The Toro Company

Red Devil Equipment Company

Aaron Y Curtis

Thomas Midas

Khari S Clarke

Brent Thomas Harrold

Benjamin M Johnson

Philip C Dretzka

Daniel A Phipps

Alexander Steven Frick

Kevin D Docken

Stephen Carlson

Daniel Richard Schulz

Aaron A Hernandez

Charles Ringhofer

Chris A Wadzinski

Jason Thomas Kraft

Ryan J Volovsek

Nicholas J Wersal

Peter M Arendt

Oszkar Rohosy

A handle assembly for an autonomous vehicle such as a lawn mower is provided and may include a cradle adapted to receive a mobile computer. The handle assembly may be configured in both an autonomous mode position and a manual mode position. The vehicle may operate autonomously when the handle assembly is in the autonomous mode position, and be adapted to move under manual operator control, e.g., for perimeter training, when the handle assembly is in the manual mode position.

Handle assembly for autonomous vehicle

A system for use with an autonomous working machine such as a robotic lawn mower. The system may allow communication (directly or indirectly) between the machine and a gate or other barrier opening to allow unattended or remotely-controlled passage of the machine through the gate. In some embodiments, the mower may include a vision system operable to detect unknown objects within an area adjacent to the gate.

Barrier passage system for autonomous working machine

Apparatus, systems, and methods for operating an autonomous vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle can include a mower having a cutting deck. The deck can include an upper wall and downwardly extending sidewalls forming a cutting chamber. The vehicle may include a cutting blade assembly contained within the cutting chamber. A distance between the cutting blade assembly and a trim edge of the mower deck can be changed.

Systems and methods for operating a robotic machine in an autonomous mode and a manual mode

Base station

Lawnmower shell

An autonomous vehicle (e.g., mower) includes two or more wheels supporting a chassis upon a ground surface. A cutting motor powers at least one cutting blade, and a cutting frame supports the cutting motor relative to the chassis. The cutting frame is movable, relative to the chassis, to allow adjustment of a height-of-cut of the cutting blade relative to the ground surface. First and second guide rods are operatively attached to the chassis and are received within corresponding first and second apertures of the cutting frame to guide movement of the cutting frame. Biased bearings associated with the cutting frame may bias associated bearing members against the guide rods.

Autonomous mower with adjustable cutting height

Wheel

A control system for a ground working vehicle. The control system may include a handle assembly including a handle member extending upwardly and rearwardly from a chassis of the vehicle. The control system may also include a speed control apparatus including a control grip operably connected to, and translatable along, the handle member. Translation of the control grip may activate a transmission to move the chassis in the forward direction when the control grip is translated downwardly along the handle member towards the chassis. Further, the control system may include a lockout apparatus movably attached to a handle member. The lockout apparatus may be adapted to selectively and physically restrict movement of the control grip relative to the handle member.

Propulsion control lockout and ground working vehicle incorporating same

A gyroscopic paint mixer having a rotatable frame with a clamp lock providing automatic transfer from an unclamping to a clamping condition, providing silent operation through the use of one way clutches, the mixer also having a vertical stop apparatus coupled to an access door for stopping and holding the rotatable frame in an upright position, the mixer also having a bail retainer supported by a carriage assembly mounted for rotation on a clamp plate with a cam urging the bail retainer to the side of the frame when the bail retainer is released from the paint container with the paint container in an upright position in the rotatable frame.

Multi-size mixer

A vortex motion paint mixing machine having a paint container holder spinning and orbiting in a paint mixing assembly pivotally connected to a base, one or more viscoelastic polymer dampers and a control arm. A method of damping vibration in a paint mixing machine by: a) providing a receptacle for receiving one of a cylindrical or a non-cylindrical paint container on a mixing assembly; b) pivotally mounting the mixing assembly on a base; c) providing one or more viscoelastic vibration dampers between the mixing assembly and the base; d) connecting the mixing assembly and the base with a control arm; e) rotating a paint container in the receptacle in a spinning motion about an axis of the receptacle and in an orbiting motion about an axis separate from the axis of the receptacle; and f) damping vibration between the mixing assembly and the base using the viscoelastic vibration damper.

Vortex motion paint mixing machine

An improved suspension apparatus and method for damping vibration arising in liquid vortex mixers of the type pivotably supporting a mixing frame assembly and suspending the assembly by at least one spring for mixing a liquid coating using both spin and orbital rotational movements. A pivoting support is located between the mixing frame assembly and a base. A damper in the form of an annular ring is used to damp pivoting movement of the mixing frame assembly. Various pivoting mounts may be used to pivotably support the mixing frame on a base. A bushing provides accommodation of a misaligned spring mounting end turn using a V-groove to retain the spring mounting end turn, and may include an eccentric feature to allow adjustment of the spring mounting length.

Mixer suspension

This invention provides an adapter for holding small paint containers in a paint mixer sized to hold a large paint container. The adapter has first and second shells or members that are attached to each other by a hinge. The adapter is opened to hold a small paint container inside the two shells and the shells are held together with a spring clip when the shells of the adapter are closed.

Adapter for paint mixers

A gyroscopic paint mixer having a ratcheting lead screw paint container clamp and lock with a pawl releasably engaging an axial relief in the lead screw. A clamping frame is driven by a shaft maintained in concentricity with a stationary ring gear by an antifriction bearing mounted between the shaft and ring gear. A support plate has a peripheral lip forming a first recess sized to position either a generally square paint container or a generally D-shaped paint container. The support plate has a second recess to position a cylindrical paint container concentric to a spin axis.

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Aaron Y Curtis