IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,635,603
Granted Patent B2
US 12,635,603 · App. 18/172,914 · Granted May 26, 2026

Lawn mower

Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda (Akashi, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
A01D34/76A01D34/006A01D34/69A01D34/826A01D2101/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,635,603
App. No.
18/172,914
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lawn mower includes: a cutting blade motor that drives a cutting blade; a mode selector that selects one of modes including a normal lawn mowing mode and a grass removal mode in which grass accumulated at the cutting blade is brushed away; and processing circuitry configured to control the cutting blade motor in the mode selected by the mode selector. In the normal lawn mowing mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled so as to rotate in a normal rotation direction at a predetermined rotational frequency or with a predetermined torque. In the grass removal mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled such that the rotational frequency or torque of the cutting blade motor changes more significantly than the rotational frequency or torque of the cutting blade motor in the normal lawn mowing mode, or the cutting blade motor rotates in a reverse rotation direction.

Claims (37)

1 . A lawn mower comprising:

at least one cutting blade motor that drives a cutting blade;

a mode selector that selects one of modes by being operated by a driver, the modes including a lawn mowing mode and a grass removal mode in which grass accumulated at the cutting blade is brushed away;

a driving wheel;

a driving wheel motor that drives the driving wheel; and

processing circuitry configured to control the cutting blade motor in the mode selected by the mode selector, wherein:

in the lawn mowing mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled so as to rotate in a normal rotation direction at a predetermined rotational frequency or with a predetermined torque;

in the grass removal mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled such that a rotational frequency or a torque of the cutting blade motor pulsates, or the cutting blade motor rotates in a reverse rotation direction; and

when the lawn mowing mode is switched to the grass removal mode, the processing circuitry maintains the grass removal mode and stops or decelerates the driving wheel motor.

2 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein when a predetermined condition indicating that the grass has been accumulated at the cutting blade is satisfied, the processing circuitry outputs a warning signal.

3 . The lawn mower according to claim 2 , further comprising a cutting blade sensor that detects a current value of the cutting blade motor or the rotational frequency of the cutting blade motor, wherein:

the predetermined condition includes a condition that a detected value of the cutting blade sensor falls outside a predetermined allowable limit.

4 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein:

the modes further include a silent lawn mowing mode; and

in the silent lawn mowing mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled at a rotational frequency lower than the rotational frequency in the lawn mowing mode or with a torque lower than the torque in the lawn mowing mode.

5 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an input sensor that detects which of OFF and ON has been selected, wherein:

when the OFF is being selected, the processing circuitry controls the driving wheel motor to stop the driving wheel motor;

when a state where the OFF is being selected is changed to a state where the ON is being selected, the processing circuitry changes a control target value in a predetermined change pattern, the control target value being a target rotational frequency or a target torque of the driving wheel motor; and

in the predetermined change pattern, the control target value increases at a predetermined change rate with time, and when the control target value reaches a predetermined value, the control target value is maintained constant.

6 . The lawn mower according to claim 5 , wherein when the state where the ON is being selected is changed to the state where the OFF is being selected, the processing circuitry sets the control target value to zero.

7 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one cutting blade motor comprises cutting blade motors that drive corresponding cutting blades; and

the processing circuitry controls any one of the cutting blade motors in the grass removal mode.

8 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein when the driver operates a mode operating lever, the mode selector selects one of the modes.

9 . The lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein in the grass removal mode, the processing circuitry controls the cutting blade motor such that the cutting blade motor rotates in a reverse rotation direction.

10 . A lawn mower comprising:

at least one cutting blade motor that drives a cutting blade;

a mode selector that selects one of modes including a lawn mowing mode and a grass removal mode in which grass accumulated at the cutting blade is brushed away;

a driving wheel;

a driving wheel motor that drives the driving wheel; and

processing circuitry configured to control the cutting blade motor in the mode selected by the mode selector, wherein:

in the lawn mowing mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled so as to rotate in a normal rotation direction at a predetermined rotational frequency or with a predetermined torque;

in the grass removal mode, the cutting blade motor is controlled such that a rotational frequency or a torque of the cutting blade motor pulsates, or the cutting blade motor rotates in a reverse rotation direction;

the at least one cutting blade motor comprises cutting blade motors that drive corresponding cutting blades;

the processing circuitry controls any one of the cutting blade motors in the grass removal mode; and

when the lawn mowing mode is switched to the grass removal mode, the processing circuitry maintains the grass removal mode and stops or decelerates the driving wheel motor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2023
From: MATSUDA, YOSHIMOTO
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063278/0300 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240276913A1 · Aug 22, 2024
References Cited (5)
US 20160183451A1 · Conrad · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20210289699A1 · Fukano · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220007571A1 · Foster · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220354049A1 · Zeiler et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220408638A1 · Ito · 2022 [cited by examiner]