Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Kevin D King

Christopher Wayne Vaughn

Jeffrey Allen Wians

Adam Hanes

Jason R Van Buren

Jorgen K Meister

An auger brake clutch and drive assembly and related methods for a power equipment device such as a snowblower are provided. In use with a snowblower, the auger brake clutch assembly and related methods can be used for driving both the auger and driven wheels of a snowblower. The auger brake clutch can include a transmission wheel rotatably movable for rotating at least one wheel with the transmission wheel having a contact surface. A drive pulley can be provided that has a drive surface. The drive pulley is rotatable and configured for causing the transmission wheel to rotate when the drive surface and the contact surface of the transmission wheel are in contact. An actuation plate is movable to move the drive pulley in and out of contact with the contact surface of the transmission wheel. A friction member can be provided to be selectively rotated by the drive pulley and configured to transfer the rotation to an output shaft, which can attach for example to at least one of an auger or blower blades.

Auger brake clutch and drive assembly and related methods

A snowblower can include a snowblower housing, an auger connected to the housing, at least one wheel attached to the housing, and a machine control component. The machine control component can be movable to selectively control the movement of the wheels relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. In particular, the machine control component can be movable to a disengaged position, in which the at least one wheel is positioned in the first position and the auger is raised above a ground surface. The machine control component can further be moved to an engaged position, in which the at least one wheel is positioned in the second position and the auger is operatively engaged with the ground surface.

Snowblower drive assist systems and methods

A shield apparatus for use with a powered vegetation trimmer of the type including a trimmer head assembly having an output shaft and a cutting mechanism rotatable with the output shaft. The shield apparatus is mounted coaxially about the output shaft between the cutting mechanism and a head portion of the head assembly. The shield includes first and second outer walls coaxially disposed about the axis of rotation of the output shaft. The first outer wall circumscribes at least a portion of the cutting element to define a distal annular gap. The second outer wall circumscribes at least a portion of the head portion of the head assembly to define a proximal annular gap. The shield isolates the output shaft from the area surrounding the cutting mechanism so as to prevent vegetative matter from contacting the output shaft, or at least minimize such contact.

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Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Kevin D King