Handle height adjuster for walk behind mower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9439352-B2
Application number	US-201514611759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2015
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A lawn mower may include a blade housing configured to house at least one blade, an engine supported at least in part by the blade housing to selectively rotate the at least one blade, a handle assembly comprising at least one handle member for guiding operation of the lawn mower by an operator walking substantially behind the lawn mower, and a handle height adjustment assembly. The handle height adjustment assembly enables the handle member to be fixed in at least a first operating position or a second operating position each of which defines different handle heights for the handle member responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in a locked state, and enables the handle member to be rotated between the first operating position, the second operating position, and a folded position responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in an unlocked state.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A lawn mower comprising:
a blade housing configured to house at least one blade;
an engine supported at least in part by the blade housing to selectively rotate the at least one blade;
a handle assembly comprising at least one handle member for guiding operation of the lawn mower by an operator walking substantially behind the lawn mower;
a handle height adjustment assembly enabling the at least one handle member to be fixed in at least a first operating position or a second operating position each defining different handle heights for the at least one handle member responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in a locked state, and enabling the at least one handle member to be rotated between the first operating position, the second operating position, and a folded position responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in an unlocked state; and
a handle bracket corresponding to the at least one handle member, the handle bracket being operably coupled to the blade housing, wherein the handle height adjustment assembly comprises a knob releasably engaged with a fastening element at the handle bracket to alternately shift the handle height adjustment assembly between the locked and unlocked states based on a position of the fastening element,
wherein the fastening element is movable within a locking slot provided in the handle bracket responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in the unlocked state, and
wherein a proximal end of the at least one handle member comprises a first engagement slot and a second engagement slot, the fastening element being insertable into the first engagement slot to be locked in the first operating position, and being insertable into the second engagement slot to be locked in the second operating position.

2. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the locking slot extends substantially in-line with a direction of extension of the at least one handle member when the at least one handle member is in either the first operating position or the second operating position.

3. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the fastening element is biased toward the unlocked state when the knob is loosened.

4. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the locking slot is provided such that the fastening element is at a lower elevation relative to a surface on which the lawn mower operates in the unlocked state and a higher elevation in the locked state.

5. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the at least one handle member pivots about a pivot point located at the handle bracket to which the at least one handle member is operably coupled.

6. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of the at least one handle member comprises a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom, the protrusions defining the first engagement slot corresponding to the first operating position and the second engagement slot corresponding to the second engagement position.

7. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the knob is rotatable about a first axis to shift between the locked state and the unlocked state, the knob being movable linearly in a direction perpendicular to the first axis to alternately enable and prevent rotation of the at least one handle member about a second axis that extends substantially parallel to the first axis, the at least one handle member rotating about the second axis to shift between the first and second operating positions and the folded position.

8. The lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the fastening element is configured to, in the unlocked state, move within the locking slot and relative to both the handle member and the handle bracket.

9. A handle height adjustment assembly for adjusting a height of at least one handle member of a walk-behind outdoor power equipment device, the handle height adjustment assembly comprising:
a knob assembly movable along a first axis to shift between a locked state and an unlocked state, the knob assembly being movable linearly in a direction perpendicular to the first axis to alternately enable and prevent rotation of the at least one handle member about a second axis that extends substantially parallel to the first axis, the at least one handle member rotating about the second axis to shift between a first operating position, a second operating position, and a folded position in the unlocked state, and
a handle bracket corresponding to the at least one handle member, the handle bracket being operably coupled to a blade housing of the device, wherein the knob assembly comprises a knob releasably engaged with a fastening element to alternately shift the knob assembly between the locked and unlocked states based on a position of the fastening element,
wherein the handle height adjustment assembly is configured to enable the at least one handle member to be fixed in at least the first operating position or the second operating position responsive to the knob assembly being in the locked state, each operating position defining different handle heights for the at least one handle member,
wherein the handle height adjustment assembly is configured to enable the at least one handle member to be rotated between the first operating position, the second operating position, and the folded position responsive to the handle height adjustment assembly being in the unlocked state,
wherein the fastening element is movable within a locking slot provided in the handle bracket responsive to the handle knob assembly being in the unlocked state, and
wherein a proximal end of the at least one handle member comprises a first engagement slot and a second engagement slot, the fastening element being insertable into the first engagement slot to be locked in the first operating position, and being insertable into the second engagement slot to be locked in the second operating position.

10. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the locking slot extends substantially in-line with a direction of extension of the at least one handle member when the at least one handle member is in either the first operating position or the second operating position.

11. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fastening element is biased toward the unlocked state when the knob is loosened.

12. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the locking slot is provided such that the fastening element is at a lower elevation relative to a surface on which the device operates in the unlocked state and a higher elevation in the locked state.

13. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one handle member pivots about a pivot point located at the handle bracket to which the at least one handle member is operably coupled.

14. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein a proximal end of the at least one handle member comprises a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom, the protrusions defining a first engagement slot corresponding to the first operating position and a second engagement slot corresponding to the second engagement position.

15. The handle height adjustment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fastening element is configured to, in the unlocked state, move within the locking slot and relative to both the handle member and the handle bracket.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Arvidsson Mikael

Classifications

• A01D34/824 Primary

  Handle arrangements · CPC title

• A01D34/67

  hand-guided by a walking operator · CPC title

• A01D34/68

  with motor driven cutters or wheels · CPC title