US 12,471,526 B2
Grounds maintenance apparatus with folding handle
Todd A. Porter, Rosemount, MN (US); Brandon N. Imsdahl, St. Paul, MN (US); and Ryan M. Petersen, Shoreview, MN (US)
Assigned to THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed by THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed on May 1, 2018, as Appl. No. 15/967,757.
Prior Publication US 2024/0049631 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. A01D 34/82 (2006.01); A01D 34/68 (2006.01); A01D 101/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 34/824 (2013.01) [A01D 34/68 (2013.01); A01D 2101/00 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A grounds maintenance apparatus comprising:
a body defining a body axis extending from a front end to a rear end of the body, the body comprising an upper wall, wherein the upper wall, when the body is in an operating orientation, is horizontal and, when in a storage orientation, is vertical;
a plurality of wheels adapted to support the body upon a ground surface, the plurality of wheels including a rear wheel coupled to the body proximate the rear end and defining a forwardmost wheel point and a rearwardmost wheel point when the body is in the operating orientation;
a tool associated with the body;
a prime mover adapted to provide power to the tool;
a handle pivotally attached to the body about a pivot axis, the pivot axis extending parallel to a rotational axis of the rear wheel and located proximate the rear wheel, the handle pivotable between:
an operating position wherein the handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the body; and
a folded position wherein the handle is located proximate the prime mover;
a lock adapted to positively lock the handle in the operating position when the body is in the operating orientation;
a passive retainer located between a first plane containing the forwardmost wheel point and a second plane containing the rearwardmost wheel point, the first and second planes each being orthogonal to the body axis, the passive retainer adapted to provide a holding force that passively holds the handle in the folded position when the body is in the storage orientation, the passive retainer comprising a magnet connected to either of the handle or the body and a target coupled to the other of the handle or the body, wherein a radial distance from the magnet to the pivot axis is equal to a radial distance from the target to the pivot axis; and
a mount configured to operatively connect at least a portion of the passive retainer to the handle, the mount comprising a protrusion configured to engage the handle to index the mount relative to the handle.