Piston assemblies and methods of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859644-B2
Application number	US-202117913957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 24, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A piston assembly for use in a gas spring or damper can include a piston rod partially positioned within a pressure tube, and a linear position sensing apparatus capable of tracking and determining the velocity of the piston rod. The linear position sensing apparatus can include a sensor, such as a waveguide sensor, connected to the piston rod such that the sensor moves with the piston rod. A beacon, such as a magnet, can be contained within the pressure tube and the sensor can detect the position of the beacon relative to the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric motor driven zero-turn riding lawn mower comprising:
(a) at least one steering lever operatively connected to at least one drive wheel operatively connected to a drive motor;
(b) at least one damping apparatus operatively connected to the at least one steering lever and comprising:
(i) a piston rod partially positioned within a rod housing and adapted for sliding movement within the housing; and
(ii) a linear position sensing apparatus comprising a position sensor connected to the piston rod whereby the sensor moves with the piston rod, the linear position sensing apparatus further comprising a beacon contained within the rod housing and a computing device operatively connected to the position sensor and the drive motor, wherein the position sensor collects data regarding a position of the beacon relative to the sensor, and the computing device uses the data to determine an optimum speed and direction to rotate the at least one drive wheel and transmits instructions to the drive motor to rotate the at least one drive wheel at the optimum speed and direction.

2. The electric motor driven zero-turn riding lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein the position sensor comprises a waveguide sensor.

3. The electric motor driven zero-turn riding lawn mower according to claim 1 , wherein the beacon comprises a magnet.

Assignees

• Stabilus Gmbh

Inventors

• Kull James T
• Hartman Patrick A

Classifications

• F15B15/2861 Primary

  using magnetic means · CPC title

• A01D34/006 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements · CPC title

• A01D69/02

  electric · CPC title

• F16F9/0218

  Mono-tubular units (F16F9/0227, F16F9/0236, F16F9/0245 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/3292

  Sensor arrangements · CPC title