Riding lawnmower

Abstract

The objective is to provide a lawnmower that can automatically clear clogs in the transport path caused by grass. [Solution] In a riding lawnmower equipped with a driving body (1) and drive wheels (2,3), a mower (5) having a cutting blade (4) is provided below the body (1), the drive wheels (2,3) are driven by driving motors (40,43), and the mower (5) is driven by a working motor (25), a blower (35) is provided to transport the cut grass to a collector (32) via a chute (36), the blower (35) is configured to be driven by the working motor (25), and a clogging detection means (30) is provided to detect clogging of the chute (36) with grass, and when the clogging detection means (30) detects clogging, the working motor (25) is configured to reverse.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a riding lawn mower that drives a traveling motor and a working motor with a battery mounted as a power source.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a control device for a riding lawn mower is known that provides a single switch capable of operating the engagement and disengagement of a blower drive clutch and a mower drive clutch, and when the switch is turned on, the blower drive clutch engages first, then the mower drive clutch engages, and when the switch is turned off, a time lag is provided such that the mower drive clutch disengages first, and then the blower drive clutch disengages (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above conventional lawn mower, when the blower drive clutch is disengaged, the power transmission to the mower is also cut off. Therefore, even though the mower is running, a malfunction such as the blower stopping may occur, and there is no risk that the grass cut by the mower will clog the passage for blowing and transporting it to the collector.

[0005] However, when the blower or the conveyance path was clogged with grass, the clogging of the grass could not be automatically eliminated and had to be done manually.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a lawn mower that can automatically eliminate clogging of grass on a conveyance path in a lawn mower that drives an electric motor with a battery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] This invention employs the following technical means to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 is a riding lawnmower equipped with drive wheels 2 and 3 on a traveling body 1, a mower 5 having a cutting blade 4 located below the body 1, the drive wheels 2 and 3 being driven by traveling motors 40 and 43, and the mower 5 being driven by a working motor 25, wherein a blower 35 is provided to transport the cut grass to a collector 32 via a chute 36, the blower 35 is configured to be driven by the working motor 25, and a clogging detection means 30 is provided to detect clogging of the chute 36 with grass, and when the clogging detection means 30 detects clogging, the working motor 25 is reversed.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means 30 is an air velocity sensor 30a provided on the ceiling of the collector 32.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means 30 is an infrared sensor 30b provided at the outlet of the chute 36.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is the invention described in claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means 30 is a load level detection sensor 30c of the work motor 25.

[0012] The invention described in claim 5 is the invention described in claim 4, and in addition to the detection result of the load level detection sensor 30c, it detects grass clogging based on the driving conditions.

[0013] The invention described in claim 6 is the invention described in claim 5, wherein the driving state is determined by detecting the rotational speed of the driving motors 40 and 43, detecting the rotational speed of the front axle rotation sensor 46F and the rear axle rotation sensor 46R, or detecting the vehicle speed of the driving vehicle body 1. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the invention described in claim 1, when the clogging detection means 30 detects clogging, the blower 35 reverses, automatically eliminating the clogging of the turf in the shooter 36 conveyance path.

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect described in claim 1, by providing the wind speed sensor 30a at the upper part in the collector 32, the wind speed can be detected without being affected by the grass, so the possibility of false detection is low.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect described in claim 1, when the infrared sensor detects nothing, it can be determined that the grass is clogged in front, and when it has been detected for a predetermined time or more, it can also be determined that the grass is clogged, enhancing the versatility.

[0017] According to the inventions described in claims 4 to 6, in addition to the effect described in claim 1, clogging detection can be determined according to the load level of the working motor 25. Also, by considering the traveling state, the load level detection accuracy can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a side view of a riding lawn mower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a plan view of a riding lawn mower. [Figure 3] (A) Perspective view of the mower of a riding lawn mower, (B) Power transmission diagram of the working motor. [Figure 4] It is a power transmission diagram of the traveling device. [Figure 5] It is a control block diagram. [Figure 6] It is a side view of a riding lawn mower with a clogging detection sensor arranged. [Figure 7] It is a plan view of the handle post and the display part.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the examples shown in the drawings.

[0020] The front and rear parts of the traveling vehicle body 1 are respectively provided with front wheels 2L and 2R and rear wheels 3L and 3R. Below the front part of the vehicle body 1 and in front of the front wheels 2L and 2R, a mower 5 for cutting grass having a cutting blade 4 is provided, constituting a so-called front mower. On the floor 6 part above the front part of the vehicle body 1, a handle post 7 is erected, and a steering steering wheel 8 is provided at the upper part of the post 7. Also, a driver's seat 9 is provided behind the steering wheel 8.

[0021] Regarding the frame structure of the vehicle body 1 in detail, it consists of a floor frame 10 that supports the floor 6, the driver's seat 9, etc. from the front side, and a pair of left and right side frames 14L and 14R that support a battery 12 for a motor and a motor control unit 13 described later.

[0022] The floor frame 10 is formed in a U shape in plan view at the front side, supports the column 7 at the front part, and is provided at the rear part to support an operation box such as the driver's seat 9 and various levers. An elevating cylinder 11 is provided on the lower surface of the floor frame 10 to interlock the lifting of the mower 5. The side frames 14L and 14R are configured to support the left and right support columns 15L and 15R of the safety guard 15, and the upper ends of these left and right support columns 15L and 15R are connected by a head frame 15H.

[0023] At a slightly higher position above the side frames 14L and 14R, an upper frame 17 is formed. The upper frame 17 is formed in a U shape in plan view, with the curved part facing backward and the left and right front ends connected to the adjacent frames.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, a collector 32 for collecting mowed grass is provided behind the safety guard 15 and above the upper frame 17. The collector 32 is equipped with collector lift cylinders 33L and 33R and a collector dump cylinder 34. The collector lift cylinders 33L and 33R raise or lower relative to the upper frame 17 of the vehicle body, and the collector dump cylinder 34 operates to dump the grass to the rear, allowing the rear cover 34a to be opened and the grass inside to be discharged.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, gear cases 21L and 21R are provided on the upper left and right sides of the mower deck 20 of the mower 5, and the left and right cutting blade shafts 23L and 23R, each mounted with a cutting blade 4 for cutting grass, are vertically supported in these gear cases. The transmission mechanisms inside these left and right gear cases 21L and 21R are connected by a transmission shaft 24, and the left and right cutting blade shafts 23L and 23R are driven by a work motor 25, which will be described later and is linked to the transmission mechanism inside the left gear case 21L.

[0026] A chute 36 leading to a collector 32 is provided at the rear center of the mower deck 20, and the grass cut by the cutting blades 22 at the bottom of the mower deck 20 is transported into the collector 32 by the suction power of the blower 35.

[0027] The driving force input to the left gear case 21L via the output shaft 37 of the work motor 25 is transmitted to the left cutting blade shaft 23L, which is pivotally supported vertically downward, and further transmitted from the left gear case 21L to the right gear case 21R via the transmission shaft 24, driving the right cutting blade shaft 23R, which is pivotally supported vertically downward. The output shaft 37 has two branch outputs, one of which drives the blower 35. Furthermore, the other branch output of this output shaft 37 drives the hydraulic pump 39 via a clutch mechanism 38.

[0028] The hydraulic pump 39 is responsible for supplying pressurized oil to the lifting cylinder 11, the collector lift cylinders 33L and 33R, and the collector dump cylinder 34, which are linked to the raising and lowering of the moor 5.

[0029] As described above, side frames 14L and 14R are provided, the battery 12 is placed on top of them, and the motor control unit 13, housed in a casing, is mounted on top of that. Electrodes for the motor are provided on the top surface of the battery 12 and covered by the motor control unit 13, with the cords extending from the side of the motor control unit 13 and being routed. The battery 12 may also be divided and installed on the left and right sides of the driver's seat 9 above the front wheels 2L and 2R, and covered with a cover. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a DC battery in addition to the drive battery 12 for powering lights and other purposes. The cords from the battery 12 and the motor control unit 13 to the work motor 25 are routed along the outer surface of the chute 36.

[0030] Figure 4 shows the power transmission system for the left and right front wheels 2L, 2R and rear wheels 3L, 3R, which serve as drive wheels. Power is transmitted from the front wheel drive motor 40, which is a driving motor with its output shaft facing forward, to the left and right front wheels 2L, 2R via the front differential mechanism 41 and left and right reduction mechanisms 42L, 42R. Power is transmitted from the rear wheel drive motor 43, which is a driving motor with its output shaft facing rearward, to the left and right rear wheels 3L, 3R via the rear differential mechanism 44 and left and right reduction mechanisms 45L, 45R. The rotation of the front wheel drive motor 40 is detected by the front axle rotation sensor 46F, and the rotation of the rear wheel drive motor 43 is detected by the rear axle rotation sensor 46R. Since the front wheel drive motor 40 and the rear wheel drive motor 43 are positioned inside the front and rear axles, the length of the vehicle body 1 is not increased.

[0031] Alternatively, the left and right front wheels (2L, 2R) and the left and right rear wheels (3L, 3R) may each be configured with separate wheel-operated electric motors.

[0032] Figure 5 is a control block diagram of each motor and electric cylinder. Power from the battery 12 is controlled by the motor drive unit 13 and supplied to the front wheel drive motor 40, the rear wheel drive motor 43, the work motor 25, etc. The rotation speed of the drive motors, the front wheel drive motor 40 and the rear wheel drive motor 43, is controlled by the drive operation unit 51, which includes increase / decrease buttons and a reciprocating operation lever. The drive stop and rotation speed control of the work motor 25 that drives the cutting blade 4 are controlled by the work operation unit 52.

[0033] Furthermore, power is supplied from the DC battery 49 to the lights and motor control device 50.

[0034] The motor control device 50 receives rotational speed input from the front axle rotation sensor 46F and the rear axle rotation sensor 46R, and inputs operation signals from the travel operation unit 51, the work operation unit 52, etc.

[0035] The motor control device 50 performs the following control:

[0036] First, when the vehicle body 1 is decelerated or braked, regenerative power is charged to the battery 12 from the front-wheel drive motor 40 and the rear-wheel drive motor 43. When switching from four-wheel drive to two-wheel drive, the non-driving motor is switched to power generation mode, and regenerative power is charged to the battery 12.

[0037] When the operating unit 52 is switched from on to off and the operating motor 25 stops rotating, it switches to power generation mode to adjust the braking stop time, and regenerative power is charged to the battery 12. Also, when the cutting blade 4 is rotated by an external force, it switches to power generation mode and regenerative power is charged to the battery 12.

[0038] Next, the control of the work motor 25 based on the detection of grass clogging in the blower 35 will be described in detail. The grass passes through the chute 36 and is transported into the collector 32. A clogging detection means 30 is provided to detect clogging of the grass passing through the chute 36, and the work motor 25 is configured to reverse direction based on the clogging detection. This reverses the blower 35 and automatically clears the grass clogging in the chute 36 transport path.

[0039] Furthermore, to prevent the reverse rotation of the hydraulic pump 39, the clutch mechanism 38 is disengaged based on the blockage detection by the blockage detection means 30. The cutting blade 4 also enters a reverse state, so while cutting the grass, the feeding of cut grass into the chute 36 can be interrupted. However, a clutch mechanism may be provided in front of the gear case 21L to interrupt the driving force to the cutting blade 4.

[0040] A specific example of the blockage detection means 30 will now be described. First, a wind speed sensor 30a is installed on the ceiling of the collector 32. The grass is transported through the chute 36 by the blower wind and discharged into the collector 32 from the outlet. Since this blower wind is directed towards the ceiling of the collector 32, by installing the wind speed sensor 30a in this position, it can be determined that the grass is being transported properly when a blower wind of the appropriate speed is detected, and that a grass blockage can be determined when the wind speed drops below a predetermined value. By installing the wind speed sensor 30a at the top of the collector 32, the wind speed can be detected without being affected by the grass, thus reducing the possibility of false detection and enabling automatic clearing of grass blockages. The detection accuracy can be improved by changing the above predetermined value according to the rotation speed of the work motor 25. Furthermore, if this predetermined value can be set using a setting dial (not shown) that can be arbitrarily adjusted, blockage detection can be performed according to the condition of the grass.

[0041] Next, as an example of the blockage detection means 30, an infrared sensor 30b is provided at the outlet of the chute 36. The infrared sensor detects the movement of grass by irradiating it with infrared light, and if the infrared sensor 30b does not detect grass, or if it detects grass for a predetermined time or longer, it is determined that grass is blocked in the transport path of the chute 36. The predetermined time can be arbitrarily set using a setting dial (not shown). This allows for blockage detection according to the condition of the grass, improving the accuracy of blockage detection.

[0042] Next, as an example of the clogging detection means 30, a load level detection sensor 30c of the work motor 25 is used. If the load level becomes abnormally high, it can be estimated that a clogging has occurred. In addition to the detection result of this load level detection sensor 30c, the accuracy can be further improved by taking into account the driving conditions and the lawn mowing conditions. As a method for detecting the driving conditions, the rotation speed of the driving motors 40 and 43, the rotation speed of the front axle rotation sensor 46F and the rear axle rotation sensor 46R, and the vehicle speed of the driving vehicle 1 can be used. As a method for detecting the lawn mowing conditions, the working width is detected by a camera (not shown) installed in front of the vehicle 1 or in front of or above the mower deck, and the PTO motor load level can be calculated from the amount of grass per unit of this working width.

[0043] Incidentally, the load status of the work motor 25 is displayed on a display panel 55 located on the upper surface of the handle post 7 (Figure 7). Specifically, the display panel 55 includes a color liquid crystal screen 57 and an indicator 58 that can illuminate multiple sections in a strip-like pattern. The liquid crystal display unit 57 includes a battery level indicator 59, an operating time display unit 60 that displays the accumulated time during which either the front-wheel drive motor, the rear-wheel drive motor, or the work motor 25 is driven, an integrated power-on time display unit 61, and so on. The center of the liquid crystal screen is equipped with a motor shaft rotation speed display unit 62 for the work motor 25.

[0044] The indicator 58 displays the workload level. As the workload increases, the indicator 58 lights up sequentially from the edges towards the center, and the more lights that illuminate, the higher the workload level. In this embodiment, the indicator 58 is arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides, and the lights illuminate sequentially towards the center as the workload level increases.

[0045] The aforementioned workload level is calculated based on the magnitude of the load current value of the work motor 25. The higher the load current value, the higher the workload level, and the number of indicator lights 58 are pre-set based on this workload level.

[0046] As described above, the workload level can be displayed, allowing for determination of the workload on the work motor 25. By changing the vehicle speed of the vehicle body 1, for example, based on the workload, work can be continued with a stable workload, thereby improving work efficiency. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1. Running vehicle 2. Front wheels (drive wheels) 3. Rear wheels (drive wheels) 4 mower blade 5 Moa 25 Work motors 30. Clogging detection means 30a Wind speed sensor 30b Infrared Sensor 30c Load Level Detection Sensor 32 Shooter 35 Blower 36 Shooter 40 Front-wheel drive motor (motor for driving) 43. Rear-wheel drive motor (motor for driving) 46F Front Axle Rotation Sensor 46R Rear Axle Rotation Sensor

Claims

1. A riding lawnmower is provided with a vehicle body (1) equipped with drive wheels (2, 3), a mower (5) having a cutting blade (4) located below the vehicle body (1), the drive wheels (2, 3) being driven by a driving motor (40, 43), and the mower (5) being driven by a working motor (25). The riding lawnmower is further provided with a blower (35) that transports the cut grass to a collector (32) via a chute (36), the blower (35) being driven by the working motor (25), and a clogging detection means (30) for detecting clogging of the chute (36) with grass, and when the clogging detection means (30) detects clogging, the working motor (25) is reversed.

2. The riding lawnmower according to claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means (30) is a wind speed sensor (30a) provided on the ceiling of the collector (32).

3. The riding lawnmower according to claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means (30) is an infrared sensor (30b) provided at the outlet of the chute (36).

4. The riding lawnmower according to claim 1, wherein the blockage detection means (30) is a load level detection sensor (30c) of the working motor (25).

5. The riding lawnmower according to claim 4, further comprising a configuration that detects grass clogging based on the driving conditions in addition to the detection result of the load level detection sensor (30c).

6. The riding lawnmower according to claim 5, wherein the aforementioned driving state is determined by detecting the rotational speed of the driving motors (40, 43), detecting the rotational speed of the front axle rotation sensor (46F) and the rear axle rotation sensor (46R), or detecting the vehicle speed of the driving vehicle body (1).

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