SE2251348A1

SE2251348A1 - Elektrisk åkgräsklippare

Info

Publication number: SE2251348A1
Application number: SE2251348A
Authority: SE
Inventors: James Cameron; Paolo Zonta
Original assignee: Stiga S P A In Breve Anche St S P A
Priority date: 2021-11-26
Filing date: 2022-11-16
Publication date: 2023-05-27
Also published as: FR3129565A3; IT202100005555U1; DE202022106576U1

Abstract

A riding lawnmower provided with at least one blade (3) for cutting grass, moved by an electric engine and a traction device comprising a further electric engine, is described. The riding lawnmower comprises a supply device (5) for said electric engines which comprises at least one battery pack (55) arranged in at least one specific battery container (50) and removable therefrom; the lawnmower comprises a frame (6) and a seat (4) and said at least one container is arranged below the seat and is fastened to the lawnmower frame so that the removal direction (DB) of the at least one battery pack is inclined by a given angle (a) with respect to an axis (X) parallel to the rotation axis of the wheels (2) of the lawnmower.

Description

The present finding relates to an electric riding lawnmower.

Riding lawnmowers provided with an electric engine for moving one or more blades for cutting grass and an electric engine for moving the lawnmower are known from the prior art; said electric engines usually are controlled by a single control unit and supplied by a battery pack.

For the most part, the battery pack of current riding lawnmowers is arranged in the rear part of the lawnmower so as to be easily recharged by a power socket extemal to the lawnmower.

In certain lawnmowers, the batteries may also be removed for the replacement thereof. EP 3714679 describes a riding lawnmower provided with a battery pack mounted on the central frame in the rear part of the lawnmower. Some of the batteries of the battery pack are removable and may be used to electrically supply another tool.

However, the arrangement of the batteries in the central part results in a certain inconvenience for the removal thereof by the lawnmower user.

The batteries used to electrically supply the lawnmower are further subject to heating, and excessive heating may cause damage to the batteries themselves and to the lawnmower.

To avoid this, the electric riding lawnmowers currently used are provided with a fan for cooling all the batteries; however, the use of one fan alone does not allow effective cooling of all the batteries.

In view of the prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide an electric riding lawnmower which is different from the known ones.

According to the present invention, said object is achieved by a riding lawnmower provided with at least one blade for cutting grass that is moved by an electric engine and a traction device comprising a further electric engine, said riding lawnmower comprising a supply device for said electric engines which comprises at least one battery pack arranged in at least one specif1c battery container and removable therefrom, said lawnmower comprising a frame and a seat and said at least one container being fastened to the frame and being arranged below said seat, characterized in that said at least one container is fastened to the lawnmower frame so that the removal direction of the at least one battery pack is inclined by a given angle with respect to an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the lawnmower wheels.

The features and the advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a riding lawnmower according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the riding lawnmower in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top view of the riding lawnmower in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front view of the riding lawnmower in Figure 1; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the battery containment apparatus; Figure 6 is a front view of a part of the apparatus in Figure 5, with closed door; Figure 7 is a front view of the apparatus in Figure 6, with open door; Figure 8 is a sectional view along line VIII-VIII of the apparatus in Figure 6; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus in Figure 8; Figures 10 and 11 are sectional views along lines X-X and XI-XI of the apparatus in Figure 8 with closed door; Figure 12 is a sectional view along line XII-XII of the apparatus in Figure 8; Figure 13 is a view of the battery pack used in the apparatus in Figure 7; Figure 14 is a front view of the lawnmower in Figure 1; Figure 15 is a bottom view of the battery pack in Figure 13; Figure 16 is a sectional view along line XVI-XVI of the battery pack in Figure 15; Figure 17 shows a sectional view similar to the one in Figure 1 1, but with the battery pack inserted and door open; Figures 18 and 19 diagrammatically show the airflow in the battery pack arranged in the apparatus in Figure 7.

Figures 1-4 show a riding lawnmower 1 according to the present invention. The lawnmower is of the electric type, that is, it does not have heat engines, and comprises at least one cutting blade 3 (diagrammatically indicated in the drawings) moved by an electric engine 31, and a traction device for moving the wheels 2 comprising an electric engine 21; the electric engines are supplied by a battery-operated supply apparatus 5 arranged below the seat 4 of the riding lawnmower 1 and supported by a frame 6 of the lawnmower. A control unit (not shown in the drawings) for managing said electric engines 31 and 21 preferably is provided.

As better shown in Figures 5-19, the battery-operated supply apparatus 5 comprises at least one battery container 50 fastened to a longitudinal bar 61 of frame 6 of the lawnmower, and preferably a pair of battery containers 50 fastened to a pair of longitudinal bars 61 of frame 6 of the lawnmower.

As better shown in Figure 5, each container 50 comprises at least one compartment 51, but preferably two compartments 51, for accommodating a pair of battery supports 52. Preferably, a filter 53 is arranged in the rear part of each compartment 52, the filter therefore being between the rear walls of compartment 51 and of the battery support 52; filter 53 is adapted to filter the air originating from the battery support 52.

Each battery support 52 comprises a fan 54 arranged in the rear wall of the battery support 52 and adapted to draw the air present in support 52.

Each battery support 52 comprises a compartment able to receive therein a battery pack 55 (Figures 13, 15-17), for example lithium batteries with high amperage to allow the suitable electric supply of the engine to move the lawnmower (not shown in the drawings) and at least one cutting blade 3 and to supply the control and display devices as well as all the other conventional devices of a current riding lawnmower.

The supports 52 are completely insertable in the compartments 51 of container 50 and each battery pack 55 is completely inserted in support 52 so that the rear part thereof is adjacent to the rear wall of support 52 where the fan 54 is fastened, as better shown in Figures 9 and 11.

Each container 50 is then closed by a door 56 hinged to the bottom wall of container 50 and easily openable by pressure on the same door 56, as better shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The riding lawnmower 1 is provided with a particular cooling apparatus 100 for the batteries, which comprises elements already mentioned above. Each fan 54 of each support 52 draws air originating from the outside through the slits 57 of the door 56 of the container 50, thus creating an airﬂow 60 inside the battery-operated supply apparatus 5. The air drawn by fan 54 crosses the support 52 which receives the battery pack 55 to cool the same by ambient air originating from the outside, as visible in Figures 11, 18 and 19. The air originating from the slits 57 is cleaner than the air originating from the part of the riding lawnmower with the cutting blade 3.

For improved cooling of the battery pack 55, each support 52 is provided with a cavity 59 on the bottom of the support, not occupied by the battery pack when the battery pack is inserted in the support, adapted to convey the air originating from the outside through the slits 57 of the door 56 and drawn by the fan 54 towards the bottom of the battery pack 55, as better shown in Figures 7-10. The bottom of the battery pack 55 has slits 559 which allow the airﬂow 60 to enter the battery pack 55 and cool the batteries, as better shown in Figures 12, 15-17.

Preferably, each support 52 is provided with a cavity 591 on the top of the support, not occupied by the battery pack when the battery pack is inserted in the support, able to convey the air originating from the outside by the slits 57 of the door 56 and drawn by fan 54, towards the top of the battery pack 55. The top of the battery pack 55 has slits 5591 which allow the airﬂow 60 to enter the battery pack 55 and cool the batteries.

For an even more improved cooling of the battery pack 55, each support 52 is provided with side windows 58 able to convey the air originating from the gap created between the compartments 52 and container 50, towards the side walls of the battery pack 55.

A step 521 in the side walls of support 52 is provided in each support 52, as better shown in Figure 9; said step 521 causes a longitudinal offset of the side walls so as to determine a smaller rear compartment and a larger front compartment in the inlet direction of the battery pack 55. When the battery pack 55 is arranged inside compartment 52, the presence of step 521 allows the airﬂow inlet through the slits of door 56 to be maximized since the front compartment is not entirely occupied by the battery pack 55, while the rear compartment is entirely occupied by the battery pack.

Airﬂow 60 originating from the outside through the slits 57 of door 56 enters the battery pack 55 for improved cooling of the batteries or cells 551 preferably arranged in the middle part of the battery pack 55.

To have a cleaner airﬂow 60 inlet from the slits 57 of door 56, a filter 557 is arranged adjacent to the inner part of door 56 and adapted to filter the ambient air entering support 52 from outside dust and more.

The air drawn by fan 54 is then discharged outside after Crossing filter 54. The preparation of a double containment compartment of the battery pack 55, given by the compartment 51 of container 50 and by support 52, allows an improved airﬂow inside container 50 for cooling the battery pack 55 since a gap is created between the compartments 5l and the supports 52 which promotes the airflow towards the battery pack 55 through the side windows 58.

The arrangement of the containers 50 in the riding lawnmower is inclined with respect to an axis X, which is parallel to the axis of the wheels 2 of the lawnmower, as better shown in Figure l4. Indeed, the containers 50 are fastened on frame 6 of the lawnmower below seat 4 and so that the removal direction DB of the battery packs 55 forrns an angle ot with axis X between 5° and 45°, preferably an angle of l0°. The removal direction DB of the battery packs 55 is always above axis X.

Moreover, each container 50 is arranged below seat 4 but so as to emerge from the vertical profile of seat 4 to facilitate the replacement of the battery packs 55 by the operator seated on the seat 4 itself.

The containers 50 preferably are arranged halfway along the length of lawnmower l. Preferably, the containers 50 are arranged at a given distance D from the seat, preferably between 250 mm and 300 mm, but even more preferably 288 mm such as to allow the lawnmower user to remove the battery pack 55 while remaining seated on seat 4 of the lawnmower; thereby, it is easier to open door 56 of each container 50 and it is easier to remove the battery pack 55 for possible replacement or other. Distance D is the distance between the lower part of seat 4 and the transverse plane P50 and passing through the top of container 50.

Claims

1.l. Riding lawnn1ower provided with at least one blade (3) for cutting grass moved by an electric engine (3 l) and a traction device con1prising a further electric engine (21), said riding lawnn1ower con1prising a supply device (5) for said electric engines which coniprises at least one battery pack (55) arranged in at least one specific battery container (5 0) and ren1ovable therefron1, said lawnn1ower con1prising a frame (6) and a seat (4) and said at least one container being fastened to the fran1e and being arranged below said seat, characterized in that said at least one container is fastened to the lawnn1ower fran1e so that the ren1oval direction (DB) of the at least one battery pack is inclined by a given angle (ot) with respect to an axis (X) parallel to the rotation axis of the wheels (2) of the lawnn1ower.

2. Lawnniower according to clain1 l, characterized in that said given angle is between 5° and 45°.

3. Lawnniower according to claini l, characterized in that said given angle is l0°.

4. Lawnniower according to clain1 l, characterized in that said at least one container is arranged below the seat (4) so as to enierge froni the vertical profile of the seat (4).

5. Lawnniower according to clain1 l, characterized in that said at least one container is arranged at a given distance (D) from the seat (4), said given distance being such to allow the lawnn1ower user to ren1ove said battery pack while ren1aining seated on said seat of the lawnn1ower.