Deere + Company

The Dow Chemical Company

Steven C Wasson

Richard D Teal

Wayne R Hutchison

David R Daniel

Jon M Patterson

Luis Lorenzo

Earl T Moore

Michael J Coffey

James Heinrich Weitz

Daniel R Nickles

Eugene Gary Hayes

Robert J Cleereman

Daniel A Sebben

Mansour Mirdamadi

Terry D Hardesty

Wayne Robert Hutchinson

Luis Lorenza

Robert K McIntyre

David A Skriba

Structure is provided for joining and bonding together two halves of a plastic upper body member which in turn are joined and bonded to a fiber reinforced lower member to comprise a monocoque vehicle assembly. The joint designs facilitate side-to-side and fore-and-aft alignment for quick and easy assembly of the upper body member to the lower member. Spacer surfaces are provided for controlling adhesive reservoirs between adjoining surfaces to facilitate positive bonding.

Monocoque body assembly

Vehicle body

A plastic monocoque body useful with small vehicles, such as lawn and garden tractors. A lower fiberglass reinforced plastic frame member is bonded to two upper body members to form a monocoque body. The assembly incorporates attaching, pivot and support structures for the engine, transaxle and drive wheels, steerable front wheels, steering mechanism, clutch and brake pedals and control linkages, shift and throttle controls and linkages, adjustable mower deck, adjustable seat and battery. Through utilizing the net shape manufacturing process, no metal skeleton is required, thereby reducing the expense and complexity of manufacture, assembly and paint operations.

Vehicle structure

A mechanism usable with a vehicle having a compartment for carrying a battery. The mechanism includes a cover shiftable in a first direction for generally enclosing the compartment. The cover includes latching member for securing the cover in a compartment enclosing position, and also includes an abutment structure for abutting the battery as the cover shifts in the first direction to enclose the compartment. The cover can be deflected further in the first direction to become latched in the compartment enclosing position with the battery in abutment with the abutment member. The latched and deflected cover acts to resiliently bias and press the battery into secure fixed position within the compartment.

Battery hold-down mechanism

A horizontally extending plate-like member having a power source, transaxle and belt arrangement coupled thereto. The member mounts the power source, transaxle, and belt arrangement to a vehicle frame, and establishes a lever arm between first and second coupling means for transferring relatively small concentrated loads to the vehicle frame. The power source, transaxle, belt arrangement and member can be removed from the vehicle frame for service as a single unit or module.

Engine and transaxle module

A mechanism for selectively adjusting the cutting height of a mower deck carried by a vehicle having a frame. A laterally extending lift handle formed of a plastic material is engagable by the hand of the operator, and is pivotally coupled with the vehicle for pivoting motion about a generally horizontal axis as the operator lifts the first end portion. A pair of laterally spaced and generally spherical sockets are formed integral with the lift handle between the lift handle's first and second end portions. Each socket pivotally supports a ball member. Link members are provided having first portions coupled with respective ball members, and second portions pivotally coupled with the mower deck for vertically shifting the deck relative to the vehicle as the lift handle pivots. A four bar linkage is coupled between the vehicle and the deck for maintaining the deck in a generally level position throughout the deck's vertical range of motion.

Mower deck lift handle mechanism

A plastic monocoque body assembly comprised of three pieces bonded toegther is provided for a lawn and garden-type vehicle. The body assembly incorporates hollow compartments to provide the frame-like strength necessary to withstand concentrated torsional and bending loads. Compartments are provided in the sides, center and front portions of the assembly with each compartment including walls comprised of at lest two of the three pieces which form the assembly.

A seat mechanism including a deflectable latch flap mechanism formed integrally with a first seat pan member. The latch flap engages an indexing means for selectively securing the seat in a desired longitudinal position. A guide mechanism is provided for longitudinally guiding foot portions coupled with the seat mechanism during seat position adjustment. Mating portions are provided that generally prevent the guide mechanism from shifting laterally with respect to the seat mechanism under the weight of the operator.

Vehicle seat mechanism

A seat mechanism including a switch flap mechanism formed integrally with a first seat pan member made of a plastic material. When an operator sits on the first seat pan member, the switch flap deflects downwardly under the weight of the operator. The switch flap deflects downwardly to engage a plunger switch mounted with a second seat pan member. When the plunger switch is depressed the vehicle components are shifted to an operative mode. An operator presence function is thereby served.

Seat switch mud flap activator integrally mounted to the seat

A mower deck within which a blade coupled with a vertical shaft rotates for cutting vegetation. The deck includes a generally horizontal central portion, and side walls downwardly extending from the central portion. The central portion and side walls form a compartment within which the blade rotates to cut vegetation. A vertically extending and generally cylindrical portion is formed integral with the central portion for operatively supporting the vertical shaft for rotation during mowing operation. Two bearings are positioned within the cylindrical portion for rotatably supporting the vertical shaft. A radially inwardly extending portion is formed within the cylindrical portion and is positioned between the bearings for vertically locating the bearings within the cylinder. The inwardly extending portion is formed integral with the cylindrical portion. The radially inwardly extending portion includes a plurality of vertically extending support ribs for vertically locating the bearings within the cylinder.

Mower deck

A seat assembly is provided for a lawn and garden tractor wherein a fuel tank is an integral component of the seat. A plastic fuel tank is sandwiched between an inner and an outer seat shell to provide a fuel tank which is easily accessible for maintenance and/or replacement. A fuel inlet is provided at the top portion of the seat back facilitating easy and convenient refueling of the tank. The elevated position of the fuel tank provides a head of fuel for vehicles not equipped with fuel pumps, reducing the likelihood of starvation as the vehicle is operated on hillsides and inclines.

Seat assembly with integral fuel tank

A rack and pinion steering mechanism for use with a vehicle having a frame, an operator station and steerable ground engaging wheels. The mechanism provides a steering wheel, a steering column, a pinion gear coupled with the steering column, and a rack gear plate member having an opening for receiving the pinion gear. The opening has a laterally extending toothed portion engagable with the pinion gear, and has laterally outward end portions engagable with the pinion gear for limiting the lateral shifting of the rack gear plate member. A support plate is coupled with the frame and is abuttable with the rack gear plate member for securing the rack gear plate member between the support plate and frame for maintaining the rack gear teeth in operative engagement with the pinion gear.

Rack and pinion steering mechanism

A mechanism for use with a vehicle having a power source and a transmission coupled with the power source. A shift lever coupled with the transmission is shiftable in a first direction within a first slot for selectively shifting the transmission between a neutral mode and driving modes. The shift lever is shiftable in a second direction within a second slot for blocking a brake mechanism in an engaged mode. An abutment mechanism is formed in a brake linkage and is abuttable with a portion of the shift lever when the shift lever has shifted into the second slot for blocking the brake linkage and brake mechanism from shifting into the disengaged mode.

Growing community of inventors

Midland, MI, United States of America

Steven C Wasson