US 11,925,141 B2
Mulching mower deck with rear discharge features
Ryo Shimada, Sakai (JP); and Yusaku Matsuoka, Sakai (JP)
Assigned to Kubota Corporation, Osaka (JP)
Filed by Kubota Corporation, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/077,525.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-037813 (JP), filed on Mar. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0274707 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. A01D 34/71 (2006.01); A01D 34/00 (2006.01); A01D 34/66 (2006.01); A01D 34/73 (2006.01); A01D 34/74 (2006.01); A01D 101/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 34/71 (2013.01) [A01D 34/66 (2013.01); A01D 34/73 (2013.01); A01D 34/005 (2013.01); A01D 34/667 (2013.01); A01D 34/74 (2013.01); A01D 2101/00 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mower deck to be mounted on a traveling vehicle, the mower deck comprising:
a housing having a top wall linked and jointed, via a lift link mechanism, to a support frame having a left and right pair of longitudinal frames extending along a direction in which the travel vehicle travels and a crossbeam which connects the left longitudinal frame with the right longitudinal frame;
at least one blade rotated downwardly of the top wall and about a vertical shaft; and
a blade baffle unit extending downwards from the top wall in such a manner as to surround an outer circumferential area of a rotational path of the blade to create therein a mulching blade rotation space, the blade baffle unit having a front baffle located on an advancing side of the traveling vehicle and a rear baffle located on a reversing side of the traveling vehicle
wherein the front baffle extends downwards from and is permanently affixed to the top wall to exceed the rotational path so as to prevent discharge of cut grass pieces via a lower end of the front baffle,
wherein the rear baffle extends downwards from and is permanently affixed to the top wall by such an extent to allow discharge of the cut grass pieces,
wherein, under a grass cutting posture in which a pair of left and right ground contacting wheels held by the left and right pair of longitudinal frames are placed in contact with the ground surface and supported in suspension by the traveling vehicle via the lift link mechanism, the lift link mechanism can set a lift amount such that a rear end of the rotational path of the blade may be set higher than a front end thereof by 2 millimeters to 12 millimeters, and
wherein the pair of left and right ground contacting wheels are held by the left and right pair of longitudinal frames in such a manner that the pair of left and right ground contacting wheels are placed forward of the housing.