Straw bag releasing and dumping structure for riding type mower

Abstract

A riding lawn care vehicle (10) may include an engine (50) for selectively powering the riding lawn care vehicle (10) and rotating a cutting blade within a cutting plate (40); a pouch attachment (12, 100) operably coupled to the riding lawn care vehicle (10) to collect debris or debris discharged from the cutting plate (40) in response to rotation of the cutting blade, where the pouch attachment (12, 100) is pivotable in an unlocked state to empty its contents; a locking assembly (120) preventing pivoting of the bag attachment (12, 100) in a locked state and enabling pivoting of the bag attachment (12, 100) in an unlocked state; an unlocking lever (150) operably coupled to the locking assembly (120) via a coupling assembly to transition the locking assembly (120) between a locked state and an unlocked state; and a biasing assembly operably coupled to the locking assembly (120) to bias the locking assembly (120) toward the locked state. The coupling assembly is configured to facilitate overcoming the biasing assembly to transition to the unlocked state in response to operation of an unlocking lever (150).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments generally relate to outdoor power equipment, and more specifically to a ride-on lawnmower with a bag release and dumping structure that reduces the effort required to empty the bag. Background Technology

[0002] Lawn care tasks are typically performed using different tools and / or machines configured to perform specific tasks. Some tasks, such as mowing, are usually done by lawnmowers. Lawnmowers themselves can come in many different configurations to support consumer needs and budgets. Push mowers are generally compact, have relatively small engines, and are relatively inexpensive. On the other hand, ride-on mowers (such as lawn tractors) can be quite large. Ride-on mowers are sometimes also equipped with various functional accessories in addition to the mowing component (e.g., trailers, grass catchers, tillers, etc.). Ride-on mowers offer the convenience of a ride-on vehicle and typically provide a larger cutting board compared to push mowers.

[0003] When a ride-on lawnmower is equipped with a bag or grass catcher, cutting is typically interrupted when the operator intends to empty the bag. In the past, emptying the bag required the operator to tip it using a lever. Since tipping was a two-part activity (until and tip), this could be difficult and require considerable effort from the operator.

[0004] Therefore, what is needed is a structure that reduces the effort required to empty the straw bags, and more specifically, reduces the effort required to perform the dumping, while ensuring that the straw bags are unlocked and ready to be dumped. Exemplary implementations are intended to provide this improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments may provide a rideable lawn care vehicle that may include: an engine for selectively powering the rideable lawn care vehicle and rotating a cutting blade within a cutting plate; a bag attachment operatively coupled to the rideable lawn care vehicle to collect debris or fragments discharged from the cutting plate in response to the rotation of the cutting blade, wherein the bag attachment is pivotable in an unlocked state to empty its contents; a locking assembly that prevents the bag attachment from pivoting in a locked state and allows the bag attachment to pivot in an unlocked state; an unlocking lever operatively coupled via a coupling assembly to switch the locking assembly between a locked state and an unlocked state; and a biasing assembly operatively coupled to the locking assembly to bias the locking assembly toward the locked state. The coupling assembly is configured to facilitate overcoming the biasing assembly in response to operation of the unlocking lever, thereby switching to the unlocked state.

[0006] In another exemplary embodiment, a coupling assembly may be provided for coupling an unlocking lever to a locking assembly of a bag attachment on a ride-on lawnmower. The bag attachment is pivotable in the unlocked state to empty its contents, and the locking assembly prevents the bag attachment from pivoting in the locked state. The unlocking lever can transition the locking assembly between a locked and unlocked state in response to repositioning of the locking assembly. The coupling assembly may include a crank that receives a motion input from the unlocking lever and transmits an output motion to the locking assembly against a bias provided by a biasing assembly operably coupled to the locking assembly to transition the locking assembly to the unlocked state. The crank can facilitate overcoming the biasing assembly, thereby transitioning to the unlocked state, in response to operation of the unlocking lever. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The invention has thus been described in general terms, and reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which: Figure 1 A side view of a rideable lawn care vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment is shown; Figure 2 A functional block diagram of components associated with unlocking and emptying a bag accessory in an exemplary embodiment is shown; Figure 3 A perspective view of an unlocking lever according to an exemplary embodiment is shown; Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C The process of a dumping bag attachment according to an exemplary embodiment is shown; Figure 5A and Figure 5B A separate perspective view of a component associated with unlocking a bag attachment using a flexible coupling assembly, according to an exemplary embodiment, is shown. Figure 6 A perspective view of an unlocking lever according to another exemplary embodiment is shown; Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C The process of the dumping bag attachment of an exemplary embodiment is shown; and Figure 8A and Figure 8B A separate perspective view of a component associated with unlocking a bag attachment using a rigid connection assembly, according to an exemplary embodiment, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0008] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some, but not all, of the exemplary embodiments. In fact, the examples described and depicted herein should not be construed as limiting the scope, applicability, or configuration of this disclosure. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided to enable this disclosure to meet applicable legal requirements. The same reference numerals always denote the same elements. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein will be interpreted as a logical operator that results in a truth value if one or more of its operands are true. Additionally, the term “lawn care” refers to any yard maintenance activity and is not necessarily applied specifically to activities directly related to grass, turf, or turf care. As used herein, operatively connected is to be understood to refer to a direct or indirect connection, in any case where such connection enables operatively connected components to be functionally interconnected.

[0009] Tilting a bag or catcher on a ride-on lawnmower typically requires the operator to simultaneously overcome a spring-loaded force that biases the hook that locks the bag into contact with the rear of the mower, while also tilting the bag itself. This dual effort, which must be performed simultaneously, can be difficult for some operators, especially while remaining seated. The hook that typically holds the bag in contact with the rear of the mower must hold it firmly in place to prevent leakage when the ride-on mower traverses rough terrain. If it is not secured tightly enough, preventing a clicking sound or even the bag falling off is also a problem. Therefore, the spring load applied to the hook to bias it toward the locked position tends to be quite high. Consequently, the operator must maintain sufficient force on the release lever used to unlock the hook from the bag to overcome the spring load, while also applying sufficient force to the bag to tilt it for tilting. An exemplary embodiment provides an improved locking assembly that reduces the effort required to unlock the bag, making tilting and tilting easier.

[0010] Figure 1 An exemplary lawn care device in the form of a ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 with a bagging attachment 12 is shown. This bagging attachment may be referred to as a grass bag or grass collector. The ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may include an operation panel 14 that displays operational information about the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 and includes various controls, instruments, switches, lights, displays, etc. As shown and described herein, the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may be a ride-on lawnmower (e.g., a lawn tractor, a front-mounted ride-on lawnmower, a ride-on lawnmower with a zero or near-zero turning radius, a cross mower, an upright ride-on lawnmower, etc.). However, the exemplary embodiment may also be used, or alternatively, for other outdoor powered equipment for collecting grass or debris.

[0011] The ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may include a steering assembly 20 (e.g., including a steering wheel, handlebars, or other steering device) functionally connected to the wheels of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10. Steering input is provided to the wheels (e.g., the front and / or rear wheels in various different embodiments) to allow the operator to steer the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10. In some embodiments, the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may include a seat 30, which may be located at the center, rear, or front of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10. The operator may sit on the seat 30, which may be arranged behind the steering assembly 20 to provide input for steering the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 via the steering assembly 20. The seat 30 may also be located in front of the bag accessory 12.

[0012] The ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may also include a cutting plate 40 having at least one cutting blade mounted therein, or an attachment configured to support the cutting plate. In some cases, the operator of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 can adjust the height of at least one cutting blade. In various different embodiments, the cutting plate 40 may be a fixed or removable attachment. Furthermore, in various alternative embodiments, the position of the cutting plate 40 may vary. For example, in some cases, the cutting plate 40 may be positioned in front of the front wheel 42, behind the rear wheel 44, or between the front wheel 42 and the rear wheel 44 (e.g., Figure 1 (as shown in the diagram) so that the operator can use at least one cutting blade to mow the lawn while at least one cutting blade is rotating below the cutting plate 40. In some embodiments, the cutting plate 40 may be raised or rotated relative to the lawnmower frame to allow easier access to the underside of the lawnmower without removing the cutting plate 40.

[0013] The cutting plate 40 may have one, two, three, or more cutting blades driven by one, two, three, or more rotatable shafts. The shafts can be rotated by any number of mechanisms. For example, in some embodiments, the shafts are coupled to a motor via a system of belts and pulleys. In other embodiments, the shafts may be coupled to a motor via a universal joint, gears, and / or other shaft systems. In still other embodiments, such as in an electric lawnmower, the shafts may extend directly from a motor positioned above the cutting plate. In any case, the rotation of one or more blades may generate an airflow below the cutting plate 40, which may propel grass clippings or other debris through a channel extending from the cutting plate 40 into the bag attachment 12 (when the bag attachment 12 is in the operating position, such as...). Figure 1 (As shown).

[0014] In some embodiments, the front wheel 42 and / or the rear wheel 44 may have shielding devices positioned nearby to prevent material picked up in the wheels from being sprayed toward the operator. Mudguard 46 is an example of such shielding devices. When the operation is for mowing, grass clippings may be caught, covered, or discharged from the cutting plate 40 via a collection system (e.g., bag attachment 12) or via a side or rear discharge port.

[0015] The ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 may also include additional control-related components, such as one or more speed controllers, brakes, cutting height adjusters, etc. Some controllers (e.g., speed controllers and / or brakes) may be configured in the form of foot pedals located adjacent to footrests 48 (which may include portions on both sides of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10) to allow the operator to rest his or her feet on the footrests while seated in the seat 30.

[0016] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the engine 50 of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 is substantially positioned in front of the seated operator. However, in other exemplary embodiments, the engine 50 may be located in different positions, such as below or behind the operator. In some embodiments, the engine 50 may be operatively coupled to one or more wheels of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 to provide drive power to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the engine 50 may be able to power two wheels of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10, while in other embodiments, the engine 50 may power all four wheels. Furthermore, in some cases, the engine 50 may be able to manually or automatically switch between powering two wheels and powering all four wheels. The engine 50 may be housed within a cover forming an engine compartment to protect the engine 50 components and improve the aesthetics of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10. Obviously, the engine 50 is merely one example of the power source for the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10, and other such power sources may be employed in a variety of alternatives. For example, in some cases, engine 50 can be replaced by a battery-powered electric motor.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the engine compartment may be positioned adjacent to and / or matched with the steering assembly housing 60. The steering assembly housing 60 may house components of the steering assembly 20 to protect these components and improve the aesthetics of the ride-on lawnmower 10. In some embodiments, the steering wheel 62 of the steering assembly 20 may extend from the steering assembly housing 60, and a steering column (not shown) may extend downward from the steering wheel 62 through the steering assembly housing 60 to reach components that convert input at the steering wheel 62 into steering input to be provided to the wheels.

[0018] In some embodiments, the engine 50 may also provide power to rotate one or more cutting blades arranged within the cutting plate 40. In this regard, for example, the engine 50 may be used to rotate a shaft to which one or more cutting blades may be fixed (e.g., via a belt and pulley system and / or other mechanism). High-speed rotation of the shaft causes one or more cutting blades to move through a range of motion that generates airflow to straighten the grass for cutting by the moving blades, and then the cut grass is discharged from the cutting plate 40 (e.g., discharged to bag attachment 12 or discharged to the back or side of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10), unless the blades and mowing mechanism cause mulching.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the bag accessory 12 can be pivoted or tilted using the tipping lever 70 for tipping. The tipping lever 70 can be rotated from... Figure 1 The position shown extends upwards to provide the operator with increased leverage for pivoting or tilting the bag attachment 12 in the direction of arrow 72. In some cases, a lever 80 may be provided so that the operator can unlock the bag attachment 12 while remaining seated in the seat 30. The lever 80 can take various forms and can be positioned in several different locations relative to the operator in the seat 30. Therefore, although Figure 1 The lever 80 described herein is located on the right side of the seat, but alternatively, the lever 80 may be positioned on the left side of the seat 30, and in different exemplary embodiments, the lever 80 may also be alternatively moved further forward or further back. Examples shown later will directly illustrate these alternatives.

[0020] As described above, in a typical scenario, lever 80 requires not only effort to unlock bag attachment 12, but also the operator needs to keep bag attachment 12 unlocked while raising the tipping lever 70 for better leverage, and then pivoting bag attachment 12 in the direction of arrow 72. This additional effort needs to be reduced or eliminated. Therefore, the exemplary embodiment aims to make it easier to keep the locking assembly operated by lever 80 in the unlocked state. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of components and assemblies of components that can be used to achieve this objective in conjunction with exemplary embodiments is shown.

[0021] Now for reference Figure 2 The straw bag 100 is shown as Figure 1 One example of the bag attachment 12 is that, in response to the bag 100 being unlocked and ready to be emptied, the bag can pivot about the pivot axis 102 to rotate in the direction of arrow 104 to empty or empty the bag 100. Figure 2 Pivot 110 is also shown, which is Figure 1 An example of a tipping bar 70 extends from the top portion of the burlap bag 100. Figure 2The pivot rod 110 is shown as an extension and is ready for operation to pivot the bag 100 about the axis of rotation (i.e., the pivot axis 102).

[0022] The aforementioned pivoting can only occur when the locking component 120 is unlocked. The locking component 120 in this example includes one or more hooks or latching members 122. This example shows two latching members 122, but other examples may include one latching member 122, or more than two latching members. Each latching member 122 may be configured to releasably engage a corresponding locking slot 124 formed at the attachment interface 130 portion of the burlap sack 100. The attachment interface 130 may be located at... Figure 1 The attachment interface 130 is located near the bag interface portion at the rear of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10. In some cases, the attachment interface 130 may be generally flat and may abut against the bag interface portion of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 when the grass bags 100 are not being emptied. A locking slot 124 may be arranged at the bottom portion of the attachment interface 130, opposite to the pivot axis 102.

[0023] When the attachment interface 130 is adjacent to the bag interface portion, the latching member 122 may extend through and engage the locking groove 124. For this purpose, the latching member 122 may include a snap-fit ​​portion 126 that remains in contact with the locking groove 124 when inserted through the snap-fit ​​portion 126 until the latching member 122 pivots in the direction of arrow 128. Upon such pivoting, the snap-fit ​​portion 126 disengages from the locking groove 124 to allow the bag 100 to pivot in the direction of arrow 104.

[0024] In some embodiments, the latching portion 126 may be tilted at its leading edge to allow it to straddle the bottom edge of the locking groove 124 and pivot slightly in the direction of arrow 128 until the latching portion 126 passes over the locking groove 124 to mate the attachment interface 130 with the bag opening portion. Thus, for example, after emptying, the operator can release the pivot rod 110, and the weight of the bag 100 can cause it to pivot in the opposite direction to arrow 104, forcing the attachment interface 130 against the bag opening portion (due to gravity), while the locking groove 124 is supported on the latching portion 126 of the corresponding latching member 122. Therefore, the latching member 122 can pivot only upward and downward (e.g., in the direction of arrow 128 when pivoting upward and in the opposite direction of arrow 128 when pivoting downward), and the relative movement between the latching member 122 and the locking groove 123 is caused by the movement of the locking groove 124 toward (and through) the engaging portion 126 of the latching member 122.

[0025] The locking assembly 120 may be located at the rear of the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 (e.g., at the intersection of the bag opening portion and the attachment interface 130). In this example, the latching member 122 may be operatively coupled to the ride-on lawn care vehicle 10 and may extend rearward toward the grass bag 100, and the locking slot 124 may be located at the attachment interface 130 on the grass bag 100. However, in some embodiments, this example may be reversed.

[0026] In the described example, latching member 122 is operatively coupled to mounting assembly 140 (located at ride-on lawn care vehicle 10). In this regard, as described above, latching member 122 can be pivotally mounted to mounting assembly 140 and can include a pivot axis defined at mounting assembly 140. Mounting assembly 140 can be a single component or a collection of components, such that each of the latching members 122 can be operated (and therefore mounted) individually.

[0027] The unlock lever can be set to 150 ( Figure 1 An example of lever 80 is used to pivot latch member 122 relative to mounting assembly 140 (e.g., in the direction of arrow 128) to unlock locking assembly 120 (and allow bag 100 to pivot in the direction of arrow 104). Unlock lever 150 may be operatively coupled to mounting assembly 140 and / or latch member 122 itself via coupling assembly 160. Furthermore, in some cases, unlock lever 150, mounting assembly 140, latch member 122, and / or coupling assembly 160 are operatively coupled to biasing assembly 170. Biasing assembly 170 may function to assist in turning (or holding) latch member 122 to the unlocked state (i.e., pivoting in the direction of arrow 128), thereby reducing the force required for an operator to unlock bag 100 to allow rotation using pivot lever 110.

[0028] Mounting assembly 140, unlocking lever 150, coupling assembly 160, and biasing assembly 170 can each take any of a variety of specific forms in the various exemplary embodiments. Reference will now be made to... Figures 3 to 5B Describe one such form. In this respect, Figure 3 It shows the use of Figure 2 A perspective view of a first position 200 and a second position 200' of an unlock lever 150. In this example, the first position 200 can be the unlocked position, and the second position 200' can be the locked position. However, the positions can be reversed by simply changing the various connections and bias directions described below.

[0029] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4CThe tipping process is shown in response to moving the unlock lever 150 (from the second position 200') to the first position 200, as follows: Figure 4A As indicated by arrow 300. Moving the unlocking lever 150 to the first position 200 causes the latch member 122 to pivot, thereby unlocking the locking assembly 120 and allowing the straw bag 100 to also pivot. Therefore, Figure 4A The latching member 122 is shown to pivot to allow the straw bag 100 to also pivot. Figure 4B In this configuration, a pivot rod 110 extends from the straw bag 100 to provide increased leverage for pivoting the straw bag 100. Figure 4B In the middle, the latching member 122 remains pivoted and Figure 2 The locking component 120 is effectively in the unlocked position or unlocked state. Then, as Figure 4C As shown, the operator pulls forward on the pivot rod 110 and the bag 100 pivots in the direction of arrow 310 to tip the bag 100. When pivoting, the attachment port 130 is pivoted away from the bag port portion 132.

[0030] Figure 5A and Figure 5B The components used in this example to implement the unlocking lever 150, mounting assembly 140, coupling assembly 160, and biasing assembly 170 are shown. The mounting assembly 140 is implemented in the form of two independent pivot brackets 400, each pivotally coupled to a corresponding latching member 122. The pivot brackets 400 can be rigidly mounted to the frame or body of the ride-on lawnmower 10 near the bag interface portion 132. The pivot point or pivot axis of the latching member 122 can be defined by the position where the latching member 122 is operatively coupled to the corresponding portion of the pivot bracket 400.

[0031] The unlocking lever 150 can be implemented by an arm 410 operably connected to a bellcrank 420 of the coupling assembly 160. The arm 410 provides input motion to the bellcrank 420, and the output can be transmitted to a cable 430 forming the coupling assembly 160. The cable 430 extends from the bellcrank 420 and is divided into two separate segments 432. Each segment 422 is operably coupled to a pivot arm 434, which in turn is operably coupled to a corresponding latching assembly in the latching member 122. When the arm 410 moves forward (i.e., to the first position 200), the bellcrank 420 rotates to pull the cable 430 in the direction of arrow 440. This, in turn, pulls the pivot arm 434 in the direction of arrow 442, causing the latching member 122 to pivot in the direction of arrow 444 (i.e., upward), thereby unlocking the locking assembly 120.

[0032] In this example, the biasing assembly 170 is implemented in the form of a first spring 450 operably coupled to a crank 420 to bias the crank 420 to a second position 200', which corresponds to the locked position. The biasing assembly 170 also includes a second spring 452 and a third spring 454, each operably coupled to a latch member 122 to bias the latch member 122 in the opposite direction to arrow 444 (i.e., downwards), thereby biasing the locking assembly 120 toward the locked position. The mechanical advantage of the crank 420, which provides force to the pivoting arm 434 via cable 430, makes it easier to pivot the latch member 122 to the unlocked position and to hold or maintain the arm 410 in the unlocked position against the bias of the first spring 450, the second spring 452, and the third spring 454. Furthermore, in some cases, the first spring 450 can be positioned on the crank 420 such that the pivot of the crank 420 is defined as a central position between the first position 200 and the second position 200'. Then, depending on which side of the central position the crank 420 is on, the crank 420 can be actually biased to push the arm 410 toward both the first position 200 and the second position 200'.

[0033] Thus, for example, if arm 410 is in the second position 200' and the operator moves arm 410 toward the first position 200, doing so will resist the bias of the first spring 450 until the center position is reached. After passing the center position, the first spring 450 will push arm 410 toward the first position 200 and assist the operator by holding arm 410 in the first position 200. Crank 420 rotates accordingly, so cable 430 can be pulled in the direction of arrow 440, thereby also rotating pivot arm 434 in the direction of arrow 442 and raising latch member 122 against the bias of second spring 452 and third spring 454. Bias assembly 170 can thus help hold unlock lever 150 in the unlocked position, so that the operator can focus on the rotation of bag 100 via pivot lever 110, rather than having to focus on applying force to unlock lever 150 simultaneously.

[0034] Figures 4A to 5B The structure illustrates one example of how the unlocking lever 150, mounting assembly 140, coupling assembly 160, and biasing assembly 170 can be implemented. However, alternative structures are also possible. In this regard, Figures 6 to 8B An alternative structure is shown.

[0035] Figure 6 This shows the seat positioned on the other side (e.g., the right side) of seat 30 instead of on... Figure 3 The left side shown in the middle Figure 2 A 3D view of the unlocking lever 150. Furthermore, the unlocking lever 150 is... Figure 6 The position in the instance is also further back. Figure 6 The rearward positioning of the unlocking lever 150 provides a shorter distance between the unlocking lever 150 and the locking assembly 120, and therefore has a greater range than in the case of... Figures 3 to 5B The cable 430 used in the example has a more rigid component, and the connecting assembly 160 can span a shorter distance.

[0036] Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C This demonstrates a response that causes the unlock lever 150 to move backward in the direction of arrow 500. Figure 6 and Figures 7A to 7C The tipping process is initiated by the locked position shown. Moving the unlocking lever 150 to the unlocked position 200” causes the latch member 122 (upward) to pivot, and also allows the straw bag 100 to pivot. Therefore, Figure 7A The latching member 122 is shown to pivot to allow the straw bag 100 to also pivot. Figure 7B In this configuration, a pivot rod 110 extends from the straw bag 100 to provide increased leverage for pivoting the straw bag 100. Figure 7B In the middle, the latching member 122 remains pivoted and Figure 2 The locking component 120 is effectively in the unlocked position. The operator then pulls the pivot lever 110 forward and the straw bag 100 pivots in the direction of arrow 501 to tip the straw bag 100, as... Figure 7C As shown. When pivoting, the attachment interface 130 is pivoted away from the bag interface portion 132.

[0037] Figure 8A and Figure 8B The components used to implement the unlocking lever 150, mounting assembly 140, coupling assembly 160, and biasing assembly 170 in this example are shown. In this respect, the mounting assembly 140 is implemented in the form of two independent pivot brackets 502, each pivotally coupled to a corresponding latching member 122. The pivot brackets 502 can be rigidly mounted to the frame or body of the ride-on lawnmower 10 near the bag interface portion 132. The pivot point or axis of the latching member 122 can be defined by the position where the latching member 122 is operatively coupled to the corresponding pivot bracket 502.

[0038] The unlocking lever 150 can be implemented by an arm 510 operably connected to the crank 520. The arm 510 can provide input motion to the crank 520, and the output can be transmitted to a transmission lever 530, which forms the coupling assembly 160. The transmission lever 530 can extend from the crank 520 to one of the latching members 122. The coupling lever 532 connects the latching members 122 (or pivot arms 535 operably connected to the latching members 122) to each other such that when the transmission lever 530 moves one of the latching members 122, this movement also causes the other latching member 122 to move in the same direction. Thus, for example, when the arm 510 moves rearward (in the direction of arrow 540), the crank 520 rotates in the direction of arrow 542 to push the transmission lever 530 downward in the direction of arrow 544, which pushes the latching member 122 upward into the unlocked position, thereby unlocking the locking assembly 120.

[0039] In this example, the biasing assembly 170 is implemented in the form of a first spring 550 and a second spring 552. The first spring 550 attaches the rear portion of one latching member 122 to a corresponding pivot bracket 502. The second spring 552 attaches the rear portion of another latching member 122 to a corresponding pivot bracket 502. Thus, both the first spring 550 and the second spring 552 bias the latching member 122 downward and toward the locked position (e.g., by pulling the rear end of the latching member 122 upward).

[0040] Therefore, for example, if arm 510 is pulled back, as described above, the downward movement of transmission rod 530 in the direction of arrow 544 will lift the rear portion of latching member 122 upward in the direction of arrow 546 to overcome the biasing of the first spring 550 and the second spring 552 and release the latching portion of latching member 122 from the locking slot of bag 100. Thus, coupling assembly 160 facilitates overcoming the biasing of biasing assembly 170 to help hold unlocking rod 150 in the unlocked position, allowing the operator to focus on rotating bag 100 via pivot rod 110, rather than simultaneously focusing on applying force to unlocking rod 150.

[0041] Therefore, some exemplary embodiments may provide a rideable lawn care vehicle that may include: an engine for selectively powering the rideable lawn care vehicle and rotating the cutting blade within a cutting plate; a bag attachment operatively coupled to the rideable lawn care vehicle to collect debris or fragments discharged from the cutting plate in response to the rotation of the cutting blade, wherein the bag attachment is pivotable in an unlocked state to empty its contents; a locking assembly that prevents the bag attachment from pivoting in a locked state and allows the bag attachment to pivot in an unlocked state; an unlocking lever operatively coupled via a coupling assembly to switch the locking assembly between a locked state and an unlocked state; and a biasing assembly operatively coupled to the locking assembly to bias the locking assembly toward the locked state. The coupling assembly is configured to facilitate overcoming the bias of the biasing assembly in response to operation of the unlocking lever, thereby switching to the unlocked state.

[0042] In some implementations, the system may include additional, optional features, and / or the aforementioned features may be modified or extended. Examples of modified, optional, and enhanced features are described below. It should be understood that modified, optional, and enhanced features may be added individually, or they may be added in any desired combination. In this regard, for example, the locking assembly includes one or more latching members corresponding to a respective locking slot to selectively engage the locking slot based on the position of the unlocking lever. In an exemplary implementation, a biasing assembly may bias the latching members in a first direction, wherein each latching portion of the one or more latching members engages the respective locking slot, and the unlocking lever may be movable to pivot the latching members in a second direction to release the latching portions from engagement with the respective locking slots via a coupling assembly. In some cases, the coupling assembly may include a crank that receives motion input from the unlocking lever and transmits output motion to the one or more latching members. In an exemplary implementation, the crank may be operably coupled to the one or more latching members via a cable. In some cases, the cable is operably coupled to a pivoting arm that, in response to movement of the unlocking lever, pivots the one or more latching members in a second direction to transition the locking assembly to an unlocked state. In an exemplary embodiment, the crank may be operatively coupled to one or more latching members via a transmission rod. In some cases, the transmission rod may be operatively coupled to a pivot arm that, in response to movement of the unlocking lever, pivots one or more latching members in a second direction to release the locking assembly into an unlocked state. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more latching members may include two latching members, each pivotally mounted to a corresponding pivot arm. In some cases, the two latching members may be connected to each other via a connecting rod, such that movement of one latching member is transmitted via the connecting rod to the other latching member. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more latching members may each include a snap-fit ​​portion adjacent to an inclined edge that engages a locking groove, and one or more latching members may be located at the bottom edge of the burlap liner portion, and the locking groove may be located at the bottom edge of the front portion of the burlap liner. In some cases, the unlocking lever may be located in front of the seat of a ride-on lawnmower. In an exemplary embodiment, the unlocking lever may be located adjacent to the seat of the ride-on lawnmower. In some cases, the unlock lever can be biased toward the locked state via the spring of the biasing assembly.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein, which have the benefits of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, although exemplary embodiments have been described in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those explicitly described above are also contemplated, for example, as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Advantages, benefits, or solutions to problems described herein should be understood to be applicable to some exemplary embodiments, but not necessarily all exemplary embodiments. Therefore, any advantage, benefit, or solution described herein should not be considered critical, necessary, or essential for all embodiments or for the embodiments claimed herein. While specific terminology is used herein, it is used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A riding lawn care vehicle (10) comprising: an engine (50) for selectively powering the riding lawn care vehicle (10) and rotating cutting blades within a cutting deck (40); a bag attachment (12, 100) operably coupled to the riding lawn care vehicle (10) to collect debris or clippings expelled from the cutting deck (40) in response to rotation of the cutting blades, the bag attachment (12, 100) being pivotable to empty contents of the bag attachment in an unlocked state; a lock assembly (120) preventing pivoting of the bag attachment (12, 100) in a locked state and enabling pivoting of the bag attachment (12, 100) in the unlocked state; an unlock lever (150) operably coupled to the lock assembly (120) via a coupling assembly (160) to transition the lock assembly (120) between the locked state and the unlocked state; and a biasing assembly (170) operably coupled to the lock assembly (120) to bias the lock assembly (120) toward the locked state, wherein the coupling assembly (160) is configured to facilitate overcoming the biasing assembly (170) in response to operation of the unlock lever (150) to transition to the unlocked state.

2. The riding lawn care truck (10) of claim 1, wherein, The lock assembly (120) includes one or more latch members (122) corresponding to respective lock slots (124) to selectively engage the lock slots (124) based on a position of the unlock lever (150).

3. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 2, wherein, The biasing assembly (170) biases the one or more latch members (122) in a first direction, wherein a catch portion (126) of each of the one or more latch members (122) engages a respective lock slot (124), and wherein the unlock lever (150) is movable to pivot the latch members (122) in a second direction (128) to release the catch portions (126) from engagement with the respective lock slots (124) via the coupling assembly (160).

4. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 3, wherein, The coupling assembly (160) includes a crank (420, 520) that receives a motion input from the unlock lever (150) and transmits an output motion to the one or more latch members (122).

5. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 4, wherein, The crank (420) is operably connected to the one or more latch members (122) via a cable (430).

6. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 5, wherein, The cable (430) is operably coupled to a pivot arm (434) that pivots the one or more latch members (122) in the second direction to transition the lock assembly (120) to the unlocked state in response to movement of the unlock lever (150).

7. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 4, wherein, The crank (520) is operably coupled to the one or more latch members (122) via a transfer lever (530).

8. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 7, wherein, The transfer lever (530) is operably coupled to a pivot arm (535) that pivots the one or more latching members (122) in the second direction to transition the lock assembly (120) to the unlocked state in response to movement of the unlock lever (150).

9. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 8, wherein, The one or more latching members (122) include two latching members (122) each pivotally mounted to a corresponding portion of the pivot arm (535).

10. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 9, wherein, The two latching members (122) are connected to each other via a link bar (532) such that movement of one of the two latching members (122) is transmitted to the other of the two latching members (122) via the link bar (532).

11. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 2, wherein, The one or more latching members (122) each include a catch portion (126) adjacent a ramped edge that engages the lock slot (124), wherein the one or more latching members (122) are disposed at a bottom edge of a grass bag interface portion (132), and wherein the lock slot (124) is disposed at a bottom edge of a front portion of the bag attachment (12, 100).

12. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 1, wherein, The unlock lever (150) is disposed forward of a seat (30) of the riding lawn care vehicle (10).

13. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 1, wherein, The unlock lever (150) is disposed adjacent the seat (30) of the riding lawn care vehicle (10).

14. The riding lawn care vehicle (10) of claim 1, wherein, The unlock lever (150) is biased toward the locked state by a spring of the biasing assembly (170).

15. A coupling assembly (160) for coupling an unlock lever (150) to a lock assembly (120) of a bag attachment (12, 100) of a riding lawn care vehicle (10), the bag attachment (12, 100) being pivotable to empty contents of the bag attachment in an unlocked state, and the lock assembly (120) preventing the bag attachment (12, 100) from pivoting in a locked state, the unlock lever (150) transitioning the lock assembly (120) between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to repositioning of the unlock lever, the coupling assembly (160) comprising: a crank (420, 520) that receives a movement input from the unlock lever (150) and transmits an output movement to the lock assembly (120) to transition the lock assembly (120) to the unlocked state against a bias provided by a biasing assembly (170) operably coupled to the lock assembly (120), wherein the crank (420, 520) causes the biasing assembly (170) to be overcome in response to operation of the unlock lever (150) to transition to the unlocked state.

16. The coupling assembly (160) of claim 15, wherein the lock assembly (120) includes one or more latching members (122) that correspond to respective lock slots (124) to selectively engage the lock slots (124) based on a position of the unlock lever (150).

17. The coupling assembly (160) of claim 16, wherein the crank (420) is operably coupled to the one or more latching members (122) via a cable (430).

18. The coupling assembly (160) of claim 17, wherein the cable (430) is operably coupled to a pivot arm (434) that pivots the one or more latching members (122) in the second direction to transition the locking assembly (120) to the unlocked state in response to movement of the unlock lever (150).

19. The coupling assembly (160) of claim 16, wherein the crank (520) is operably coupled to the one or more latching members via a transmission lever (530).

20. The coupling assembly of claim 19, wherein the transmission lever (530) is operably coupled to a pivot arm (535) that pivots the one or more latching members (122) in the second direction to transition the locking assembly (120) to the unlocked state in response to movement of the unlock lever (150).

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