Electric motor for outdoor power equipment

Abstract

A lawn mower includes a chassis supporting a wheel, a cutting deck supported by the chassis and defining a cutting chamber, a battery supported by the chassis, and a chore motor electrically coupled to the battery. The chore motor includes a housing with a coil assembly, a rotor, and a drive shaft extending out of the housing. The chore motor is attached to the cutting deck so that at least a portion of the housing and the drive shaft are positioned in the cutting chamber. The lawn mower further includes a blade coupled to the drive shaft so that the blade rotates within the cutting chamber when the chore motor rotates the drive shaft, and a spring washer coupled between the drive shaft and the blade. Relative rotation between the blade and the drive shaft occurs in response to a torque on the blade exceeding a threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lawn mower comprising:
 a chassis supporting a wheel;   a cutting deck supported by the chassis, the cutting deck defining a cutting chamber;   a battery supported by the chassis;   a chore motor electrically coupled to the battery, the chore motor including a housing with a coil assembly, a rotor, and a drive shaft extending out of the housing, the chore motor attached to the cutting deck so that at least a portion of the housing and the drive shaft are positioned in the cutting chamber;   a blade coupled to the drive shaft so that the blade rotates within the cutting chamber when the chore motor rotates the drive shaft; and   a spring washer coupled between the drive shaft and the blade, wherein relative rotation between the blade and the drive shaft occurs in response to a torque on the blade exceeding a threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The lawn mower of  claim 1 , wherein the chore motor is in communication with a motor controller, the motor controller being positioned adjacent the cutting deck and outside the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The lawn mower of  claim 2 , wherein the chore motor includes a wired connection extending between the chore motor and the motor controller, the motor controller configured to adjust a flow of electrical power between the battery and the chore motor to adjust an operating parameter of the chore motor. 
     
     
         4 . The lawn mower of  claim 3 , wherein the motor controller is configured to alternate a direction of rotation of the rotor, drive shaft, and blade by adjusting the flow of electrical current between the battery and the chore motor. 
     
     
         5 . The lawn mower of  claim 1 , wherein the chore motor is in communication with a motor controller, the motor controller being positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The lawn mower of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the chore motor is defined by a lower housing and a motor cover removably coupled to the lower housing. 
     
     
         7 . The lawn mower of  claim 6 , wherein the lower housing extends into the cutting chamber. 
     
     
         8 . A lawn mower comprising:
 a chassis supporting a wheel;   a cutting deck supported by the chassis, the cutting deck defining a cutting chamber;   a battery supported by the chassis;   a chore motor electrically coupled to the battery, the chore motor including a housing with a coil assembly, a rotor, and a drive shaft extending out of the housing, the chore motor attached to the cutting deck so that at least a portion of the housing and the drive shaft are positioned in the cutting chamber;   a blade coupled to the drive shaft so that the blade rotates within the cutting chamber when the chore motor rotates the drive shaft; and   a spring washer coupled between the drive shaft and the blade, wherein the drive shaft decouples from the blade in response to an impact force on the blade exerting a torque on the blade that exceeds a threshold value.   
     
     
         9 . The lawn mower of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold value is at least partially determined by the spring washer. 
     
     
         10 . The lawn mower of  claim 8 , wherein the chore motor is in communication with a motor controller. 
     
     
         11 . The lawn mower of  claim 10 , wherein the motor controller is positioned adjacent to the cutting deck and outside the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The lawn mower of  claim 10 , wherein the motor controller is positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The lawn mower of  claim 10 , wherein the chore motor includes a wired connection extending between the chore motor and the motor controller, the motor controller configured to adjust a flow of electrical power between the battery and the chore motor to adjust an operating parameter of the chore motor. 
     
     
         14 . The lawn mower of  claim 13 , wherein the motor controller is configured to alternate a direction of rotation of the rotor, drive shaft, and blade by adjusting the flow of electrical current between the battery and the chore motor. 
     
     
         15 . The lawn mower of  claim 8 , wherein the housing of the chore motor is defined by a lower housing and a motor cover removably coupled to the lower housing. 
     
     
         16 . The lawn mower of  claim 14 , wherein the lower housing extends into the cutting chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A lawn mower comprising:
 a chassis supporting a wheel;   a cutting deck supported by the chassis, the cutting deck defining a cutting chamber;   a battery supported by the chassis;   a chore motor electrically coupled to the battery, the chore motor including a housing and a drive shaft, the chore motor being attached to the cutting deck so that at least a portion of the housing and the drive shaft are positioned in the cutting chamber, wherein the housing includes a lower housing and a motor cover removably coupled to the lower housing;   a blade coupled to the drive shaft so that the blade rotates within the cutting chamber when the chore motor rotates the drive shaft; and   a spring washer coupled between the drive shaft and the blade, wherein relative rotation between the blade and the drive shaft occurs in response to a torque on the blade exceeding a threshold value.   
     
     
         18 . The lawn mower of  claim 17 , wherein the chore motor is in communication with a motor controller, the motor controller being positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The lawn mower of  claim 18 , wherein the chore motor includes a wired connection extending between the chore motor and the motor controller, the motor controller configured to adjust a flow of electrical power between the battery and the chore motor to adjust an operating parameter of the chore motor. 
     
     
         20 . The lawn mower of  claim 19 , wherein the motor controller is configured to alternate a direction of rotation of the rotor, drive shaft, and blade by adjusting the flow of electrical current between the battery and the chore motor.