Processor control over the state (position, attitude or degree of openness) of discharge gates for mowers
OwnerGregory M. Bond, Matthew L. Thomas +1inventors
InventorsGregory M. Bond, Matthew L. Thomas, David A. Thomas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to processor control over the state (position, attitude or degree of openness) of discharge gates for mowers and provides an electronics package which senses the position of the discharge gate and provides users fine control thereover A user input control having a user adjustable gate position sensor receives a user selected target angle for the discharge gate. A microprocessor operatively connected to the adjustable gate position sensor generates a motor control output to move the discharge gate to an angle associated with the user selected target angle.
Claims20
A mower discharge gate control system, comprising:
- an electric motor connected to a mower discharge gate, wherein the electric motor is configured to move the discharge gate through a range of angles between a closed position and an open position;
- a user input control having an adjustable gate position sensor for receiving a user selected target angle for the discharge gate and generating a discharge gate target angle value;
- a microprocessor operatively connected to the adjustable gate position sensor and the electric motor, the microprocessor configured to:
- read the discharge gate target angle value from the adjustable gate position sensor;
- convert the discharge gate target angle value to a gate angle value;
- and
- generate a motor control signal to move the discharge gate to a motor angle associated with the gate angle value;
- wherein upon receiving the motor control signal from the microprocessor, the electric motor moves the discharge gate to the motor angle.
A method for controlling a mower discharge gate, comprising:
- reading discharge gate target angle value from an adjustable gate position sensor configured to receive a user selected target angle for a discharge gate;
- converting the discharge gate target angle value to a gate angle value;
- mapping the gate angle value to a motor angle to generate a motor control signal;
- outputting the motor control signal to an electric motor connected to the discharge gate, wherein upon receiving the motor control signal from the microprocessor, the electric motor moves the discharge gate to the motor angle corresponding to the gate angle value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.