Work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12540670-B2
Application number	US-202418979719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2024
Priority date	Apr 11, 2024
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

A work vehicle includes a shift operation tool to operate a shift position of a transmission device; an engine control unit to start an engine based on a start command from a start operation tool and an operation state of the shift operation tool; a neutral position detector to detect the shift operation tool being at a neutral position and output a neutral position signal; an operation displacement amount detector to detect an operation displacement amount of the shift operation tool and output an operation displacement amount signal; a first safety confirmation section to confirm a first safe state in response to the neutral position signal; and a second safety confirmation section to confirm a second safe state based on the operation displacement amount. The engine control unit starts the engine in response to the start command received with the first safe state and the second safe state being confirmed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A work vehicle, comprising:
an engine; a start operation tool configured to output a start command; a shift operation tool configured to operate a shift position of a transmission device; an engine control unit configured to start the engine based on the start command and an operation state of the shift operation tool; a neutral position detector configured to detect the shift operation tool being at a neutral position and output a neutral position signal; and an operation displacement amount detector configured to detect an operation displacement amount of the shift operation tool and output an operation displacement amount signal, wherein the engine control unit comprises:
a first safety confirmation section configured to confirm a first safe state in which the shift operation tool is at the neutral position, in response to the neutral position signal; and
a second safety confirmation section configured to confirm a second safe state in which the shift operation tool is at the neutral position, based on the operation displacement amount; and
wherein the engine control unit is configured to start the engine in response to the start command received with the first safe state and the second safe state being confirmed.

2 . The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the engine control unit directly receives the neutral position signal and the operation displacement amount signal.

3 . The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
in a case where at least either the first safe state or the second safe state is unsettled in a start operation performed on the start operation tool, at least either notification of an unsettled event or recording of the unsettled event is performed.

4 . The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the shift operation tool is a swingable shift lever, the neutral position detector is a limit sensor as a contact sensor or a proximity sensor as a non-contact sensor and is configured to detect the shift lever reaching the neutral position, and the operation displacement amount detector is a potentiometer configured to detect a swing displacement amount of the shift lever to the neutral position.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Tabata Shinya
• Satozono Takeshi
• Yoneguchi Kunihiro
• Tanaka Kazuhiro
• Iga Michisuke

Classifications

• F16H59/105 Primary

  consisting of electrical switches or sensors · CPC title

• F02N2200/0802

  Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state · CPC title

• F02N11/103 Primary

  according to the vehicle transmission or clutch status · CPC title