Riding mower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9357695-B2
Application number	US-201514640472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A riding mower is provided with a mower assembly supported on a vehicle body frame between front wheels and rear wheels. A steering assembly is configured to be operated by a driver. A driver seat is supported on the vehicle body frame. A floor panel extends from an area including the driver seat toward the front. The floor panel is provided with a main panel located in front of the driver seat, as well as left and right footrests extending further forward from the main panel. A recessed portion is formed on at least one side edge of the floor panel and includes a side edge dropoff point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A riding mower comprising:
a mower assembly supported on a vehicle body frame between pairs of left and right rear wheels and front wheels;
a steering assembly configured for operation by a driver;
a driver seat; and
a floor panel provided on the vehicle body frame and extending frontward from an area that includes the driver seat;
said floor panel comprising:
a main panel section located in front of the driver seat; and
left and right footrest sections each extending further frontward from the main panel section; and

a recessed portion arranged on at least one side edge of the floor panel, the recessed portion including a side edge dropoff point that, in a top view, defines a shortest distance to a an imaginary front-back direction centerline of the vehicle body in comparison to at least one of front and back ends of the at least one side edge of the floor panel.

2. The riding mower according to claim 1 , wherein the steering assembly comprises a steering post that supports a steering wheel in front of the driver seat, and a steering post cover that covers the steering post, and
wherein:
a portion of the main panel section extends from the area including the driver seat to an area including the steering post cover,
the left footrest section extends frontward and along a left side of the steering post cover, and
the right footrest section extends frontward and along a right side of the steering post cover.

3. The riding mower according to claim 1 , wherein an outer end of the front left wheel juts further outward than an outer front end of the left footrest section, and an outer end of the front right wheel juts further outward than an outer front end of the right footrest section.

4. The riding mower according to claim 1 , wherein, in top view, a distance between front ends of the left and the right footrest sections is greater than a distance between outer ends of the front left and right wheels.

5. The riding mower according to claim 4 , further comprising a gap arranged between one of the front ends of the left and the right footrest sections and one of the outer ends of the front left and right wheels.

6. The riding mower according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
a front end of the left footrest section, the left side of a steering post cover, and the front left wheel define an open space which resembles a quadrangular shape in top view, and
a front end of the right footrest section, the right side of the steering post cover, and the front right wheel define an open space which resembles a quadrangular shape in top view.

7. The riding mower according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one side edge comprises a contour that widens or inclines outwardly, by a first amount, from the side edge dropoff point toward the front and widens or inclines outwardly, by a second amount, from the side edge dropoff point toward the back, and the first amount is greater than the second amount.

8. The riding mower according to claim 1 , further comprising an angle formed between:
a horizontal ground plane; and
a straight line connecting a seat center point and a point on the side edge dropoff point,
wherein said angle is between 25° and 45°,
wherein the seat center point is defined by an intersection of:
a border line between a seat cushion and a seat back of the driver seat; and
\the imaginary front-back direction centerline of the vehicle body.

9. A riding mower comprising:
a mower assembly supported on a vehicle body frame between pairs of left and right rear wheels and front wheels;
a steering assembly configured for operation by a driver;
a driver seat arranged on the vehicle body frame; and
a floor panel provided on the vehicle body frame extending frontward from an area including the driver seat;
said floor panel comprising:
a main panel located in front of the driver seat; and
at least one footrest extending further frontward from the main panel, and

a recessed portion arranged on at least one side of the floor panel,
wherein the recessed portion includes a side edge dropoff point that, in a top view, defines a shortest distance to an imaginary front-back direction centerline of the vehicle body in comparison to at least one of front and back ends of the at least one side of the floor panel.

10. The riding mower according to claim 9 , wherein the steering assembly comprises a steering post that supports a steering wheel in front of the driver seat, and a steering post cover that covers the steering post, and
wherein:
a portion of the floor panel extends from the area including the driver seat to an area including the steering post cover, and
the at least one footrest is a left footrest arranged on a left side of the steering post cover.

11. The riding mower according to claim 10 , further comprising a right footrest arranged on a right side of the steering post cover.

12. The riding mower according to claim 11 , wherein an outer end of the front left wheel juts further outward than an outer front end of the left footrest, and an outer end of the front right wheel juts further outward than an outer front end of the right footrest.

13. The riding mower according to claim 12 , wherein a distance between the front ends of the left and right footrests and the outer front ends of the front left and right wheels define a gap when viewed in top view.

14. The riding mower according to claim 11 , wherein:
the front end of the left footrest, the left side of the steering post cover, and the front left wheel define a space in top view which resembles a quadrangular shape in top view; and
the front end of the right footrest section, the right side of the steering post cover, and the front right wheel define a space which resembles a quadrangular shape in top view.

15. The riding mower according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one side comprises a contour that widens or inclines outwardly, by a first amount, from the side edge dropoff point toward the front and widens or inclines outwardly, by a second amount, from the side edge dropoff point toward the back, and the first amount is greater than the second amount.

16. The riding mower according to claim 9 , further comprising an angle formed between:
a horizontal ground plane; and
a straight line connecting a seat center point and a point on the side edge dropoff point,
wherein said angle is between 25° and 45°,
wherein the seat center point is defined by an intersection of:
a border line between a seat cushion and a seat back of the driver seat; and
\the imaginary front-back direction centerline of the vehicle body.

17. A riding mower comprising:
a mower assembly supported on a vehicle body frame between pairs of left and right rear wheels and front wheels;
a steering assembly;
a driver seat; and
a floor panel arranged on the vehicle body frame and comprising:
left and right sections defining rear fenders;
a main panel section located in front of the driver seat; and
left and right footrest sections which incline upwards; and
at least one of:
a left side recessed portion that aids driver visibility of a left side of the mower assembly when a driver is seated on the driver seat; and
a right side recessed portion that aids driver visibility of a right side of the mower assembly when a driver is seated on the driver seat.

18. The riding mower according to claim 17 , wherein the floor panel is a one piece member and comprises both the left side recessed portion and the right side recessed portion.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Higashikawa Yoshitaka

Classifications

• A01D34/66

  with two or more cutters · CPC title

• A01D34/64 Primary

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

• A01D34/001 Primary

  Accessories not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A01D34/00

  Mowers (combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D37/00 - A01D41/00, A01D43/00; convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing or capable of performing operations other than mowing A01D42/00); Mowing apparatus of harvesters · CPC title

• A01D34/82

  Other details · CPC title