Riding lawn mower lap bar position detection

A riding lawn mower, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a power output assembly comprising a blade for use in a mowing function and a first motor for driving the blade;
• a walking assembly comprising walking wheels and a second motor for driving the walking wheels;
• a power supply device for supplying power to the riding lawn mower;
• a control module for controlling an operating process of the riding lawn mower wherein the second motor is controllable by the control module;
• an operating apparatus configured to be operable to set a target state of the riding lawn mower;
• the operating apparatus comprising:
• at least one bracket mounted on the chassis;
• an operating lap bar assembly comprising an operating lap bar disposed to rotate between a forward position, an intermediate position, and a rear position about a first axis in a first direction and an inboard position and an outboard position about a second axis in a second direction;
• a pivoting assembly for pivotally mounting the operating lap bar on the bracket such that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction and the second axis in the second direction;
• a position detecting module electrically connected to the control module for detecting a position of the operating lap bar;
• and
• the position detecting module comprising a magnetic element and a magnet sensor, the magnet element spaced apart from the magnet sensor such that the magnet sensor and the magnet element are configured to detect a relative movement of the lap bar assembly and the magnet sensor can output a first detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the first direction to the control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the first axis in the first direction;
• and
• the magnet sensor and the magnet element are configured to detect a relative movement of the lap bar assembly and the magnet sensor can output a second detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the second direction to the control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the second axis in the second direction,
• wherein the control module controls the target state of the riding lawn mower according to the first detection signal and the second detection signal,
• wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a first pivoting module mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the forward position, the intermediate position, and the rear position about the first axis in the first direction, the first pivoting module comprises a first pivot defining a first axis, a second pivoting module is mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the inboard position and the outboard position about the second axis in the second direction, and the second pivoting module comprises a second pivot defining a second axis, and
• wherein the magnetic sensor is fixedly coupled to the first pivoting module such that the magnetic sensor is immovable but rotatable, the magnetic element is associated with the second pivoting module such that the magnetic element can move but cannot rotate, the operating lap bar drives the magnet sensor to rotate relative to the magnet element, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction, the magnet sensor outputs the first direction signal related to the position in the first direction of the operating lap bar, and, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the second axis in the second direction, the magnet sensor outputs the second direction signal related to the position in the second direction of the operating lap bar.

An operating apparatus for a riding lawn mower, comprising:

• at least one bracket mounted on the riding lawn mower;
• an operating lap bar assembly comprising an operating lap bar disposed to rotate between a forward position, an intermediate position, and a rear position about a first axis in a first direction and an inboard position and an outboard position about a second axis in a second direction;
• a pivoting assembly for pivotally mounting the operating lap bar on the bracket such that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction and the second axis in the second direction,
• wherein the operating apparatus further includes a position detecting module for detecting a position of the operating lap bar;
• the position detecting module comprising a magnetic element and a magnet sensor, the magnet element being spaced apart from the magnet sensor such that the magnet sensor and the magnet element detect a relative movement of the operating lap bar assembly and the magnet sensor can output a first detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the first direction to a control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the first axis in the first direction and the magnet sensor can output a second detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the second direction to the control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the second axis in the second direction,
• wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a first pivoting module mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the forward position, the intermediate position and the rear position about the first axis in the first direction;
• the first pivoting module comprises a first pivot defining a first axis, a second pivoting module mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the inboard position and the outboard position about the second axis in the second direction, and the second pivoting module comprises a second pivot defining a second axis, and
• wherein the magnetic element is fixedly coupled to the first pivoting module such that the magnetic element is immovable but rotatable, the magnetic sensor is associated with the second pivoting module such that the magnetic sensor cannot rotate but can move, the operating lap bar drives the magnet element to rotate relative to the magnet sensor, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction, the magnet sensor outputs the first direction signal related to the position in the first direction of the operating lap bar, and, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the second axis in the second direction, and the magnet sensor outputs the second direction signal related to the position in the second direction of the operating lap bar.

An operating apparatus for a riding lawn mower, comprising:

• at least one bracket mounted on the riding lawn mower;
• an operating lap bar assembly comprising an operating lap bar disposed to rotate between a forward position, an intermediate position, and a rear position about a first axis in a first direction and an inboard position and an outboard position about a second axis in a second direction;
• a pivoting assembly for pivotally mounting the operating lap bar on the bracket such that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction and the second axis in the second direction,
• wherein the operating apparatus further includes a position detecting module for detecting a position of the operating lap bar;
• the position detecting module comprising a magnetic element and a magnet sensor, the magnet element being spaced apart from the magnet sensor such that the magnet sensor and the magnet element detect a relative movement of the operating lap bar assembly and the magnet sensor can output a first detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the first direction to a control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the first axis in the first direction and the magnet sensor can output a second detection signal related to the position of the operating lap bar in the second direction to the control module when the operating lap bar is rotated about the second axis in the second direction,
• wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a first pivoting module mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the forward position, the intermediate position and the rear position about the first axis in the first direction;
• the first pivoting module comprises a first pivot defining a first axis, a second pivoting module mounted on the bracket for rotating the operating lap bar between the inboard position and the outboard position about the second axis in the second direction, and the second pivoting module comprises a second pivot defining a second axis, and
• wherein the magnetic sensor is fixedly coupled to the first pivoting module such that the magnetic sensor is immovable but rotatable, the magnetic element is associated with the second pivoting module such that the magnetic element can move but cannot rotate, the operating lap bar drives the magnet sensor to rotate relative to the magnet element, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the first axis in the first direction, and the magnet sensor outputs the first direction signal related to the position in the first direction of the operating lap bar, and, in condition that the operating lap bar rotates about the second axis in the second direction, and the magnet sensor outputs the second direction signal related to the position in the second direction of the operating lap bar.