The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 16, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 23, 2006
Benjamin A. Street, Northfield, MN (US);
David J. Scherbring, Savage, MN (US);
Benjamin A. Street, Northfield, MN (US);
David J. Scherbring, Savage, MN (US);
The Toro Company, Bloomington, MN (US);
Abstract
A sand grooming vehicle comprises a vehicle having zero radius turn capability. The vehicle includes a front caster wheel, two independently driven rear wheels, and twin control sticks for allowing spin turning of the vehicle by driving the outboard drive wheel and stopping or reversing the inboard wheel. A trailing brush rake is towed behind the vehicle to groom the sand. The brush rake includes a center brush and two pivotal side brushes connected to opposite ends of the center brush. The pivots connecting the side brushes and the center brush are elevated above the plane of engagement of the bristles of the side brushes and the sand. Thus, during a spin turn of the vehicle, the side brush on the inside of the turn lifts to avoid pushing a ridge of sand behind that side brush. This permits the vehicle and the brush rake to groom the sand surface without leaving any ungroomed teardrops at the inside of turns and without leaving ridges of sand on the sand surface.