Low-Profile Battery Mower Layout to Prevent Cable Pinching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric battery powered lawn mowers have protruding battery housings that increase maneuverability challenges and manufacturing costs, and exposed cables that are prone to damage during storage.
Innovation Solution
A low profile design with the cutting blade motor centered in the deck volute, angled battery insertion, and exposed battery housing with drainage holes, along with a cable routing system that diverts cables away from the handle, to minimize height and protect components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If batteries are placed in a housing with a closable door to protect them from water and contaminants, then battery protection is improved, but the housing protrudes upwardly creating large obstacles that make maneuvering more difficult and increase manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the battery housing from a vertical protrusion above the deck to a horizontal integration within the deck volute cavity. This dimensional change allows the battery to be contained within the existing deck footprint rather than extending upward, eliminating the protrusion obstacle while maintaining battery protection through the volute enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery housing is nested within the deck volute cavity, utilizing the existing structural space. The volute itself serves as the protective enclosure, eliminating the need for a separate protruding housing with doors. This nesting approach integrates the battery protection function into the existing deck structure.
2Reliability
If batteries are placed in a housing with a closable door to protect them from water and contaminants, then battery protection is improved, but the housing requires increased use of plastic materials which leads to increased manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The deck volute is designed to serve multiple functions: it contains the cutting blade motor, provides structural support for the deck, and serves as the protective housing for the battery. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate battery housing, reducing plastic material usage and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery housing function is merged with the deck volute structure. Instead of being separate components, the battery enclosure is integrated into the existing volute design, reducing the total amount of plastic material required and simplifying the manufacturing process.
3Ease of operation
If electrical cables are run from the motor to the user controls on the handle and secured with plastic ties, then cable connection is achieved, but when the mowers are folded into storage position the handles are folded over the deck and the cables are pinched by the handles causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing is extracted from the handle area and repositioned to run through a dedicated channel in the deck. This separates the cable path from the handle folding motion, eliminating the pinching problem while maintaining secure cable connection between the motor and controls.
Solution Approach 2:
A cable channel or conduit in the deck serves as an intermediary structure that protects the cables during handle folding. The channel acts as a mediator between the cable and the handle, preventing direct contact and pinching while allowing the cable to maintain its electrical connection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is directed to a battery powered mower with a low profile design that minimizes the height of the mower to make the mower easier to operate and store. The low profile design places the cutting blade motor in the center of the deck volute so that it doesn't extend above the volute. Additionally, the batteries do not include a cover and so holes are located within the housing to drain away any water that collects. The invention also covers a simplified manufacturing process for the terminal blocks for the battery and a rear door. Lastly, the invention includes a cable guide to prevent the electrical cable from pinching when the handle is folded for storage.