US-12616091-B2 - Method and apparatus for height adjustable handles for mower

US12616091B2US 12616091 B2US12616091 B2US 12616091B2US-12616091-B2

Abstract

Adjustable handles that are uniquely designed and mounted to a self-propelled lawn mower to improve and accommodate the different operating requirements by the operator standing on a sulky device or in a walking position behind the lawn mower. The adjustable handles comprise a front handle, a left control handle lever, a right control handle lever, and a back handle, each individually adjustable and releasably fixed to the same opposed supports or plates fixedly secured to the lawn mower.

Inventors

Siming Wang

Assignees

HAVENER ENTERPRISES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231009

Claims (13)

1 . A device for a self-propelled lawn mower, comprising: a first plate and a second plate each fixedly secured to the self-propelled lawn mower; the first plate having a first receiving hole, a second receiving hole, a third receiving hole, and a fourth receiving hole; the second plate having a fifth receiving hole, a sixth receiving hole, a seventh receiving hole, and an eighth receiving hole; a first sleeve and a second sleeve each fixedly secured to the self-propelled lawn mower; a front handle having opposed legs with each opposing leg of the front handle having a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, a third mounting hole, a fourth mounting hole, and a fifth mounting hole; one of the opposed legs of the front handle releasably fixed to the first plate by securing the first mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the first receiving hole of the first plate and the third mounting hole of one of the opposed s of t front handle in alignment with the second receiving hole of the first plate with the second mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create a first front handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the front handle fixedly secured to the second plate by securing the first mounting hole of the of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the fifth receiving hole of the second plate and the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed of the front handle in alignment with the receiving hole of the second plate with the second mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create an opposing first front handle height; the one of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and releasably fixed to a first different front handle location on the first plate by securing the second mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the first receiving hole of the first plate and the fourth mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with second receiving hole of the first plate with the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create a second front handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and releasably fixed to an opposing first different front handle location on the second plate by securing the second mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the fifth receiving hole of the second plate and the fourth mounting hole of the other of the or ed legs of the front handle in alignment with the sixth receiving hole of the second plate with the d mounting hole of the the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create an opposing second front handle height; the one of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and releasably fixed to a second different front handle location on the first plate by securing the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the first receiving hole of the first plate and the fifth mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the second receiving hole the first plate with the fourth mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle remaining pen to create a third front handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and releasably fixed to an opposing second different front handle location on the second plate by securing the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the fifth receiving hole of the second plate and the fifth mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with receiving hole of the second plate with the fourth mounting hole of the other the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create an opposing third front handle height; a right control handle lever releasably fixed to the first sleeve to create a first right control handle height; a left control handle lever releasably fixed to the second sleeve to create a first left control handle height; a back handle having opposed legs with each op of the back handle having a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, a third mounting hole, a fourth mounting hole, and a fifth mounting hole; one of the opposed legs of the back handle releasably fixed to the first plate by securing the first mounting hole of one of the of posed legs of the back handle in alignment with the third receiving hole of the first plate and the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the fourth receiving hole of the first plate with the second mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle remaining open to create a first back handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the back handle fixedly secured to the second plate by securing the first mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the seventh receiving hole of the second plate and the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the eighth receiving hole of the second plate with the second mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle remaining open to create an opposing first back handle height; the one of the opposed legs of the back handle is moved and fixed to a first different back handle location on the first plate by securing the second mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the b ick handle in alignment with the third receiving hole of the first plate and the fourth mounting hole of one of the op posed legs of the back handle in alignment with the fourth receiving hole of the first plate with the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle remaining open to create a second back e height and the other of the opposed legs of the back handle is moved and releasably fixed to an opposing first different back handle location on the second plate by securing the second mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle in ent with seventh receiving hole of the second plate and the fourth mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the eighth receiving hole of the second plate with the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle remaining open to create an opposing second back handle height; the one of the opposed legs of the back handle is moved and releasably fixed to a second different back handle location on the first plate securing the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the third receiving hole of the first plate and the fifth mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the fourth receiving hole of the first plate with the fourth mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the back handle remaining open to create a third back handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the back handle is moved and releasably fixed to an opposing second different back hand location on the second plate by securing the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed lets of the back handle in alignment with the seventh receiving hole of the second plate and the fifth mounting hole of the other of opposed legs of the back handle in alignment with the eighth receiving hole of the second plate with the forth mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the back handle remaining open to create an opposing third back handle height; each of the opposed legs of the front handle has a thickness that is less than one-third the thickness of the front handle; each of the opposed legs of the back handle has a thickness that is less than one-third the thickness of the back handle; wherein the front handle and the back handle are situated in a vertical orientation and adjacent to the right control handle and the left control handle; wherein the right control handle and the left control handle are situated in a vertical orientation and parallel to one another.
2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the first front handle height is the same as the opposing first front handle height.
3 . The device of claim 2 wherein the first right control handle height is the same as the first left control handle height.
4 . The device of claim 1 wherein the first back handle height is the same as the opposing first back handle height.
5 . The device of claim 1 wherein the right control handle lever is moved and releasably fixed to a different location on the first sleeve to create a second right control handle height.
6 . The device of claim 1 wherein the left control handle lever is moved and releasably fixed to a different location on the second sleeve to create a second left control handle height.
7 . A device for attachment to a lawn mower having a front end and a rear end and situated in a horizontal plane, comprising: an operator platform situated adjacent to the rear end of the lawn mower; a front handle releasably fixed to a first plate and a second plate with the first plate and the second plate each fixedly secured to the lawn mower; the first plate having a first receiving hole, a second receiving hole, and a third receiving hole; the second plate having a fourth receiving hole, a fifth receiving hole, and a sixth receiving hole; the front handle having opposed legs with each opposing let of the front handle having a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, a third mounting hole, and fourth mounting hole; one of the opposed legs of the front handle releasably fixed to the first plate by securing the first mounting hole of one of the opposed e front handle in alignment with the first receiving hole of the first plate and the second mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the second receiving hole of the first plate to create a first front handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the front handle fixedly secured to the second plate by securing the first mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the fourth receiving hole of the second plate and the second mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the fifth receiving hole of the second plate to create an opposing first front handle height; and the one of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and releasably fixed to a first different front handle location on the first plate ring the third mounting hole of one of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the second receiving hole of the first plate and the fourth mounting hole of one of the posed eps of the front handle in alignment with the third receiving hole of the first plate to create a second front handle height and the other of the opposed legs of the front handle is moved and r ably ix an opposing first different front handle location on the second plate by securing the third mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the receiving hole of the second plate and the fourth mounting hole of the other of the opposed legs of the front handle in alignment with the sixth receiving hole of the second plate to create an opposing second front handle height; a right control handle lever releasably fixed to a connect sleeve at a first right control handle height; and means for moving the right control handle lever to be releasably fixed to the connect sleeve at a second right control handle height.
8 . The device of claim 7 wherein the front handle and the right control handle lever are each situated in a vertical orientation relative to the horizontal plane of the lawn mower and adjacent to one another.
9 . The device of claim 7 wherein the first front handle height is the same as the first right control handle height.
10 . The device of claim 7 wherein the plate is situated in a vertical orientation relative to the horizontal plane of the lawn mower.
11 . The device of claim 7 wherein the connect sleeve is situated in a vertical orientation relative to the ground.
12 . The device of claim 7 and further comprising a back handle releasably fixed to the plate at a first back handle height.
13 . The device of claim 7 and further comprising a left control handle lever releasably fixed to a second connect sleeve at a first left control handle height.

Description

I. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent application is a non-provisional application claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/414,701, entitled “Method and Apparatus For Height Adjustable Handles For Mower”, filed on Oct. 10, 2022, and is fully incorporated herein by reference. II. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to self-propelled, stand-on lawn mowers and, more particularly, to adjustable handles that are uniquely designed and mounted to the lawn mower to improve and accommodate the different operating requirements by the operator when the lawn mower is in use. III. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Self-propelled, stand-on lawn mowers have been known in the art, for a very long time. In all of that time, the currently available lawn mowers are provided with or include a standing platform where the operator typically stands to operate the lawn mower. In this manner, the operator moves with the lawn mower and operates all of lawn mower from the standing platform. Alternatively, the operator could desire to operate the self-propelled lawn mower, with the standing platform folded in the up position, to therefore be able to walk behind and operate the lawn mower from that walking position. These standing platforms are positioned behind the lawn mower and situated at a height above the ground to create a suitable or desired ground clearance but, once in that position, are fixed at this height to the lawn mower. Additionally, the gears and levers and, of course, the various handles, are likewise fixed in their position with these lawn mowers. As the operator standing on the standing platform or walking behind (both in fixed positions) and have to operate the lawn mower using the gears and levers and various handles (which are in fixed positions), this presents a problem for operators of taller and shorter heights as these operators are situated at awkward or inconvenient positions in relation to, for example, the fixed various handles in order to be able to operate them. Due to the speeds of self-propelled lawn mowers and moveability, some accommodating a 360 degree rotations, this likewise presents a safety concern to these operators. Thus, there is a need, therefore, and there has never been disclosed Applicant's unique adjustable handles invention for lawn mowers. IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is adjustable handles that are uniquely designed and mounted to a self-propelled lawn mower to improve and accommodate the different operating requirements by the operator standing on a sulky device or in a walking position behind the lawn mower. The adjustable handles comprise a front handle, a left control handle lever, a right control handle lever, and a back handle, each individually adjustable and releasably fixed to the same opposed supports or plates fixedly secured to the lawn mower. V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The Description of the Preferred Embodiment will be better understood with reference to the following figures: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the self-propelled lawn mower and Applicant's inventive adjustable handle design. FIG. 2 is a side perspective view, with portions removed, of Applicant's inventive adjustable handle design and, in particular, illustrating the front handle, the right control lever, the left control lever, and the back handle, each as fixedly secured to the self-propelled lawn mower each in a first height position. FIG. 3 is a side perspective view, with portions removed, of Applicant's inventive adjustable handle design and, in particular, illustrating the front handle, the right control lever, the left control lever, and the back handle, each as fixedly secured to the self-propelled lawn mower each in a second height position. FIG. 4 is a side perspective view, with portions removed, of Applicant's inventive adjustable handle design and, in particular, illustrating the front handle, the right control lever, the left control lever, and the back handle, each as fixedly secured to the self-propelled lawn mower each in a third height position. FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the front handle and back handle and, in particular, illustrating the opposed front handle legs and opposed back handle legs, and respective mounting holes, in alignment with the opposed supports or plates, and receiving holes, that are fixedly secured to the lawn mower. FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the front handle and back handle and, in particular, illustrating the opposed front handle legs and opposed back handle legs, and respective mounting holes, in alignment with the opposed supports or plates, and receiving holes, that are fixedly secured to the lawn mower. FIG. 7 is a front perspective, exploded view of the right control handle lever and left control handle lever and, in particular, illustrating the control lever legs, and respective pin holes, in alignment with the opposed connect sleeves, and receivin