Mower

Abstract

To provide a mower capable of ensuring safety during engine operation and mowing work in a relatively simple structure.SOLUTION: A mower including an engine 5 inside a vehicle body frame 1a, comprises a safety cover 6 for covering the engine 5 and an engine exhaust part 5a from an outer periphery thereof, and an exhaust guide 21 surrounding an exhaust port E for exhaust gas from the engine 5, where the exhaust guide 21 includes a first opening FO opened downward and a second opening SO opened in front of the exhaust port E, formed thereon, and a guide plate 21e for guiding the exhaust gas exhausted from the second opening SO forward and obliquely downward, provided in front of the second opening SO.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lawn mower for mowing lawn grass, weeds, etc., and relates to a configuration for guiding exhaust air when discharging exhaust gas from an engine to the outside while preventing direct contact with the engine and the engine exhaust part.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a lawn mower capable of performing lawn mowing work on a steep slope is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The engine and the engine exhaust part mounted on this lawn mower are configured to be in direct contact.

[0003] Also, in a working machine equipped with a general-purpose engine, when discharging exhaust gas from the engine to the outside, a configuration in which an exhaust guide is provided to change the exhaust air direction is known. For example, according to the lawn mower disclosed in Patent Document 2, it includes a lawn mowing device provided on the machine body, a grass collecting container attached to the rear part of the machine body for collecting the cut grass from the lawn mowing device, an engine provided on the machine body, and a bonnet covering the engine. The exhaust port of the exhaust pipe of the engine is configured to protrude rearward through an opening formed in the bonnet, and it is provided with a guiding member that extends downward while entering the upper entrance so as to guide the exhaust gas from the exhaust port downward.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to prevent grass, trees, people, and animals from directly contacting the engine and the engine exhaust section. However, when a cover is provided to cover the outer periphery of the engine and the engine exhaust section, the flow of exhaust gas is deteriorated by the cover wall surface located in front of the exhaust gas outlet of the engine, and there is a risk of causing engine malfunction due to a decrease in exhaust efficiency. In addition, during engine operation, the cover wall surface located in front of the exhaust outlet becomes hot due to the exhaust gas discharged from the engine. When grass, trees, etc. come into contact with the cover wall surface, there is a risk of combustion, and when people or animals come into contact with it, there is a risk of burns, and it may not be possible to eliminate the problem in terms of safety.

[0006] On the other hand, in a lawn mower not equipped with a grass collection container, it is not necessary to extend a guide member for discharging the exhaust gas from the engine to the outside, and a relatively simple configuration for changing the exhaust air direction is required. That is, it is appropriate to provide an exhaust guide near the exhaust gas outlet.

[0007] In consideration of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a lawn mower having a relatively simple configuration and capable of ensuring safety during engine operation and grass cutting work.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The invention according to claim 1 is a lawn mower provided with an engine 5 inside a vehicle body frame 1a, comprising a safety cover 6 that covers the engine 5 and the engine exhaust section 5a from its outer periphery, and an exhaust guide 21 that surrounds an exhaust gas outlet E of the engine 5. The exhaust guide 21 forms a first opening FO that opens downward and a second opening SO that opens in front of the exhaust outlet E, and a guide plate 21e for guiding the exhaust gas discharged from the second opening SO obliquely downward forward is provided in front of the second opening SO.

[0009] Further, the first opening FO of the exhaust guide 21 has a funnel-shaped configuration that widens toward the downstream side D of the exhaust gas.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] The invention according to claim 1 provides a safety cover 6 that covers the engine 5 and the engine exhaust section 5a, thereby preventing foreign objects from scattering from the inside to the outside of the vehicle body 1 during grass cutting operations. In addition, the exhaust guide 21 is configured to have a first opening FO that guides the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port E downward and a second opening SO that guides it obliquely downward and forward. When discharging the exhaust gas from the engine 5 to the outside, by changing the direction of the exhaust air, the temperature rise of the wall surface of the safety cover 6 provided in front of the exhaust port E is suppressed, preventing ignition of grass, trees, etc. that approach or come into contact with the safety cover 6 and preventing burns to people and animals, thereby ensuring safety. Also, although the change in the direction of the exhaust air may cause the exhaust gas to stagnate and become a factor in engine malfunction due to the resistance to discharge, the resistance to discharge can be eliminated by the dispersion of the exhaust air. Furthermore, the direction of the exhaust air can be changed without extending the exhaust guide 21, enabling a relatively simple configuration.

[0011] In the invention according to claim 2, the first opening FO has a funnel-shaped configuration toward the downstream side D of the exhaust gas, allowing the exhaust gas to diffuse smoothly without stagnating, and thus enabling smooth discharge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] FIG. 1 is a left side view of the lawn mower according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof. The basic structure of the lawn mower will be described using these figures. The symbols related to the arrows in the figures indicate directions, where "FR" means the front of the vehicle body, "RE" means the rear of the vehicle body, "LH" means the left side of the vehicle body, "RH" means the right side of the vehicle body, "UP" means the upper side of the vehicle body, and "DN" means the lower side of the vehicle body. In the present embodiment, a remotely operated lawn mower is exemplified, but it may also be a riding type or a walking type lawn mower.

[0014] This lawn mower is composed of a vehicle body 1 and a wireless remote control type controller 2.

[0015] The vehicle body 1 includes a vehicle body frame 1a, an upper vehicle body frame 1b, a traveling unit 3, a power unit 4, a cutting unit 7, a vehicle body cover 1c, a safety cover 6, a control unit 8, and a signal transmission / reception unit 9.

[0016] The controller 2 is composed of a proportional type controller. In the present embodiment, it may be in a form operable by a touch panel type portable terminal or a personal computer.

[0017] The vehicle body 1 is supported on the ground by a traveling unit 3 having a pair of left and right crawler type traveling structures. The traveling unit 3 is composed of a crawler 3c that surrounds and rotates an idler wheel 3a and a tumbler wheel 3b. In the present embodiment, a wheel type traveling structure may also be used.

[0018] The idler wheel 3a is connected to a transmission 10 held behind the vehicle body frame 1a, and is driven by the rotation of a traveling motor 11 connected to the transmission 10. The traveling motor 11 supplies power from a battery 12 or a generator 13, and the rotation shaft rotates forward and backward, enabling the vehicle body 1 to move forward and backward.

[0019] The engine 5 used in the power unit 4 is arranged inside the vehicle body frame 1a at the center of the left - right width of the vehicle body frame 1a and at the front part (see FIGS. 3 and 4). And power generation can be achieved by transmitting the power from the engine 5 to the generator 13 provided behind the engine 5. Also, by transmitting the power from the engine 5 to the cutter blade pulley 14 provided below the engine 5, it becomes possible to rotate the cutter blade pulley 14.

[0020] The mowing device 7 is suspended and supported by a pair of left - right parallel links 16 on the vehicle body frame 1a between the left - right traveling parts 3, and is connected by a lift arm 17 so as to be able to move up and down, and is configured to be able to adjust the cutting height during the mowing operation. At the central part of the mowing device 7, a cutting blade shaft 14a penetrating the top plate of the mowing device 7 in the vertical direction is pivotally supported. Inside the mowing device 7 (below), a cutting blade 14b that rotates substantially horizontally is attached to the cutting blade shaft 14a, and cutting blades 15 are attached to each of its tip parts. Outside the mowing device 7 (above), a cutter blade pulley 14 is attached to the cutting blade shaft 14a. When the cutter blade pulley 14 to which the power from the engine 5 is transmitted rotates, the cutting blade 14b and the cutting blades 15 rotate integrally, and mowing can be performed.

[0021] The upper vehicle body frame 1b is arranged in an arch - like form above the vehicle body 1 and is attached at the front end part and the rear end part of the vehicle body frame 1a. Also, a vehicle body cover 1c is locked to the upper vehicle body frame 1b in a form that covers the upper parts of each device provided inside the vehicle body frame 1a.

[0022] The safety cover 6 is composed of a front panel 6a, an upper surface panel 6b, a front upper inclined panel 6c, a left side panel 6d, a right side panel 6e, and a lower surface panel 6f. It covers the engine 5 and the engine exhaust part 5a in a form that is locked to the front part of the upper vehicle body frame 1b. The front part (the right part of the front panel 6a) and the lower surface panel 6f of the exhaust port E for discharging exhaust gas from the engine are formed of a wall surface, and the left part of the front panel 6a, the upper surface panel 6b, the front upper inclined panel 6c, the left side panel 6d, and the right side panel 6e are formed of a perforated plate. The lower surface panel 6f is not limited to being formed of a wall surface and may be formed of a perforated plate.

[0023] The control unit 8 is composed of a communication device, a travel control device, an inclination sensor, etc., and is provided in a controller box 18 that prevents dust adhesion and moisture adsorption. It is arranged at the rear part of the vehicle body frame 1a and covered by the vehicle body cover 1c.

[0024] The signal transmission / reception unit 9 is provided in the controller box 18, is electrically connected to the control unit 8, and has a function of receiving a signal transmitted from the controller 2 wirelessly and then transmitting it to the control unit 8. It is also possible to receive a signal from the control unit 8 and transmit it to the controller 2. For example, it has a function of being able to confirm the malfunction state of the vehicle body 1 by the controller 2.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rectangular muffler 19 that is long in the vertical width direction in a front view is vertically arranged in front of the engine 5 and on the right side of the center of the left and right widths of the engine 5. A circular exhaust port E facing the front of the vehicle body 1 is drilled in the upper part of the muffler 19. The exhaust gas from the engine 5 flows from the lower part to the upper part of the muffler 19 and is discharged from the exhaust port E. That is, the exhaust port E is located at the upper right part in the front of the vehicle body 1 and discharges the exhaust gas toward the front of the vehicle body 1.

[0026] The muffler cover 20 is provided to cover the outer periphery of the muffler 19, and is drilled at the exhaust port E portion to have substantially the same diameter as the exhaust port E.

[0027] The exhaust guide 21 is arranged at a position surrounding the periphery of the exhaust port E (see FIGS. 5 and 6), and is configured with a front wall portion 21a, an upper front wall portion 21b, a left side wall portion 21c, a right side wall portion 21d, and a guide plate 21e provided on the upper front wall portion 21b. The upper front wall portion 21b is inclined downward toward the front of the exhaust port E, the front wall portion 21a protrudes forward on the lower side than the upper front wall portion 21b, and is further inclined downward. Also, a first opening FO is formed on the lower surface of the exhaust guide 21, and a second opening SO is formed on the front wall portion 21a at a substantially horizontal position of the exhaust port E, which is rectangular in shape and long in the left-right width direction in front view, and the left-right width is perforated to be substantially the same width as the diameter width of the exhaust port E. The guide plate 21e is formed to have substantially the same width as the left-right width of the second opening SO, and protrudes forward from the second opening SO and is joined linearly along the wall surface of the upper front wall portion 21b.

[0028] 〔Function and Effect〕 With the above configuration of the exhaust guide, the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port E is guided to the first opening FO and the second opening SO, so that the exhaust gas is not discharged forward, but is dispersed forward and downward and downward, thereby suppressing the concentrated temperature rise on the safety cover 6, preventing ignition of grass, trees, etc. that come into contact with the safety cover 6, and preventing burns to people and animals, ensuring safety. Also, by changing the exhaust direction of the exhaust gas that collides with the safety cover 6, the exhaust resistance is reduced, and the cause of engine malfunction can be eliminated.

[0029] Furthermore, since the structure is relatively simple, it can be provided at low cost.

[0030] 〔Alternative Embodiment〕 Below the left side wall portion 21c and the right side wall portion 21d that constitute the exhaust guide 21, that is, on the downstream side D of the exhaust gas, it may be formed in a tapered shape that spreads in the left-right direction (see FIG. 7).

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0031] 1a Vehicle body frame 5 Engine 5a Engine exhaust part 6 Safety cover 21 Exhaust guide 21e Guide plate D Downstream side E Exhaust port FO First opening SO Second opening

Claims

1. A lawn mower having an engine (5) inside a body frame (1a), comprising a safety cover (6) that covers the engine (5) and an engine exhaust part (5a) from its outer periphery, and an exhaust guide (21) that surrounds an exhaust port (E) of exhaust gas from the engine (5), wherein the exhaust guide (21) forms a first opening (FO) that opens downward and a second opening (SO) that opens in front of the exhaust port (E), and a guide plate (21e) is provided in front of the second opening (SO) to guide the exhaust gas discharged from the second opening (SO) obliquely downward forward. The lawn mower is characterized by this.

2. The lawn mower according to claim 1, wherein the first opening (FO) of the exhaust guide (21) has a flaring shape toward the downstream side (D) of the exhaust gas.

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