Control assembly for zero turn device
AssigneeHydro-Gear Limited Partnership
InventorNathan W. Bonny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control assembly for a lawn mower includes a shaft configured to rotate about a first axis and a pivot bar coupled to and configured to rotate with and pivot relative to the shaft. The pivot bar is configured to rotate with the shaft between a forward position, a neutral position, and a rear position about the first axis and pivot relative to the shaft between an operative position and a stopped position about a second axis. The control assembly includes a magnet coupled to an end of the shaft, a position sensor positioned to interact with a magnetic field of the magnet to detect rotation of the pivot bar about the first axis, and a return-to-neutral assembly configured to bias the pivot bar toward the neutral position about the first axis.
Claims20
A lawn mower, comprising:
- a pair of electric motors configured to drive respective driven wheels;
- at least one controller configured to control operation of the pair of electric motors for driving the driven wheels;
- and
- a pair of control assemblies disposed on the lawn mower, wherein each respective control assembly comprises:
- a shaft configured to rotate about a first axis;
- a pivot bar coupled to and configured to rotate with and pivot relative to the shaft, wherein the pivot bar is configured to rotate with the shaft between a forward position, a neutral position, and a rear position about the first axis and pivot relative to the shaft between an operative position and a stopped position about a second axis;
- a magnet coupled to an end of the shaft;
- a position sensor positioned to interact with a magnetic field of the magnet to detect rotation of the pivot bar about the first axis;
- and
- a return-to-neutral assembly configured to bias the pivot bar toward the neutral position about the first axis.
A control assembly for a lawn mower, comprising:
- a shaft configured to rotate about a first axis;
- a pivot bar coupled to and configured to rotate with and pivot relative to the shaft, wherein the pivot bar is configured to rotate with the shaft between a forward position, a neutral position, and a rear position about the first axis and pivot relative to the shaft between an operative position and a stopped position about a second axis;
- and
- a magnet coupled to an end of the shaft;
- a position sensor positioned to interact with a magnetic field of the magnet to detect rotation of the pivot bar about the first axis;
- and
- a return-to-neutral assembly configured to bias the pivot bar toward the neutral position about the first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.