Hay mower zero steering method and system based on handle control

Abstract

The invention discloses a mower zero steering method and system based on handle control, belongs to the technical field of intelligent control of mowing equipment, and aims to solve the problem of poor steering control maneuverability of a hand-push mower. A starting instruction of the driving unit is generated according to the starting switch signal, the driving unit is controlled to start, and the walking unit linearly moves; receiving a left steering switch signal or a right steering switch signal; according to the left steering switch signal or the right steering switch signal, a corresponding differential motion instruction is generated, a driving unit is controlled to drive a walking unit to conduct left steering or right steering, and a steering angle is received; and when the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation stop instruction is generated, so that the walking unit is switched from differential motion to linear motion. Automatic control and zero steering control of the mower are achieved through interaction with the handle, more labor can be saved when a user uses the mower, and good user experience is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn method and system, belonging to the technical field of intelligent control of lawn mowing equipment. Background Art

[0002] Hand-push lawn mowers are common tools used to clean weeds and trim lawns. Traditional hand-push lawn mowers are mostly powered by fuel engines. With the popularization of green energy, more and more lawn mowers now use motors as power components. Traditional lawn mowers are mostly pushed forward by manpower. Some lawn mowers with self-propelled functions can assist the machine to move by driving the drive wheel through the power component, reducing the user's labor.

[0003] However, the existing machines usually use a fixed speed to move forward or backward during the assisted walking process, and the speed at which the user pushes the machine to walk is also fixed. When the grass is in a complex condition, the flexibility of the machine control is poor. At the same time, the machine is not easy to control when turning. When it is necessary to traverse and mow the grass, it is not convenient for the user to operate, resulting in uncut areas or uneven mowing at the turning point, thereby increasing the extra workload of the workers. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn method and system, which realizes automatic control and zero-turn control of the lawn mower through interaction with the handle, so that users can save more effort when using the lawn mower and obtain a better user experience. At the same time, when the machine turns around, it can overlap with the previous cutting path to ensure that the entire area is cut evenly.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention is implemented by adopting the following technical solutions.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a zero-turn method for a lawn mower based on handle control, comprising: receiving a start switch signal; Generate a start command for the drive unit according to the start switch signal, control the drive unit to start, and make the walking unit move in a straight line; Receiving a left turn switch signal or a right turn switch signal; Generate corresponding differential motion instructions according to the left turn switch signal or the right turn switch signal, control the drive unit to drive the travel unit to turn left or right, and receive the steering angle; When the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination command is generated, causing the travel unit to switch from differential motion to linear motion.

[0007] Optionally, generating a corresponding differential motion instruction according to the left turn switch signal or the right turn switch signal to control the drive unit to drive the walking unit to turn left or right includes: generating a right differential motion command of the drive unit according to a left steering switch signal; According to the right differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel of the walking unit is controlled to rotate at a speed lower than the right wheel; generating a left differential motion command of the drive unit according to a right steering switch signal; According to the left differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel of the walking unit is controlled to rotate faster than the right wheel.

[0008] Optionally, when the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination instruction is generated to switch the travel unit from differential motion to linear motion, and further includes: When the machine turns at an angle of 180 degrees, the parallel movement distance before and after the machine turns is less than the rotation diameter of the mowing disc.

[0009] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a zero-turn system for a lawn mower based on handle control, comprising: Input unit, control unit, drive unit and travel unit; Wherein, the input unit generates a corresponding switch signal after interacting with the user; The control unit is electrically connected to the input unit and the drive unit respectively, and is used to execute the steps of the above method; The driving unit is connected to the walking unit and is used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and transmit it to the walking unit to control the speed and steering angle of the walking unit; The walking unit is used for performing linear motion or turning motion under the drive of the driving unit.

[0010] Optionally, the input unit is a plurality of operating switches and an angle sensor arranged on the handle of the lawn mower, and the plurality of operating switches include a start-stop switch, a left turn switch and a right turn switch.

[0011] Optionally, the styles of the start-stop switch, the left turn switch and the right turn switch are not limited to any one style or a combination of multiple styles of rotary, button and touch-sensitive types.

[0012] Optionally, the lawn mower handle is any one of an armrest type, a steering wheel type and a steering disc type.

[0013] Optionally, the input unit further comprises two shift paddles symmetrically arranged on the lawn mower for manual shifting to adjust the travel speed of the lawn mower.

[0014] Optionally, the walking unit includes a driving wheel group and a universal wheel group; wherein the driving wheel group is a left driving wheel and a right driving wheel symmetrically arranged at the rear of the lawn mower; and the universal wheel group is a left universal wheel and a right universal wheel symmetrically arranged at the front of the lawn mower.

[0015] Optionally, the universal wheel set is also equipped with a self-locking device.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Automatic control and zero-turn control of the lawn mower can be achieved through interaction with the handle, which can save users effort when using the lawn mower and provide a better user experience.

[0017] 2. When the machine turns around, there will be no missed areas compared to the previous cutting path, ensuring that the entire area is cut evenly.

[0018] 3. It is linked with the self-locking device during steering and walking, making it easier to control the direction during steering and straight walking, reducing extra and repetitive workload. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 Shown is a flow chart of a handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn method according to the present invention; Figure 2 Shown is a path diagram of the lawn mower zero-turn method based on handle control of the present invention; Figure 3 The present invention is shown in the embodiment of the lawn mower handle Figure 1 ; Figure 4 The present invention is shown in the embodiment of the lawn mower handle Figure 2 ; Figure 5 The present invention is shown in the embodiment of the lawn mower handle Figure 3 ; Figure 6 Shown is a structural diagram of a lawn mower based on handle control of the present invention; Figure 7 The embodiment of the self-locking device of the present invention is shown Figure 1 ; Figure 8 The embodiment of the self-locking device of the present invention is shown Figure 2 .

[0020] In the figure: 100 start switch, 201 right turn switch, 202 left turn switch, 300 drive wheel, 400 mowing disc, 500 universal wheel, 600 self-locking device, 601 self-locking motor, 602 rotating part, 603 limit shaft, 604 spring, 605 support frame, 606 limit hole, 607 contact switch, 608 slide slot, 700 shift paddle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Example

[0022] This embodiment provides a zero-turn method for a lawn mower based on handle control, such as Figure 1 Shown include: Step 1, receiving a start switch 100 signal; Step 2: Generate a start instruction of the drive unit according to the start switch 100 signal, control the drive unit to start, and make the walking unit move in a straight line; Step 3: receiving a left turn switch 202 signal or a right turn switch 201 signal; Step 4: Generate a corresponding differential motion instruction according to the left turn switch 202 signal or the right turn switch 201 signal, control the drive unit to drive the walking unit to turn left or right, and receive the steering angle; Step 5: When the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination instruction is generated to switch the travel unit from differential motion to linear motion.

[0023] Optionally, generating a corresponding differential motion instruction according to the left turn switch 202 signal or the right turn switch 201 signal to control the drive unit to drive the walking unit to turn left or right includes: Generate a right differential motion command of the drive unit according to the left steering switch 202 signal; According to the right differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel 300 of the walking unit is controlled to rotate at a speed lower than the right wheel; Generate a left differential motion command of the drive unit according to the right steering switch 201 signal; According to the left differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel 300 of the walking unit is controlled to rotate faster than the right wheel.

[0024] In this embodiment, different speeds are applied to the two driving wheels 300 to achieve the turning of the rear half of the lawn mower. There is no need for the user to fight against the power of the machine itself, which increases the flexibility of steering control. After turning to a preset angle, the two driving wheels 300 move forward at the same speed, achieving adaptive switching between straight-line walking and steering.

[0025] Generally, users use the traversal mowing method when mowing. When the user needs to turn 180 degrees at the end of the mowing route, the steering switch can be used to directly achieve a 180-degree turn, that is, the mower can turn around at the end of the two paths after turning. The design purpose and path demonstration of each steering angle of the mower are as follows. Figure 2 As shown, optionally, when the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination instruction is generated to switch the walking unit from differential motion to linear motion, and further includes: When the steering angle of the machine reaches 180 degrees, the parallel movement distance before and after the machine turns is less than the rotation diameter of the mowing disc 400; in this embodiment, the rotation diameter of the mowing disc 400 is the mowing width of the machine, so that after the user operates the lawn mower to turn, there is no missed cutting area between the two paths, ensuring that the entire area is cut evenly. Example

[0026] This embodiment provides a zero-turn system for a lawn mower based on handle control, comprising: Input unit, control unit, drive unit and travel unit; Wherein, the input unit generates a corresponding switch signal after interacting with the user; The control unit is electrically connected to the input unit and the drive unit respectively, and is used to execute the steps of the above method; The driving unit is connected to the walking unit and is used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and transmit it to the walking unit to control the speed and steering angle of the walking unit; The walking unit is used for performing linear motion or turning motion under the drive of the driving unit.

[0027] Optional, such as Figure 3 The input unit shown is a plurality of operating switches and an angle sensor arranged on the handle of the lawn mower. The plurality of operating switches include a start-stop switch, a left turn switch 202 and a right turn switch 201 .

[0028] Optionally, the styles of the start-stop switch, the left turn switch 202 and the right turn switch 201 are not limited to any one style or a combination of multiple styles of rotary, button and touch-sensitive types.

[0029] Optional, such as Figures 3 to 5 The lawn mower handle shown is any one of an armrest type, a steering wheel type and a steering disc type.

[0030] Optionally, the input unit also includes two shift paddles 700 symmetrically arranged on the lawn mower, and the two driving wheel motors are electrically connected to the two shift paddles 700 for manual shifting to adjust the speed of the driving wheel motor on the lawn mower, thereby manually adjusting the walking speed of the lawn mower. At the same time, in this example, the shift paddles 700 can also be designed to be electrically connected to the mowing motor so as to adjust the rotation speed of the mowing blade.

[0031] Optional, such as Figure 6 The walking unit shown includes a driving wheel group 300 and a universal wheel group 500; wherein the driving wheel group 300 is a left driving wheel 300 and a right driving wheel 300 symmetrically arranged behind the lawn mower; the universal wheel group 500 is a left universal wheel 500 and a right universal wheel 500 symmetrically arranged in front of the lawn mower.

[0032] Optionally, the universal wheel 500 is also provided with a self-locking device 600. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the self-locking device 600 includes: a self-locking motor 601, a rotating member 602, a slide groove 608 and a limiting shaft 603, wherein the self-locking motor 601 is installed above the support frame 605 of the universal wheel group 500, and the support frames 605 of the left universal wheel 500 and the right universal wheel 500 are provided with limiting holes 606, the rotating member 602 is installed at the transmission end of the self-locking motor 601, the slide groove 608 is provided on the rotating member 602, and the limiting shaft 603 is sleeved in the slide groove 608; A spring 604 is provided at the top of the limiting shaft 603, and the spring 604 is connected to the outer cover of the self-locking device 600, so that the limiting shaft 603 is fixed to the outer cover by the spring 604 and does not move laterally with the rotating member 602. At the same time, the spring 604 always provides downward potential energy for the limiting shaft 603.

[0033] The rotating member 602 rotates under the drive of the self-locking motor 601 and passes through a first limit position and a second limit position in sequence.

[0034] Optionally, the opening of the slide groove 608 is a special-shaped opening, and two stoppers are respectively provided at both ends of the special-shaped opening, and a slope section is connected between the two stoppers; A through hole adapted to the limit shaft 603 is provided at the bottom of the slide groove 608 and at the lower limit position of the slope section; The limit shaft 603 is connected with a slide rod in contact with the opening of the slide slot 608, and is used for the slide rod to slide between the upper limit and the lower limit of the height of the slope section during the movement of the slide slot 608, and the travel of the slide rod is limited by two stoppers, so that the limit shaft 603 maintains an up and down movement with a fixed travel; When the rotating member 602 rotates to the first limit position, it contacts the contact switch 607, causing the contact switch 607 to output an electrical signal and the slide slot 608 drives the limit shaft 603 to move toward the lower limit position of the slope section, until the limit shaft 603 is inserted from the through hole at the lower limit position into the limit hole 606 under the action of the potential energy of the spring 604, and finally the direction of the universal wheel 500 is self-locked, so that the universal wheel 500 remains in the straight forward direction; When the rotating member 602 rotates toward the second extreme position, the slide slot 608 drives the limiting shaft 603 to move toward the upper limit of the slope section, so that the limiting shaft 603 is disengaged from the limiting hole 606, and finally the self-locking of the universal wheel 500 is released, so that the universal wheel 500 is easy to turn. Example

[0035] This embodiment provides a self-locking device 600 control method, which is applicable to the steering system in this embodiment 2, including: Step A: When the walking unit moves in a straight line, the self-locking motor 601 is started and a signal from the contact switch 607 is received; Step B: Generate a stop command for the self-locking motor 601 according to the signal of the contact switch 607, and control the self-locking device 600 to lock the direction of the universal wheel 500 of the walking unit; Step C, receiving a left turn switch 202 signal or a right turn switch 201 signal; Step D: Generate a start instruction for the self-locking motor 601 according to the signal of the left turn switch 202 or the signal of the right turn switch 201, and control the self-locking device 600 to release the lock of the universal wheel 500 of the travel unit.

[0036] In summary, the present invention realizes automatic control and zero-turn control of the lawn mower through interaction with the handle, which can make the user save more effort when using the lawn mower and obtain a better user experience. When the machine turns around, it can intersect with the edge of the previous cutting path, so that there is no missed area, ensuring that the entire area is cut evenly. Finally, in the process of turning and walking, it is linked with the self-locking device 600, which makes it easier to control the direction control during turning and straight walking, reducing extra and repetitive workload.

[0037] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the present invention may take the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0038] The present invention is described with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that each process and / or block in the flowchart and / or block diagram, as well as the combination of processes and / or blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowchart and / or block diagram. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in a block or multiple blocks.

[0039] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture comprising an instruction device, which implements the process Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A function specified in one or more boxes.

[0040] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0041] The embodiments of the present invention are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the enlightenment of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the scope of protection of the purpose of the present invention and the claims, which all fall within the protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A zero-turn method for a lawn mower based on handle control, characterized in that: include: receiving a start switch signal; Generate a start command for the drive unit according to the start switch signal, control the drive unit to start, and make the walking unit move in a straight line; Receiving a left turn switch signal or a right turn switch signal; Generate corresponding differential motion instructions according to the left steering switch signal or the right steering switch signal, control the drive unit to drive the travel unit to turn left or right, and receive the steering angle; When the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination command is generated, causing the travel unit to switch from differential motion to linear motion.

2. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Generate corresponding differential motion instructions according to the left turn switch signal or the right turn switch signal, and control the drive unit to drive the travel unit to turn left or right, including: generating a right differential motion command of the drive unit according to a left steering switch signal; According to the right differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel of the walking unit is controlled to rotate at a speed lower than the right wheel; generating a left differential motion command of the drive unit according to a right steering switch signal; According to the left differential motion instruction, the left driving wheel of the walking unit is controlled to rotate faster than the right wheel.

3. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the steering angle reaches 180 degrees, a differential operation termination instruction is generated to switch the travel unit from differential motion to linear motion, and also includes: When the machine turns at an angle of 180 degrees, the parallel movement distance before and after the machine turns is less than the rotation diameter of the mowing disc.

4. A zero-turn system for a lawn mower based on handle control, characterized in that: include: Input unit, control unit, drive unit and travel unit; Wherein, the input unit generates a corresponding switch signal after interacting with the user; The control unit is electrically connected to the input unit and the drive unit respectively, and is used to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3; The driving unit is connected to the walking unit and is used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and transmit it to the walking unit to control the speed and steering angle of the walking unit; The walking unit is used for performing linear motion or turning motion under the drive of the driving unit.

5. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The input unit is a plurality of operating switches and an angle sensor arranged on the handle of the lawn mower. The plurality of operating switches include a start-stop switch, a left turn switch and a right turn switch.

6. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The styles of the start-stop switch, the left turn switch and the right turn switch are not limited to any one style or a combination of multiple styles of rotary, push-button and touch-sensitive types.

7. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The handle of the lawn mower is any one of an armrest type, a steering wheel type and a steering disc type.

8. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The input unit also includes two shift paddles symmetrically arranged on the lawn mower for manually adjusting the walking speed of the lawn mower.

9. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The walking unit comprises a driving wheel set and a universal wheel set; wherein the driving wheel set is a left driving wheel and a right driving wheel symmetrically arranged at the rear of the lawn mower; and the universal wheel set is a left universal wheel and a right universal wheel symmetrically arranged at the front of the lawn mower.

10. The handle-controlled lawn mower zero-turn system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The universal wheel set is also equipped with a self-locking device.

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