IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,543,640
Granted Patent B2
US 12,543,640 · App. 17/885,457 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Lawnmower including electrostatic discharge

Inventors: Maxwell A. Casper (Jackson, WI); Shane McCue (Greenfield, WI); Daniel R. Ertl (Brookfield, WI); Caleb N. Hille (West Chester, OH); Adam A. Ostrowski (Milwaukee, WI); Benjamin F. Shaske (Pewaukee, WI); Tyler L. Graham (Milwaukee, WI); Christopher S. Bullington (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
A01D34/828A01D34/81B60R16/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,543,640
App. No.
17/885,457
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A walk-behind lawnmower includes a housing including a metal chassis, a handle coupled to the housing by support beams, a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack, a motor housed within the housing, a plurality of wheels attached to the housing, one or more cutting blades configured to be driven by the motor, and a skirt coupled to the metal chassis of the housing. The skirt is configured to provide a conductive path to discharge an electrostatic charge accumulated on the metal chassis.

Claims (27)

1 . A walk-behind lawnmower comprising:

a housing including a metal chassis;

a handle coupled to the housing by support beams;

a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack;

a motor housed within the housing;

one or more cutting blades configured to be driven by the motor; and

a skirt connected to the metal chassis of the housing, wherein the skirt is configured to provide a conductive path to discharge an electrostatic charge accumulated on the metal chassis, and wherein the conductive path comprises a rigid metal frame placed around a circumference of the skirt.

2 . The walk-behind lawnmower of claim 1 , wherein the skirt comprises a metalized plastic.

3 . The walk-behind lawnmower of claim 1 , wherein the skirt comprises a conductive polymer.

4 . A walk-behind lawnmower comprising:

a housing;

a handle coupled to the housing by support beams;

a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack; a motor housed within the housing;

one or more cutting blades configured to be driven by the motor; and

a skirt coupled to the housing, wherein the skirt includes a conductive path molded into an outer surface of the skirt, and the conductive path is configured to discharge an electrostatic charge accumulated on the housing;

wherein the conductive path comprises a first conductive path coupled to a first end of the skirt and a second conductive path coupled to a second end of the skirt spaced apart from the first end of the skirt, and wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path are separated by a non-conductive portion of the skirt.

5 . The walk-behind lawnmower of claim 4 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path includes a metal strip.

6 . The walk-behind lawnmower of claim 5 , wherein the metal strip is composed of one selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, brass, and gold.

7 . The walk-behind lawnmower of claim 4 , wherein the skirt is composed of a non-conductive material.

8 . A method of discharging electrostatic buildup of a walk-behind lawnmower, the lawnmower including a housing including a metal chassis, a motor housed within the housing, and a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack, the method comprising:

detecting, via a controller, actuation of an input device;

controlling, via the controller, the motor based on actuation of the input device; and

discharging, via a rear skirt connected to the metal chassis, an electrostatic buildup accumulated on the metal chassis of the lawnmower, wherein the rear skirt comprises a conductive path including a rigid metal frame placed around a circumference of the rear skirt.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the rear skirt comprises a metalized plastic.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the rear skirt comprises a conductive polymer.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the conductive path includes a metal strip.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the metal strip is composed of one selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, brass, and gold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: CASPER, MAXWELL A.; MCCUE, SHANE; ERTL, DANIEL R.; HILLE, CALEB N.; OSTROWSKI, ADAM A.; SHASKE, BENJAMIN F.; GRAHAM, TYLER L.; BULLINGTON, CHRISTOPHER S.
To: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066604/0727 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63231401 · Aug 10, 2021
Related Publication 20230051663A1 · Feb 16, 2023
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