The Toro Company

Nathan Wiater

Jeremy A Fohrenkamm

Greg L Lawrence

Ryan Foss

A system and method are described to help ensure that gears contained within the transmission system are shifted to the correct position before the user can apply the throttle. An electronic control unit (ECU) is connected to a shift position sensor that measures a position of a shifting axle within the engine. If the shift position sensor provides measurement data indicating that the shifting assembly is rotationally positioned to engage a specific gear, the ECU allows the user actuated throttle input to control the throttle level of the engine. If the shift position sensor provides measurement data indicating that the shifting assembly is rotationally positioned in between positions that actuate specific gears (also known as a 'dead zone'), the ECU prevents the user actuated throttle input from controlling the throttle level of the engine.

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Bloomington, MN, United States of America

Nathan Wiater