Method for operating a gardening appliance, and gardening appliance

A method for operating a gardening appliance,

• wherein the gardening appliance has a traction drive system,
• wherein the traction drive system has a clutch, an electric motor drive system and a user-triggerable signalling device,
• wherein the clutch is designed to, as a result of forward rotation, automatically engage for forward drive of the gardening appliance and, as a result of backward rotation, automatically disengage for freewheeling of the gardening appliance, and
• wherein the electric motor drive system is designed to effect the forward rotation and the backward rotation of the clutch,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) in a user-triggered manner by way of a change in a signal state of the signalling device, operating the electric motor drive system in a running-down and/or braking operating mode in order to lower a motor rotational speed of the forward-rotating electric motor drive system;
• b) measuring whether a back electromotive force caused by the electric motor drive system or a variable based on the back electromotive force satisfies a standstill criterion, wherein the standstill criterion is characteristic of an attainment of a standstill state of the electric motor drive system;
• and
• c) when the standstill criterion is satisfied, operating the electric motor drive system in a backward-rotation operating mode to effect the backward rotation of the electric motor drive system for the purposes of disengaging the clutch for the freewheeling of the gardening appliance.