherein the hydrostatic transaxle pivots relative to the frame; and wherein the driven pulley rotates and wherein the driven pulley pivots relative to the drive pulley.

2 . The mower of claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic transaxle comprises two hydrostatic transaxles, one hydrostatic transaxle being associated with one of the rear wheels, the other hydrostatic transaxle being associated with the other rear wheel.

3 . The mower of claim 2 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles do not pivot relative to each other.

4 . The mower of claim 2 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles are independently suspended separately from each other.

5 . The mower of claim 1 , wherein the mower is at least one of a ZTR mower and a riding mower.

6 . The mower of claim 1 , wherein the at least one motion absorbing suspension component is at least one of a spring and a shock absorber.

7 . The mower of claim 1 , further comprising a subframe, wherein the at least one motion absorbing suspension component partially couples the frame with the hydrostatic transaxle by the subframe.

8 . A mower comprising:
a frame; front wheels; rear wheels; a mower deck wherein at least a portion of the mower deck is at least partially positioned between the front wheels and the rear wheels; an engine coupled to the frame, the engine having a drive shaft; a drive pulley attached to the drive shaft; at least one transmission configured and arranged to drive the rear wheels; a driven pulley coupled to the at least one transmission; a belt coupling the drive pulley and the driven pulley; at least one motion absorbing suspension component at least partially coupling the frame with at least one rear wheel; wherein the at least one transmission pivots relative to the frame; and wherein the driven pulley rotates and wherein the driven pulley pivots relative to the drive pulley.

9 . The mower of claim 8 , further comprising two hydrostatic transaxles, one hydrostatic transaxle being associated with one of the rear wheels, the other hydrostatic transaxle being associated with the other rear wheel.

10 . The mower of claim 9 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles do not pivot relative to each other.

11 . The mower of claim 9 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles are independently suspended separately from each other.

12 . The mower of claim 8 , wherein the mower is at least one of a ZTR mower and a riding mower.

13 . The mower of claim 8 , wherein the at least one motion absorbing suspension component is at least one of a spring and a shock absorber.

14 . The mower comprising:
a frame; front wheels; rear wheels; a mower deck wherein at least a portion of the mower deck is at least partially positioned between the front wheels and the rear wheels; an engine coupled to the frame, the engine having a drive shaft; a drive pulley coupled to the drive shaft; at least one transmission configured and arranged to drive the rear wheels; a driven pulley coupled to the at least one transmission; a belt coupled to the drive pulley and the driven pulley; at least one motion absorbing suspension component at least partially coupling the frame with at least one transmission; wherein the at least one transmission moves relative to the frame; and wherein the driven pulley rotates and wherein the driven pulley pivots relative to the drive pulley.

15 . The mower of claim 14 , further comprising two hydrostatic transaxles, one hydrostatic transaxle being associated with one of the rear wheels, the other hydrostatic transaxle being associated with the other rear wheel.

16 . The mower of claim 15 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles do not pivot relative to each other.

17 . A mower of claim 15 , wherein the two hydrostatic transaxles are independently suspended separately from each other.

18 . A mower of claim 14 , wherein the mower is at least one of a ZTR mower and a riding mower.

19 . A mower of claim 14 , wherein the at least one motion absorbing suspension component is at least one of a spring and a shock absorber.

20 . A mower of claim 14 , further comprising a subframe, wherein the at least one motion absorbing suspension component partially couples the frame with the hydrostatic transaxle by the subframe.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Corp

Inventors

• Melone Mark J
• Marshall James F
• Smith Richard
• Lynch Mark
• Rasch Travis
• Slegelis Erik
• Weber Steven J
• Oswald Denis

Classifications

• A01D34/001

  Accessories not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60K1/00

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• A01D67/00

  Undercarriages or frames specially adapted for harvesters or mowers (coupling arrangements between animal or tractor and harvester or mower A01B59/00); Mechanisms for adjusting the frame (adjusting devices for the cutter-bar A01D34/28); Platforms · CPC title

• A01D69/02

  electric · 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