Lawn-care apparatus with an accessible battery compartment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9711767-B2
Application number	US-201313782685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2013
Priority date	Mar 7, 2012
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A lawn-care apparatus includes a battery-compartment having an access opening and a roof section. The roof section is configured to provide cover to the battery-compartment. A battery may be inserted into the battery-compartment through the access opening without displacing the roof section.

First claim

the invention claimed is:

1. A lawn-care apparatus, comprising:
a deck section; and
a battery-compartment accessible from above the deck section and including:
electrical contacts configured to engage with a battery, and
a roof section configured to substantially prevent precipitation from entering the battery-compartment and reaching the electrical contacts without obstructing an access opening to the battery compartment, such that the battery can be inserted into or ejected from the battery-compartment through the access opening without displacing the roof section.

2. The lawn-care apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the battery-compartment is upwardly-inclined with respect to a horizontal operating plane of the apparatus, and away from the access opening.

3. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the access opening is forward-facing with respect to an operating direction of the apparatus.

4. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the battery-compartment is located towards a front of the apparatus, with respect to the operating direction of the apparatus.

5. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a removable battery configured to be removably engaged with the battery-compartment.

6. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 5 , further comprising:
at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel aligned with a direction of operation of the apparatus, wherein the removable battery has a center of mass located no further than 150 mm behind a rotational axis of the at least one front wheel with respect to the direction of operation of the apparatus, when the removable battery is engaged with the battery-compartment.

7. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the center of mass is located no further than 50 mm behind the rotational axis of the at least one front wheel.

8. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a battery-engaging latch configured to engage with, and retain, a removable battery when the removable battery is inserted in the battery-compartment.

9. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the battery-engaging latch has a release lever configured to disengage the battery-engaging latch from the removable battery when the removable battery is inserted into the battery-compartment.

10. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the battery-compartment is inclined at an angle greater than 5° from the horizontal operating plane.

11. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a battery engaging latch, wherein the lawn-care apparatus assembly is configured such that a removable battery inserted into the battery-compartment is automatically ejected under gravity from the battery-compartment upon release of the battery-engaging latch.

12. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the lawn-care apparatus is a ground-supported vegetation cutter.

13. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the access opening further comprises a hinged cover configured to be pivoted between an open position whereat a removable battery can be inserted into and removed from the battery-compartment and a closed position whereat the removable battery cannot be inserted into or removed from the battery-compartment.

14. The lawn-care apparatus assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the deck section includes the battery-compartment, wherein the access opening is accessible from above the deck section.

15. A lawn-care apparatus, comprising:
a deck section; and
a battery-compartment including:
electrical contacts configured to engage with a battery, and
a roof section configured to substantially prevent precipitation from entering the battery-compartment and reaching the electrical contacts without obstructing an access opening to the battery compartment, such that the battery can be inserted into or ejected from the battery-compartment through the access opening from the deck section without displacing the roof section.

16. The lawn-care apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein:
the battery-compartment is upwardly-inclined with respect to a horizontal operating plane of the apparatus, and away from the access opening.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Juenger Dennis
• Ling Matthew
• Armstrong Gavin Ben
• Price Mathew

Classifications

• A01D69/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• H01M2/1083 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• A01D34/001

  Accessories not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title