Hydro-gear Limited Partnership

John Tyler Hibbard

Damon J Hoyda

Alyn G Brown

Jesse L Probst

K Mike McCoy

Gregory Barton Moebs

Gregory E Arends

Joseph Hamilton

Eric S Phanco

David H Dunten

A lawn vehicle network includes a charging station having a visual identifier, a lawn vehicle having a battery, a blade system, a drive system whose output effects lawn vehicle forward movement, a processor board connected to both systems, the processor board capable of processing image data and sending commands to both systems, and a vision assembly connected to the processor board and able to transmit image data to the processor board, and the processor board, having received the image data, able to, if the image data represent a first object, maintain the drive system's output at the time of that determination, if the image data represent a second object, change the drive system's output at the time of that determination, and if the image data represent the visual identifier, maintain the drive system's output or send a shutoff command to the vision assembly at the time of that determination.

Visual identifiers for docking and zoning an autonomous mower

Vehicle drive and control systems are disclosed. A utility vehicle includes a first electric drive motor configured to drive a first traction wheel, a second electric drive motor configured to drive the a traction wheel, a steering wheel configured to receive a first user input, one or more pedals configured to receive a second user input, a steering input sensor, and a drive input sensor. The steering input sensor is configured transmit a steering input signal that corresponds with a steering input position. The drive input sensor is configured to transmit a drive input signal that corresponds with a drive input position. A plurality of controllers are configured to collectively generate, based on the steering input signal and the drive input signal, a first drive signal to drive the first electric drive motor and a second drive signal to drive the second electric drive motor.

Vehicle drive and control system

A drive and control system for a lawn tractor includes a CAN-Bus network, a plurality of controllers, a pair of electric transaxles controlled by the plurality of controllers, and one or more steering and drive input devices coupled to respective sensor(s) for sensing user steering and drive inputs. The plurality of controllers communicate with one or more vehicle sensors via the CAN-Bus network. The plurality of controllers receive the user's steering and drive inputs and posts on the CAN-Bus network and generate drive signals to obtain the desired speed and direction of motion of the lawn tractor.

A drive and control system for a lawn tractor includes a CAN-Bus network, a vehicle controller, a pair of hydrostatic or electric transaxles controlled by respective electronic drive controllers, and one or more steering and drive input devices coupled to respective sensor(s) for sensing user steering and drive inputs. The vehicle controller communicates with one or more vehicle sensors and one or more vehicle controllers that control one or more vehicle components via the CAN-Bus network. The vehicle controller processes the user's steering and drive inputs and posts on the CAN-Bus network digital drive signals configured to obtain the desired speed and direction of motion of the lawn tractor. The electronic drive controllers convert the digital drive signals to appropriate signals for driving the hydrostatic transaxles or the electric transaxles, as equipped, based on tunable motion parameters to obtain the desired speed and direction of motion of the lawn tractor.

A loop flushing valve includes a valve body, a fluid passage plug, and a poppet. The valve body includes an internal shoulder and a bore. The fluid passage plug is disposed in the bore and includes a fluid passage in fluid communication with the bore and a system fluid passage. The poppet is captured between the internal shoulder and the fluid passage plug and extends through the valve body.

Loop flushing valve

A loop flushing valve assembly for use in a hydraulic circuit has a pair of valve subassemblies cooperating with a respective valve seat between a port and an outlet passage. Each subassembly has a main port plug and a fluid passage plug with a fluid passage extending therethrough. A valve body is engaged to the fluid passage plug and is axially moveable from a closed position where its seat end is in contact with its respective valve seat to prevent fluid flow from the respective fluid side to the outlet passage to an open position and the valve body is biased to the closed position. A poppet extends out the seat end of the each valve body. When pressure in one fluid side exceeds pressure in the other side, the valve subassembly poppet axially moves towards the other poppet to open the other side.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

John Tyler Hibbard