Quick-change blade cover assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723782-B2
Application number	US-201314908238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A lawn care device may include a cutting deck housing at least one blade, a rotatable shaft, and a blade mount operably coupled to the rotatable shaft. The blade mount may include a clasp to secure the at least one blade within an engagement slot of the blade mount. The cover assembly may form a cavity with at least one sidewall extending substantially around a periphery of the blade mount.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A lawn care device comprising:
a cutting deck housing at least one blade;
a rotatable shaft;
a blade mount operably coupled to the rotatable shaft, the blade mount comprising a clasp to secure the at least one blade within an engagement slot of the blade mount; and
a cover assembly forming a cavity with at least one sidewall extending substantially around a periphery of the blade mount,
wherein the cover assembly comprises a cover base and a cover top that form the cavity and receive the blade mount therein,
wherein the cover top is configured to pivot relative to the cover base between an open position and a closed position and, in the closed position, engage the cover base via a latch assembly,
wherein the latch assembly is disposed proximate to a periphery of the cover assembly at an opposite side of the cover assembly relative to a pivot assembly about which the cover top pivots relative to the cover base, and
wherein the pivot assembly comprises a first bracket supporting a pivot hook, wherein the latch assembly is supported by a second bracket, and wherein the first and second brackets combine to hold the blade mount within the cover base.

2. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the cover top and cover base combine to house the blade mount entirely therein.

3. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly is operable without tools.

4. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a snap buckle.

5. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein a protective side wall extends around the periphery of the cover assembly proximate to the latch assembly to shield the latch assembly.

6. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the blade mount is snap fitted into the cover base.

7. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a threaded fastener engaging the cover top to the cover base.

8. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a rotatable cap that selectively engages or disengages a locking head that extends from the cover base through a slot in the rotatable cap.

9. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a rotatable cap that snaps into a recess in the cover top and rotates a slot in the rotatable cap in or out of alignment with a receiving slot disposed in the cover top to selectively engage or disengage a locking head that extends from the cover base.

10. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a locking head disposed to extend from the second s-bracket that at least in part secures the blade mount to the cover base through the cover top to be selectively engaged by a rotatable cap.

11. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a first protrusion comprising a first head and a second protrusion comprising a second head, the first and second protrusions extending substantially parallel to each other such that, responsive to closing the top cover relative to the cover base, the first and second heads engage respective ramp portions exerting a biasing force on the first and second heads until the heads pass through a receiving orifice where the biasing force is released as the first and second heads engage respective receiving slots.

12. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a first protrusion comprising a first head and a second protrusion comprising having a second head, the first and second protrusions extending substantially parallel to each other away from the cover base to engage respective receiving slots on the cover top to lock the cover assembly in the closed position, and wherein the first and second heads are pressed toward each other to unlatch the latch assembly.

13. The lawn care device of claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a first protrusion comprising a first head and a second protrusion comprising a second head, the first and second protrusions extending substantially parallel to each other away from a bracket that at least in part secures the blade mount to the cover base to engage the cover top to lock the cover assembly in the closed position.

14. A lawn care device comprising:
a cutting deck housing at least one blade;
a rotatable shaft;
a blade mount operably coupled to the rotatable shaft, the blade mount comprising a clasp to secure the at least one blade within an engagement slot of the blade mount; and
a cover assembly comprising a cover top and a cover base, the cover assembly forming a cavity with at least one sidewall extending substantially around a periphery of the blade mount,
wherein the cover top defines a blade channel comprising a longitudinal length that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal length of a blade mount reception channel of the cover base, in which the blade mount is retained.

15. A cover assembly for housing a blade mount configured to couple a blade to a rotatable shaft, the blade mount comprising a clasp to secure the at least one blade within an engagement slot of the blade mount, the cover assembly comprising a sidewall extending around a periphery of the cover assembly to form a cavity in which the blade mount is provided, the sidewall extending substantially around a periphery of the blade mount,
wherein the cover assembly further comprises a cover base proximate to the shaft, and a cover top,
wherein the cover top is configured to pivot relative to the cover base between an open position and a closed position and, in the closed position, engage the cover base via a latch assembly,
wherein the latch assembly is disposed proximate to a periphery of the cover assembly at an opposite side of the cover assembly relative to a pivot assembly about which the cover top pivots relative to the cover base, and
wherein the pivot assembly comprises a first bracket supporting a pivot hook, wherein the latch assembly is supported by a second bracket, and wherein the first and second brackets combine to hold the blade mount within the cover base.

16. The cover assembly of claim 15 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a rotatable cap that selectively engages or disengages a locking head that extends from the cover base through a slot in the rotatable cap.

17. The cover assembly of claim 15 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a rotatable cap that snaps into a recess in the cover top and rotates a slot in the rotatable cap in or out of alignment with a receiving slot disposed in the cover top to selectively engage or disengage a locking head that extends from the cover base.

18. The cover assembly of claim 15 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a locking head disposed to extend from a bracket that at least in part secures the blade mount to the cover base through the cover top to be selectively engaged by a rotatable cap.

19. The cover assembly of claim 15 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a first protrusion comprising a first head and a second protrusion comprising a second head, the first and second protrusions extending substantially parallel to each other away from a bracket that at least in part secures the blade mount to the cover base to engage the cover top to lock the cover assembly in the closed position.

20. The cover assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cover top defines a blade channel comprising a longitudinal length that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal length of a blade mount reception channel of the cover base, in which the blade mount is retained.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Roth Chris
• Tse Eric
• Chandler Darren

Classifications

• A01D34/81 Primary

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

• A01D34/82

  Other details · CPC title

• A01D34/733 Primary

  Cutting-blade mounting means · CPC title