High-efficiency cutting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017367257-A1
Application number	US-201715633563-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 24, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A high-efficiency cutting system for an autonomous mower provides a multiple blade tip cutting radius for a cleaner cut, and more complete mow. The system includes a spinning blade disk provided within a housing including a vertical standoff. The blade disk includes a first pair of cutting blades located between the center of the blade disk and the circumference of the blade disk, and a second pair of cutting blades located radially inward from the first pair of cutting blades. The cutting blades extend downward and away from the blade disk at an angle.

First claim

1 . A cutting system for an autonomous mower comprising:
a housing having an outer circumference including at least one vertical standoff, and an open lower portion; at least one rotating blade disk, provided within the housing and having a central portion, a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral edge; a first pair of cutting blades pivotably secured to the bottom side of the blade disk between the central portion of the blade disk and the blade disk peripheral edge, and extending away from the blade disk at an angle; and a second pair of cutting blades pivotably secured to the bottom side of the blade disk radially inward and offset from the first pair of cutting blades, and extending away from the blade disk at an angle.

2 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vertical standoff comprises a selectively thickened area of at least a portion of the outer circumference of the housing, and wherein the vertical standoff is configured to align with at least one standoff located on an inner surface of a body of the autonomous mower.

3 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the blade disk bottom side comprises a plurality of concentric raised areas connected by curved portions.

4 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 3 , wherein the curved portions extend vertically above the central portion and the peripheral edge extends vertically below the concentric raised areas.

5 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the housing outer circumference substantially surrounds the blade disk peripheral edge at a distance of between about 2 millimeters to 8 millimeters.

6 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the housing outer circumference and/or the blade disk peripheral edge include projections that span the distance there between.

7 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , the blade disk comprises a plurality of projections extending from the top side of the blade disk.

8 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of cutting blades are mounted at about 180 degrees relative to each other.

9 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the second pair of cutting blades are mounted at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to each other.

10 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of cutting blades and the second pair of cutting blades are mounted at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to each other.

11 . A cutting system for an autonomous mower comprising:
a housing having an outer circumference, wherein the outer circumference includes at least one vertical standoff; at least one rotating blade disk, provided within the housing and having a central portion, a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral edge, wherein the blade disk bottom side comprises a plurality of concentric raised areas connected by curved portions extending vertically above the central portion, and wherein the peripheral edge extends vertically below the concentric raised areas; a first pair of cutting blades pivotably secured to the bottom side of the blade disk and extending away from the blade disk at an angle; and a second pair of cutting blades pivotably secured to the bottom side of the blade extending away from the blade disk at an angle.

12 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the outer circumference of the housing comprises a thickened area forming a vertical standoff, and wherein the vertical standoff is configured to align with at least one standoff located on an inner surface of a body of the autonomous mower.

13 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein the housing outer circumference substantially surrounds the blade disk peripheral edge at a distance of between about 2 millimeters to 8 millimeters.

14 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein the first pair of cutting blades and/or the second pair of cutting blades extend downward away from the blade disk bottom side at an angle of about 5 degrees to 45 degrees relative to horizontal.

15 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein the first and second pairs of cutting blades extend downward away from the blade disk bottom side at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to horizontal.

16 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein the first and second pairs of cutting blades extend away from the blade disk bottom side at different downward angles.

17 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , comprising:
a guard mounted to the housing and adapted to prevent access to the first and the second pairs of cutting blades, wherein the guard is positioned below and adjacent to at least a portion of the bottom side of the blade disk.

18 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 17 , wherein the vertical standoff is located in proximity to the guard.

19 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 17 , wherein the guard comprises a plurality of spaced parallel structures configured to prevent intrusion of a digit there between.

20 . The cutting system for an autonomous mower of claim 11 , wherein the blade disk is mechanically coupled to a motor and arranged to provide a blade tip speed of up to about 96 meters per second.

Assignees

• Mtd Products Inc

Inventors

• Cmich Ryan
• Ference Adam

Classifications

• A01D34/73 Primary

  Cutting apparatus · CPC title

• A01D34/736

  Flail type · CPC title

• A01D34/81

  Casings; Housings (A01D34/71 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D34/661

  Mounting means · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title