Internal Combustion Engine Traction Drive With Electric Cutting Unit Drive For Walking Greens Mower

Abstract

A walk-behind greens mower having a mobile structure and a ground engaging traction member rotatably coupled to the mobile structure. The ground engaging traction member imparts traction movement to the mobile structure for movement on the ground at a ground speed. An internal combustion engine is supported on the mobile structure and outputs a driving force to the ground engaging traction member. A bed knife is supported by the mobile structure having a cutting edge that cooperates with a grass cutting reel rotatably supported on the mobile structure. An electric motor supported on the mobile structure rotatably driving the grass cutting reel at a rotational speed that can vary depending upon the detected ground speed.

1 . A mower, comprising: 
 a frame;    a lawn roller mounted to the frame;    an engine mounted on the frame for outputting a driving force to the lawn roller;    a mowing unit operably connected to the engine and including a reel having a plurality of cutting blades in cutting relationship with a bed knife;    an electric motor supported by the mowing unit for driving the reel;    a controller electrically coupled to the electric motor;    a plurality of ground engaging rollers coupled to the electric motor and reel; and    a sensor configured to detect rotational speed of at least one of the lawn roller and the ground engaging rollers to output a detection signal to the controller for determining the drive speed of the mower.    
     
     
         2 . The mower of  claim 1 , wherein the controller varies a rotational speed of the electric motor based on the received detection signal to vary a clip rate of the reel.  
     
     
         3 . The mower of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a switch for selectively energizing the electric motor to selectively drive the reel of the mowing unit.  
     
     
         4 . The mower of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a generator operably coupled to engine for powering the electric motor in response to engine operation.    
     
     
         5 . The mower of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a battery coupled to the frame and configured to power the electric motor in lieu of or in combination with the generator.    
     
     
         6 . The mower of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a battery coupled to the frame and configured to output electricity to the electric motor.