Electronic controller and turf maintenance vehicle incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10701859-B2
Application number	US-201615392282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Jan 7, 2016
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A control system for use with a turf maintenance vehicle. In one embodiment, the control system may provide a discrete engine speed input that may provide one engine speed command upon actuation, but result in additional engine speed commands depending on an actuation time of the input. In other embodiments, the vehicle may include an electronic controller (EC) providing resettable property statistics for one or more properties. In still another embodiment, the EC may provide a maintenance monitor onboard the vehicle that indicates maintenance status, when maintenance tasks are due or past due, and permanently records historical information regarding maintenance tasks. The maintenance monitor may further adjust a maintenance interval before the maintenance task is again due based upon inputs to the maintenance monitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turf maintenance vehicle comprising:
a chassis supported upon a ground surface by a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a prime mover supported by the chassis, the prime mover comprising a drive shaft and an engine speed regulator; and
an electronic controller (EC) in communication with the engine speed regulator;
a prime mover speed selection switch in communication with the EC, wherein:
actuation of the prime mover speed selection switch for a period of time less than a predetermined first threshold period causes the EC to command a speed of the prime mover to a preset speed, wherein the preset speed is independent of the speed of the prime mover prior to actuation of the prime mover speed selection switch;
actuation of the prime mover speed selection switch for a period of time equal to or greater than the first threshold period causes the EC to command the speed of the prime mover to a second speed lower than the preset speed by a predetermined increment; and
actuation of the prime mover speed selection switch for a period of time equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold period, the second threshold period being greater than the first threshold period, causes the EC to command the speed of the prime mover to a third speed lower than the second speed by the predetermined increment.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the prime mover speed selection switch comprises a push button switch.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined increment is 50 revolutions per minute.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second threshold period is twice as long as the first threshold period.

5. A method for controlling a turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
actuating an engine speed selection switch from an off state to an on state;
changing an engine speed command, generated by an electronic controller (EC) in communication with an engine of the vehicle, to a preset engine speed, the preset engine speed being independent of an engine speed prior to actuating the engine speed selection switch;
measuring an actuation time that the switch remains in the on state;
communicating the actuation time to the EC;
comparing, with the EC, the actuation time to a predetermined step interval;
determining a number of expired step intervals occurring within the actuation time; and
changing the engine speed command from the preset engine speed by a predetermined increment for each expired step interval.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein changing the engine speed command from the preset engine speed comprises reducing the engine speed command by the predetermined increment.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising setting the predetermined increment to 50 revolutions per minute (RPM).

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising setting the step interval to a value in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 seconds.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein actuating the engine speed selection switch comprises pressing a button.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining whether a power take-off (PTO) of the engine is engaged before changing the engine speed command to the preset engine speed.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein changing the engine speed command from the preset engine speed comprises stepping the engine speed command downwardly in synchronization with each expired step interval.

12. A method for controlling a turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
actuating an engine speed selection switch from an off state to an on state;
communicating a signal to an electronic controller (EC) indicating that the engine speed selection switch is in the on state, the EC in communication with an engine of the vehicle;
generating, with the EC, a first engine speed command corresponding to a preset engine speed in response to the EC receiving the signal indicating that the engine speed selection switch is in the on state, wherein the preset engine speed is independent of an engine speed prior to actuating the engine speed selection switch;
measuring an actuation time that the engine speed selection switch remains in the on state;
communicating the actuation time to the EC;
comparing, with the EC, the actuation time to a predetermined step interval; and
generating, with the EC, a revised engine speed command each time the actuation time exceeds a multiple of the step interval, the revised engine speed command being lower than a preceding engine speed command by a predetermined value.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, with an electronic governor associated with the engine, the first engine speed command and each revised engine speed command.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each revised engine speed command is 50 revolutions per minute less than a preceding engine speed command.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the preset speed is different when a power take-off (PTO) associated with the prime mover is engaged than when the PTO is disengaged.

Assignees

• Exmark Mfg Company Incorporated

Inventors

• Bryant Christian S C
• Converse David M

Classifications

• B60W30/1882 Primary

  characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart · CPC title

• G07C5/006

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D69/002

  driven by power take-off · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title