Patent Application
20250107482
The present invention relates to a riding apparatus for mowing and pressure surface cleaning, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a riding and zero turning apparatus for mowing and cleaning using brushless surface cleaning technology and dirty water reclamation.
Lawnmowers have been an essential tool for maintaining gardens and parks. Lawnmowers have been used for decades, however, very few advancements have been made in improving the utility of the lawnmowers. Zero-turn lawnmowers are getting quite popular nowadays due to their maneuverability. Typically, a zero-turn lawnmower is built with hydrostatic transmission driven by a hydraulic pump. Each rear wheel has its own independent drive motor which allows the mower to go forward, backward, and turn in a small radius. The mower has a vertical shaft gasoline motor which provides power to the hydraulic pump and to the deck pulleys which are attached to the spindles on the deck. The spindle is made up of a solid steel shaft with multiple bearings encased in a housing that is bolted to the deck. There is a pulley on the top of the spindle and a lawn mower blade on the bottom of the spindle. Each zero-turn motor has two levers, right and left, that activate each wheel independent of each other from the driver's seat. The mower has a fuel tank, a battery, and a control panel where there is a key to start mower. The control panel has a Power take-off (PTO) button for engaging the deck pulleys. Each control panel has a throttle control for speeding up the motor and each mower has a means to raise and lower the deck. These Zero turn mowers are all built on a steel frame assembly which are painted various colors.
Zero turn mowers are costly, however, are of limited utility. A need is therefore appreciated for improvements in lawn mowers for added functions and overcoming any limited utility.
It is to be noted that phrases “pressure surface washing” and “pressure surface cleaning” are interchangeably used herein, and refers to surface cleaning using normal water, cold water hot water, and/or steam. The water may include any additives to enhance cleaning efficiency.
In one aspect, disclosed is a riding apparatus for lawn mowing and pressure surface cleaning. Disclosed is a ride on and zero-turn apparatus that may allow an end user to be able to mow grass, pressure clean hard surfaces and recover dirty water while simultaneously discharging the dirty water to a holding tank.
In one aspect, disclosed is a riding apparatus that can be used for pressure surface cleaning using hot water, normal water, and steam.
The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein, form part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Together with the description, the figures further explain the principles of the present invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant arts to make and use the invention.
Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments set forth herein; exemplary embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, a reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be taken in a limiting sense.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the present invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage, or mode of operation.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The following detailed description includes the best currently contemplated mode or modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely to illustrate the general principles of the invention since the scope of the invention will be best defined by the allowed claims of any resulting patent.
Disclosed is a ride-on and a zero-turn apparatus for mowing grass and pressure surface cleaning while recovering dirty water and simultaneously discharging the dirty water to a holding tank. The disclosed riding apparatus can be used for pressure surface cleaning using hot water, cold water, normal water, and/or steam. When not used for pressure surface cleaning, the disclosed riding apparatus can be used for mowing grass. Similarly, the disclosed riding apparatus can be used for pressure-cleaning hard surfaces. This greatly increases the utility of the disclosed riding apparatus making it versatile and cost effective.
Referring to
Instead of right and left levers, the disclosed riding apparatus may include a steering wheel, similar to the one used in cars and the like. A joystick can also be used for steering the riding apparatus. Also, more than one steering mechanism can be incorporated into the riding apparatus which can be interchangeably used. It is to be noted that any steering mechanism is within the scope of the present invention. Also, a control panel that includes different controls for operating the riding apparatus can be provided near the chair, so that it is within reach of the operator sitting on the seat and operating the riding apparatus. The control panel may include the ignition switch or a turn on & off switch. The control panel may also include a PTO button for engaging the deck pulleys to a power transmission mechanism. The control panel may also have a throttle control for speeding up the motor. The riding apparatus may also include means to raise and lower the deck, and the control for operating the same can be provided near the seat. The riding apparatus may include a hydrostatic transmission driven by a hydraulic pump. The apparatus may include a fuel tank, battery, and like components known to be used in an automobile.
The apparatus has a vertical shaft gasoline motor that powers the hydraulic pump and the deck pulleys. It is to be noted that any other means to drive the riding apparatus and the deck pulley is within the scope of the present invention. The deck pulleys are operably coupled to the spindles on the deck for rotating the mower blades.
Improvements according to the present invention relate to the spindle. The spindle includes a vertical hole 250 drilled in the shaft from the top end of the shaft up to a bottom portion that is just above the mower blades coupled to the spindle or above the bottom threaded portion 240. A horizontal hole 260 traverses through the shaft and the vertical hole, near the end of the vertical hole. The horizontal hole may have one opening forming a T-shape path in the shaft. Or preferably the horizontal hole completely traverses through the shaft and the vertical hole forming a T-shape path.
A top-end portion 270 of the shaft, above the top ribbed portion 230, can be tapped and threaded. A high-pressure swivel 300, shown in
Referring to
The length of the long arm can correspond to the length of the blade 420. When the L-shaped pipe is installed, the long arm extends up to near the tip of the blade 420 and the short arm extends downwards towards the blade 420. For example, the long arm can extend up to one inch from the tip of the blade 420. A hole can be made in the blade 420 for the distal end of the pipe to pass through. The long arm extends perpendicular to the shaft and parallel to the blade, and then the short arm extends downwards passing through the hole in the blade. The short arm may snugly fit into the hole. It is to be understood that a single pipe can be bent to form the L-shape, or two pieces of pipe can be coupled using an elbow joint. The pipe can be a quarter-inch steel pipe.
The distal end of the L-shaped pipe can also be threaded for coupling a high-pressure nozzle 430. It is understood that any means other than threads for coupling the high-pressure nozzle to the distal end of the L-shaped pipe is within the scope of the present invention.
In a case, where the horizontal hole passes through the shaft resulting in two holes, and a T-shaped path is formed, a second L-shaped pipe 412 can be coupled to the second opening of the horizontal hole in the shaft and installed similarly to the first L-shaped pipe 410. The second L-shaped pipe can be installed on another part of the blade, as shown in the drawings. Thus, the long arms of the two L-shaped pipes 410 and 412 align parallel to a longitudinal axis of the blade. A second nozzle 432 can be coupled to the distal end of the L-shaped pipe 412.
In certain implementations, the hole can be drilled in the middle of each half part of the blade. The blade is divided into two halves at the point of mounting to the shaft. Two nozzles extend downwards from the blade. High-pressure water or steam from the T-shape path can eject from the two nozzles for pressure surface cleaning. Since the blade is driven by the motor through the drive pulley, there is no need to angle the nozzles. Because the two nozzles point straight down, a significant increase in the cleaning efficiency was observed. It was found that the cleaning efficiency improved by over 50% when compared to conventional surface cleaners. It is to be noted that one or more than one nozzle is within the scope of the present invention.
The apparatus may further include a pressure washer pump 495 as a source of high-pressure water for pressure surface cleaning. For example, a minimum of 4 gallons per minute @3000 psi pressure washer pump can be used. It is to be noted that any external pressure washer pump can be used with the apparatus, and any such pressure washer pump is within the scope of the present invention. This riding apparatus can be driven by an operator for pressure surface cleaning at a higher rate of speed. Because of the novel architecture, the apparatus may use 80% less water for pressure surface cleaning compared to conventional pressure surface cleaners.
The disclosed riding apparatus has the advantage of improved cleaning, less water wastage, reducing the fatigue factor, and reducing the amount of water pollution because the nozzles are turning faster and are pointed straight down.
The riding apparatus may further include a hose management system 150. The hose management system can be coupled to the rear of the chassis of the riding apparatus. A hose from the high-pressure pump can be attached to the hose management system. The free end of the hose can include a quick connect coupler 490 for attaching to the hose management system. The structure and functioning quick-connect couplers are well known for use in surface cleaners.
The hose management system connects the hose from the high-pressure hose to another hose 452 of the hose management system 150. This hose 452 passes through a pipe that is about 2½ feet long, 1 1/12 inches in diameter and has a 6-inch 90-degree radius bent in it. This pipe will fit in a saddle or a larger pipe that is bolted to the back of the chassis of the apparatus. The hose will attach to 5000 PSI half-in ball valve 440 via a ⅜ quick-connect nipple. The ball valve 440 can be mounted via bolts to a side of the control panel 480, so the operator has easy access to turn it on and off at his discretion. The high-pressure hose 310 can go from the discharge side of the ball valve to the high-pressure fitting on the deck swivel. This is how high-pressure water can get to high-pressure nozzles on the blades. This hose management system can swivel 180 degrees as the riding apparatus turns so that it lets the hose stay off the ground and will not allow the rear wheels to run over the hose.
Referring to
When the riding apparatus is not in use, or to be used for mowing grass, the nozzles on the blades can be removed and the openings can be plugged in by a cap. For example, a ¼ inch hex head can be screwed in place of the nozzles. The high-pressure swivel on top of the spindle can also be unfastened and the opening can be capped using a ¼ inch hex head plug. The hose from the pressure washer pump can also be removed from the hose management system. The quick-connect couplers allow quick and easy removal of the hose from the hose management system.
The hose management system can also be lifted out of its saddle. This will allow operators to freely mow grass until the operator needs to clean hard flat surfaces. This process of transforming from mower to drivable surface cleaner with a hose management system requires two wrenches, a 1⅜ inch boxed-in wrench, and one 9/16-inch opened end wrench, and takes only a few minutes to retrofit.
The riding apparatus may also include an additional power take-off (PTO). A higher horsepower motor can also be used to support the mower functions as well as power a generator 220-110 V- and 20-amp service. The generator can allow adding multiple additional features to the riding apparatus. For example, a specially designed electric vacuum system with a squeegee can be towed behind a riding apparatus which can pick up water, dirt, oils, etc., while cleaning, and can pump them out to a holding tank simultaneously. This vacuum system can retrieve 95% of the liquids preventing them from going down the storm sewer, thus preventing pollution. An electric edger for edging a yard can also be added. An electric weedwhacker and an electric blower can also be added.
Typically, in a gasoline vertical shaft powered mower, a fan is mounted on the top of the armature of the motor, which is held in place by a bolt screwed into the top of the crankshaft of the motor. Improvements are made by extending the crank, for example, by adding a 1-inch keyed steel shaft approximately 9 to 10 inches long. On one end can be a machine to match the bolt that holds the fan in place on top of the crankshaft so this shaft can be screwed onto the top of the crank. This will allow one to place a pulley that has blades in it, so when the motor is running, it will suck outside air and force it into the fan on the motor so as not to impede airflow. This pulley will allow for powering a generator via a belt drive system (clutch generator to turn on/off) giving 220 V 20-amp service and two 120-volt outlets.
The invention is advantageous in that the cleaning efficiency is improved by 50% because of the nozzle's orientation. Water consumption and thus pollution can be significantly reduced. The laborious task of pressure surface cleaning can be made easy and quick, significantly eliminating the fatigue factor from pushing the machine and dragging a high-pressure hose. The operator remains at a good distance from the area being cleaned and thus does not get wet. The vacuumed water is discharged to the holding tank in near real-time, and this water can be recycled.
Noise is significantly reduced in comparison to a twenty-five-horsepower gasoline-operated vacuum blower with hundreds of feet of vac hose and vac hose reels and huge trailers and trucks for transporting heavy equipment. A single operator can operate the disclosed riding apparatus, thus saving labor costs. The riding apparatus can include additional features like an electric edger that can be operated from the driver's seat, a weed whacker that can be used from the driver's seat, blowers that can be used from the driver's seat, and many more features that can be added.
It is to be noted that the disclosed riding apparatus can be used for surface cleaning using cold water, hot water, and steam, and thus any reference to liquid, water, or steam for surface cleaning, using the disclosed riding apparatus, refers to the use of cold water, hot water, or steam.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
This application claims priority from a U.S. Provisional Patent Application. No. 63/586,239, filed on Sep. 28, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63586239 | Sep 2023 | US |
