Stall detection system for mower blade clutch engagement
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsDavid G. Park, Carl S. Silbernagel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stall detection system for mower blade clutch engagement determines if there is a stall condition by sensing one or more operating conditions such as engine deceleration or blade spindle rotation. If a stall condition is detected, a microcontroller shuts off actuating current to the electric clutch coil and automatically disengages or discontinues engagement of the clutch. The microcontroller may also provide a signal to inform the operator of the stall condition, and prevent repeated activation of the clutch until the stall condition is corrected.
Claims13
A stall detection system for mower blade clutch engagement, comprising:
- a PTO switch that is actuatable to provide electrical power to an electric clutch coil;
- a sensor that senses an operating condition of a mower following actuation of the PTO switch;
- a microcontroller that receives an input from the sensor and compares the input to a preselected criteria to determine if a stall condition exists, and if the stall condition exists, provides a signal to discontinue electrical power to the electric clutch coil;
- and
- an engine kill switch actuated by the microcontroller if the stall condition exists following actuation of the PTO switch a specified number of times.
A stall detection system for mower blade clutch engagement, comprising:
- an electric clutch coil transmitting power from an engine to a mower deck in response to actuation of a PTO switch;
- a sensor for sensing an operating condition of the mower deck;
- a microcontroller connected to the sensor and to the electromagnetic clutch to disengage the electromagnetic clutch if the operating condition indicates a stall condition;
- and
- an engine kill switch actuated by the microcontroller if the stall condition exists upon actuation of the PTO switch a specified number of times.
A stall detection system for mower blade clutch engagement, comprising
- a PTO switch that may be actuated to engage a mower deck to a power source;
- a sensor for sensing an operating condition of the power source or the mower deck;
- a microcontroller connected to the sensor and the PTO switch, and determining if the operating condition provided by the sensor satisfies a predetermined criteria during an interval after engagement of the PTO switch, and de-actuating the PTO switch to disengage the mower blade from the power source if the operating condition fails to satisfy the criteria;
- and
- an engine kill switch actuated by the microcontroller if the operating condition fails to satisfy the criteria after engagement of the PTO switch a specified number of times.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.