Snow thrower with joystick

Abstract

A cordless electric snow thrower is disclosed having a separate and distinct battery housing containing a battery being positioned on a handle of the cordless snow thrower. The cordless snow thrower may include an electronic controller that allows a user to rotate a chute of the cordless snow thrower to alter a direction in which snow is thrown. The cordless snow thrower may also include a light that provides sufficient light to allow the user to use the cordless snow thrower at night to clear snow. The placement of the battery housing provides balance to the cordless snow thrower and allows power to be provided to all of the electronic devices and components of the cordless snow thrower.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snow thrower, comprising:
 a frame;   a main housing coupled to the frame and having an inlet cavity;   an auger assembly disposed in the main housing and extending across the inlet cavity;   a motor disposed in the main housing and coupled to the auger assembly, the motor adapted to rotate the auger assembly;   a chute disposed over an aperture in the main housing;   a handle portion coupled to the frame opposite the main housing; and   a joystick coupled to the handle portion and configured to rotate the chute with respect to the main housing.   
     
     
         2 . The snow thrower of  claim 1 , further comprising a chute motor disposed in the main housing and configured to receive voltage in response to activation of the joystick and rotate the chute with respect to the main housing. 
     
     
         3 . The snow thrower of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         4 . The snow thrower of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery housing coupled to the handle portion; and   a battery disposed in the battery housing and electrically connected to the motor.   
     
     
         5 . The snow thrower of  claim 4 , wherein the joystick is electrically connected to the battery and configured to activate and deactivate voltage flow from the battery to the chute to rotate the chute with respect to the main housing. 
     
     
         6 . The snow thrower of  claim 4 , further comprising a wheel axle coupled to the frame between the main housing and the handle portion; and wheels coupled to ends of the wheel axle. 
     
     
         7 . The snow thrower of  claim 6 , wherein the battery housing and the main housing are positioned on opposite sides of a pivot point formed by the wheel axle. 
     
     
         8 . The snow thrower of  claim 4 , further comprising a switch electrically connected to the battery and the motor and adapted to activate and deactivate voltage flow from the battery to the motor. 
     
     
         9 . The snow thrower of  claim 4 , further comprising a light disposed on the handle portion and electrically connected to the battery. 
     
     
         10 . A snow thrower, comprising:
 a frame;   a main housing coupled to the frame and having an inlet cavity;   an auger assembly disposed in the main housing and extending across the inlet cavity;   a chute disposed over an aperture in the main housing;   a handle portion coupled to the frame opposite the main housing, the handle portion including a gripping portion on an end opposite the frame;   a battery housing coupled to the handle portion between the frame and the gripping portion;   a battery disposed in the battery housing;   an electric motor disposed in the main housing and coupled to the auger assembly, the electric motor being electrically connected to the battery and configured to rotate the auger assembly; and   a joystick coupled to the handle portion proximal to the gripping portion, the joystick electrically connected to the battery and configured to rotate the chute with respect to the main housing.   
     
     
         11 . The snow thrower of  claim 10 , further comprising a chute motor disposed in the main housing and configured to receive voltage in response to activation of the joystick and rotate the chute with respect to the main housing. 
     
     
         12 . The snow thrower of  claim 10 , wherein the chute includes:
 a substantially cylindrical tube portion coupled to the main housing over the aperture in the main housing; and   a substantially semi-circular tube portion coupled to the substantially cylindrical tube portion at an end opposite the main housing.   
     
     
         13 . The snow thrower of  claim 12 , wherein the joystick is configured to rotate the substantially cylindrical tube portion with respect to the main housing. 
     
     
         14 . The snow thrower of  claim 13 , wherein movement of the joystick in a rightward direction causes the substantially cylindrical tube portion to rotate in a clockwise direction with respect to the main housing, and movement of the joystick in a leftward direction causes the substantially cylindrical tube portion to rotate in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the main housing. 
     
     
         15 . The snow thrower of  claim 12 , wherein the joystick is configured to rotate the substantially semi-circular tube portion with respect to the substantially cylindrical tube portion. 
     
     
         16 . The snow thrower of  claim 15 , wherein movement of the joystick in an forward direction causes the substantially semi-circular tube portion to rotate in an upward direction with respect to the substantially cylindrical tube portion, and movement of the joystick in a rearward direction causes the substantially semi-circular tube portion to rotate in a downward direction with respect to the substantially cylindrical tube portion. 
     
     
         17 . The snow thrower of  claim 10 , further comprising a light disposed on the handle portion proximal to the gripping portion and electrically connected to the battery. 
     
     
         18 . The snow thrower of  claim 17 , further comprising a light switch coupled to the handle portion proximal to the gripping portion and electrically connected to the light and adapted to activate and deactivate voltage flow from the battery to the light. 
     
     
         19 . The snow thrower of  claim 10 , further comprising a switch disposed on the handle portion proximal to the gripping portion and electrically connected to the battery and the electric motor. 
     
     
         20 . The snow thrower of  claim 19 , wherein the switch is configured to activate and deactivate voltage flow from the battery to the electric motor.