Concrete trowel

Abstract

A concrete trowel including: a frame; a handle assembly extending from the frame for controlling the concrete trowel; a plurality of rotors coupled to the frame, each of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of blades; a drive assembly mounted to the frame including a plurality of motors, each mounted to a respective rotor of the plurality of rotors, operable to provide torque to the plurality of rotors to rotate the plurality of rotors about respective rotational axes; and a steering control system mounted on the handle assembly configured to selectively adjust the torque provided to one or more of the plurality of rotors and/or a rotational direction of one or more of plurality of rotors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A concrete trowel comprising:
 a frame;   a handle assembly extending from the frame for controlling the concrete trowel;   a plurality of rotors coupled to the frame, each of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of blades;   a drive assembly mounted to the frame including a plurality of motors, each mounted to a respective rotor of the plurality of rotors, operable to provide torque to the plurality of rotors to rotate the plurality of rotors about respective rotational axes; and   a steering control system mounted on the handle assembly configured to selectively adjust the torque provided to one or more of the plurality of rotors and/or a rotational direction of one or more of plurality of rotors.   
     
     
         2 . The concrete trowel of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of motors is an electric motor, and wherein the concrete trowel further comprises a battery pack supported on the frame and in selective electrical communication with the plurality of motors to provide electrical power to the plurality of motors. 
     
     
         3 . The concrete trowel of  claim 2 , wherein the steering control system further comprises
 a left-hand lever for electrically communicating with the plurality of motors to selectively adjust a speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to move the concrete trowel in a left direction.   
     
     
         4 . The concrete trowel of  claim 3 , wherein the steering control system further comprises
 a right-hand lever for electrically communicating with the plurality of motors to selectively adjust the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to move the concrete trowel in a right direction.   
     
     
         5 . The concrete trowel of  claim 4 , wherein the left-hand lever, the right-hand lever, or a combination thereof are operable to increase the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors. 
     
     
         6 . The concrete trowel of  claim 5 , wherein the left-hand lever, the right-hand lever, or a combination thereof are operable to decrease the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors. 
     
     
         7 . The concrete trowel of  claim 1 , wherein the steering control system is further configured to change the rotational direction of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to propel the concrete trowel in a forward or reverse direction. 
     
     
         8 . The concrete trowel of  claim 7 , wherein the steering control system is operable to selectively rotate the plurality of rotors clockwise, counterclockwise, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A concrete trowel comprising:
 a frame;   a handle assembly extending from the frame for controlling the concrete trowel;   a plurality of rotors coupled to the frame, each of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of blades;   a drive assembly mounted to the frame including a motor operable to simultaneously provide torque to the plurality of rotors to rotate the plurality of rotors about respective rotational axes;   a steering control system mounted on the handle assembly configured to selectively adjust the torque provided to one or more of the plurality of rotors and/or a rotational direction of one or more of plurality of rotors.   
     
     
         10 . The concrete trowel of  claim 9 , wherein the motor is an electric motor, and wherein the concrete trowel further comprises a battery pack supported on the frame and in selective electrical communication with the motor to provide electrical power to the motor. 
     
     
         11 . The concrete trowel of  claim 10 , wherein the steering control system further comprises
 a left-hand lever for electrically communicating with the motor to selectively adjust a speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to move the concrete trowel in a left direction.   
     
     
         12 . The concrete trowel of  claim 11 , wherein the steering control system further comprises
 a right-hand lever for electrically communicating with the motor to selectively adjust the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to move the concrete trowel in a right direction.   
     
     
         13 . The concrete trowel of  claim 12 , wherein the left-hand lever, the right-hand lever, or a combination thereof are operable to increase the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors. 
     
     
         14 . The concrete trowel of  claim 13 , wherein the left-hand lever, the right-hand lever, or a combination thereof are operable to decrease the speed of the one or more of the plurality of rotors. 
     
     
         15 . The concrete trowel of  claim 9 , wherein the steering control system is further configured to change the rotational direction of the one or more of the plurality of rotors to propel the concrete trowel in a forward and a reverse direction. 
     
     
         16 . The concrete trowel of  claim 15 , wherein the steering control system is operable to selectively rotate the plurality of rotors clockwise, counterclockwise, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A concrete trowel comprising:
 a frame;   a handle assembly extending from the frame for controlling the concrete trowel;   a plurality of rotors coupled to the frame, each of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of blades;   a drive assembly mounted to the frame including a plurality of motors, each mounted to a respective rotor of the plurality of rotors, operable to provide torque to the plurality of rotors to rotate the plurality of rotors about respective rotational axes; and   a steering control system mounted on the handle assembly to selectively adjust an orientation of the frame relative to a work surface in a plurality of different directions to adjust a pressure applied by the plurality of blades against the work surface to steer the concrete trowel along the work surface.   
     
     
         18 . The concrete trowel of  claim 17 , wherein the handle assembly includes a post extending obliquely from the frame and handlebars coupled to the post, wherein the post is fixed to the frame. 
     
     
         19 . The concrete trowel of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of different directions includes a forward direction and a rearward direction, and wherein the steering control system further comprises:
 A left-hand lever for biasing the frame and the plurality of blades in the forward direction to move the concrete trowel leftward; and   a right-hand lever for biasing the frame and the plurality of blades in a rearward direction to move the concrete trowel rightward.   
     
     
         20 . The concrete trowel of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of motors is an electric motor, and wherein the concrete trowel further comprises a battery pack supported on the frame and in selective electrical communication with the plurality of motors to provide electrical power to the plurality of motors.