Grass collector preventing clippings discharged to the outside

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706710-B2
Application number	US-201514633587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A grass collector is provided with a grass collector body which includes a storage space for storing grass clippings formed inside the grass collector body and a communication air passage having a first end connected to a rear part of the storage space to allow the storage space and the outside to communicate with each other; a duct which has a first end connected to a front part of the grass collector body and guides grass clippings to the grass collector body; and a dustproof net provided in the communication air passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grass collector comprising:
a grass collector body comprising:
a storage body defining a storage space for storing grass clippings formed inside the grass collector body;
at least a part of a side face of the grass collector body being formed in a net-like form comprising a mesh allowing passage of air; and
a communication air passage having a front end rearwardly spaced from a front side of the storage body;
the communication air passage comprising:
an open first end positioned in a rear part of the storage space of the storage body to allow the storage space and an outside to communicate with each other; and
an open second end downstream of the open first end, the open second end being in communication with the outside;

the communication air passage being delimited by at least one air-guiding surface extending continuously from the open first end to the open second end;
a dustproof net comprising a mesh provided in the communication air passage;

a duct extending rearwardly to an inlet of a forward-facing surface of a front part of the grass collector body to thereby direct grass clippings through a first end of the duct into the grass collector body beneath the dustproof net;
a blocking plate disposed inside the storage space with a blocking surface facing the first end of the duct and entirely spaced rearwardly from the front side of the storage body; and
a front end of the net being rearward of the first end of the duct.

2. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the mesh of the dustproof net comprises holes larger than mesh of at least the part of the side face of the grass collector body.

3. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dustproof net is provided on the first end of the communication air passage.

4. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the communication air passage is open downward, and
the dustproof net covers the first end of the communication air passage.

5. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a guide air passage having a first end connected to the second end of the communication air passage and a second end open to the outside at a position lower than the second end of the communication air passage.

6. The grass collector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second end of the guide air passage is disposed near a bottom part of the grass collector body.

7. The grass collector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second end of the guide air passage is open downward.

8. The grass collector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the guide air passage is formed in a net-like form comprising a mesh allowing passage of air.

9. The grass collector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the guide air passage extends in an up-down direction along a rear side face of the grass collector body.

10. The grass collector as claimed in claim 9 , wherein
the rear side face of the grass collector body and the guide air passage are formed in a net-like form comprising mesh allowing passage of air, and
holes of the mesh of the dustproof net is larger than holes of the mesh of the rear side face of the grass collector body and holes of the mesh of the guide air passage.

11. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the communication air passage is disposed above the rear part of the storage space and the second end of the communication air passage is disposed on the rear side with respect to the storage space.

12. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a guide air passage extending in an up-down direction along a rear side face of the grass collector body, the guide air passage having a first end connected to the second end of the communication air passage and a second end disposed near a bottom part of the grass collector body, the second end of the guide air passage being open downward.

13. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second end of the communication air passage is divided into a plurality of parts.

14. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking plate is disposed on the front side with respect to the first end of the communication air passage.

15. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an upper part of the blocking plate is coupled to an upper face of the grass collector body and a lower part of the blocking plate extends downward.

16. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking plate is swingable in a front-rear direction.

17. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking plate has flexibility.

18. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking plate is formed in a curved shape.

19. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a right-left width of the blocking plate is larger than a right-left width of the first end of the duct.

20. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an upper part of the blocking plate extends downwardly, and is suspended from, a top cover of the grass collector body.

21. The grass collector as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a grass-cutting mower, wherein a front end of the duct of the grass collector is connected to communicate with the a rear part of the mower, and wherein the grass-cutting mower is configured to generate carrier air to convey grass clippings from the mower through the duct and into the grass collector body.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk
• Kubota Korporation

Inventors

• Shoji Yusuke

Classifications

• A01D43/063 Primary

  in or into a container carried by the mower; Containers therefor (A01D43/077 takes precedence) · CPC title