Battery-driven mower

Abstract

A battery driven lawn mower has a blade motor coupled to at least one blade; a user input device configured to receive a blade motor control signal; and a lifting ring control rod. The lifting ring control rod is connected to a position sensor, and the position sensor is configured to determine the position of the lifting ring control rod. The battery-driven lawnmower further includes a controller coupled to the position sensor and configured to control operation of the blade motor. The controller is configured to receive a blade motor control command and determine a position of the lifting ring control lever based on data provided by the position sensor. The controller is further configured to control the blade motor based on the received blade motor control command in response to determining that the lifting ring control lever is in the closed position.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 231,400, filed on August 10, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Utility Model Content

[0003] Electronic lawnmowers, particularly battery powered lawnmowers, are becoming more and more commonly used by homeowners and commercial landscapers. Safety is an issue for both fuel-powered and electric lawnmowers, and a bail bar may be used to ensure that the blade and / or drive motor are not allowed to rotate when the bail bar is not grasped by the user. Typically, a mechanical linkage is used to couple the bail bar to the prime mover. However, electric lawnmowers typically do not have a fuel shutoff or other mechanical mechanism to allow the bail bar to stop the operation of the lawnmower. Accordingly, an electronic system may be advantageous for use with an electronic lawnmower.

[0004] Embodiments described herein relate to a system for monitoring the position of a bail control lever of a battery-powered lawn mower.

[0005] A battery-powered lawn mower described herein includes: a blade motor coupled to at least one blade; a user input device configured to receive a blade motor control signal; a bail control lever; and a position sensor. The position sensor is configured to determine a position of the bail control lever. The lawn mower also includes a controller coupled to the position sensor and configured to control operation of the blade motor. The controller is configured to receive a blade motor control command, determine a position of the bail control lever based on data provided by the position sensor, and in response to determining that the bail control lever is in a closed position, control the blade motor based on the received blade motor control command.

[0006] In one aspect, the position sensor is a Hall effect sensor assembly including a Hall effect sensor and a magnet.

[0007] In another aspect, the bail lever is coupled to a handle assembly of a battery-powered lawn mower via a linkage mechanism, and the magnet is coupled to the linkage mechanism. The magnet is further configured to rotate relative to the Hall effect sensor in response to the bail lever moving between one of a closed position and an open position.

[0008] In another aspect, the magnet is configured to be positioned proximate the Hall effect sensor when the bail lever is in the closed position.

[0009] In another aspect, the lawn mower further includes a handle having a recessed portion configured to receive the bail lever when the bail lever is in the closed position.

[0010] In another aspect, the lawn mower further includes a plurality of wheels and a drive motor coupled to at least one of the wheels and configured to rotate the at least one wheel in at least one direction.

[0011] In another aspect, the controller is further configured to receive a drive motor control command, determine a position of the bail lever based on data provided by the position sensor, and in response to determining that the bail lever is in the closed position, control the drive motor based on the received drive motor control command.

[0012] In another aspect, the controller is further configured to detect transition of the bail lever from the closed position to the open position based on data provided by the position sensor and to stop operation of the blade motor based on detecting transition of the bail lever to the open position.

[0013] Methods of operating a battery-powered lawn mower described herein include receiving a blade motor control command from one or more user interfaces at a controller of the battery-powered lawn mower, and determining, by the controller, a position of a bail control lever based on a position signal provided by a position sensor configured to detect the position of the bail control lever. The methods also include controlling, via the controller, a blade motor based on the received blade motor control command in response to determining that the bail control lever is in a closed position.

[0014] The battery-powered lawn mower described herein includes: a blade motor coupled to at least one blade; a user input device configured to receive a blade motor control signal; a bail lever; and a handle assembly including a handle housing and a handle. The handle includes a recessed portion configured to receive the bail lever when the bail lever is in a closed position. The lawn mower further includes a Hall effect sensor assembly configured to determine a position of the bail lever. The Hall effect sensor assembly includes a Hall effect sensor and a magnet. The lawn mower also includes a controller coupled to the position sensor and configured to control the operation of the blade motor. The controller is configured to: receive a blade motor control command, determine a position of the bail lever based on data provided by the position sensor, and in response to determining that the bail lever is in a closed position, control the blade motor based on the received blade motor control command.

[0015] Before any embodiment is explained in detail, it should be understood that the embodiment does not limit its application to the details of the configuration and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments can be practiced or executed in various ways. It is also understood that the words and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered restrictive. The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof is intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mount", "connect", "support" and "couple" and variations thereof are used broadly, and these terms cover both direct mounting, connection, support and coupling and indirect mounting, connection, support and coupling.

[0016] In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules, which, for the purpose of discussion, may be shown and described as if most components are implemented only in hardware. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, based on reading this detailed description, that in at least one embodiment, electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium) that may be executed by one or more processing units (such as a microprocessor and / or an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”)). Thus, it should be noted that embodiments may be implemented using a plurality of hardware- and software-based devices and a plurality of different structural components. For example, the “server,” “computing device,” “controller,” “processor,” etc. described in the specification may include one or more processing units, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one or more input / output interfaces, and various connectors (e.g., a system bus) connecting these components.

[0017] Relative terms used in conjunction with quantities or conditions, such as "about", "approximately", "substantially", etc., will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to include the stated value and have the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., the term includes at least the degree of error associated with measurement accuracy, the tolerance associated with a particular value [e.g., manufacturing, assembly, use, etc.], etc.). Such terms should also be considered to disclose a range defined by the absolute values ​​of the two endpoints. For example, the expression "from about 2 to about 4" also discloses a range "from 2 to 4". Relative terms can refer to positive and negative percentages (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, or more) of the indicated value.

[0018] It should be understood that although some drawings show the hardware and software in a particular device, these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. The function described herein as being performed by a component can be performed in a distributed manner by multiple components. Likewise, the function performed by multiple components can be merged and performed by a single component. In some embodiments, the components shown can be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and / or hardware. For example, logic and processing can be distributed between multiple electronic processors, rather than being located in a single electronic processor and performed by it. Regardless of how hardware components and software components are combined or divided, these hardware components and software components can be located on the same computing device or can be distributed between different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links. Similarly, the components described as performing a specific function can also perform additional functions not described herein. For example, a device or structure "configured" in a certain way is configured at least in this way, but can also be configured in a way that is not explicitly listed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 is a lawn mower according to some embodiments.

[0020] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B According to some embodiments Figure 1 A perspective view of the handle of a lawn mower.

[0021] Figure 3A According to some embodiments FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B Front view of the handle with the bail lever in the closed position.

[0022] Figure 3B According to some embodiments FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B Side view of the handle.

[0023] Figure 4A According to some embodiments FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B Front view of the handle with the bail lever in the open position.

[0024] Figure 4B According to some embodiments FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B A side view of the handle with the bail lever in the open position.

[0025] Figure 5 According to some embodiments Figure 1 Block diagram of the control system of a lawn mower.

[0026] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to some embodiments.

[0027] Figure 7 According to some embodiments Figure 6Block diagram of the control system of the battery pack.

[0028] Figure 8 A diagram of a system for bail rod detection is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0029] Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B Demonstrates the movement of a magnet relative to a sensor for bail rod detection.

[0030] Fig.10 A state machine of an operator presence device ("OPD") system is presented in accordance with various embodiments.

[0031] Fig.11 It is used to control Figure 1 Flowchart of the process of making an electric lawn mower. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Figure 1 A lawn mower 10 according to one embodiment is shown. The lawn mower 10 includes a housing 12 and a handle 16 that is coupled to the housing 12 via a support beam 14. A motor housing 18 is coupled to an upper portion of the housing 12 and houses a motor configured to drive a cutting blade 20. The blade 20 is coupled to a lower portion of the housing 12. The lawn mower 10 includes a plurality of wheels 22, wherein one or more of the wheels 22 may be driven by a motor and / or an auxiliary motor, as described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the plurality of wheels 22 are driven by an auxiliary motor within the motor housing 18.

[0033] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B The handle 16 is shown according to some embodiments. The handle 16 includes a handle housing 24. A first paddle 26a and a second paddle 26b (e.g., paddles 26) extend from the handle housing 24 and function as switches or triggers. Accordingly, operation of the first paddle 26a and the second paddle 26b can drive a motor and / or an auxiliary motor, as described in more detail below. The handle 16 can further include a bail control lever 28. In some embodiments, as Figure 2B As shown, the bail lever 28 may be mounted within a recessed portion 30 of the handle 16 when in the closed position, thereby allowing the bail lever 28 to be substantially flush with the handle 16 during operation of the lawn mower 10 .

[0034] Now go to Figure 3A , shows a front view of the handle 16 according to some embodiments. Figure 3A As shown, bail lever 28 is in a closed position, such as when grasped by a user. Figure 3B is a side view of handle 16 with bail lever 28 in the closed position. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4BA front view and a side view of the handle 16 according to some embodiments are shown, respectively, with the bail lever 28 in an open position. In one embodiment, the bail lever 28 is spring biased toward the open position, requiring the user to grasp the bail lever 28 to maintain the bail lever 28 in the closed position.

[0035] As will be described in more detail below, the bail control lever 28 is coupled to the controller of the lawn mower 10 and is configured as a fail-safe device so that the user must maintain the bail control lever 28 in the closed position in order to activate the operation of the blade motor and / or the drive motor. In addition, when the bail control lever 28 is released so that the bail control lever 28 is transitioned to the open position, the controller will stop the operation of the blade and / or the drive motor, as will be described in more detail below.

[0036] Figure 5 A controller 200 is shown for the lawn mower 10. The controller 200 is electrically and / or communicatively coupled to a plurality of modules or components of the lawn mower 10. For example, the controller 200 is shown coupled to an indicator 245, auxiliary sensors 272 (e.g., speed sensors, voltage sensors, temperature sensors, current sensors, etc.), a paddle 26 (via a contactless switch 158 and a position sensor 159), a bail lever 28 (via one or more position sensors 285), a power switch network 255, and a power input unit 260.

[0037] The controller 200 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection for the components and modules within the controller 200 and / or the lawn mower 10. For example, the controller 200 includes, among other things, a processing unit 205 (e.g., a microprocessor, an electronic processor, an electronic controller, a microcontroller, or other suitable programmable device), a memory 225, an input unit 230, and an output unit 235. The processing unit 205 includes, among other things, a control unit 210, an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") 215, and a plurality of registers 220 (in Figure 5 The processing unit 205, the memory 225, the input unit 230, the output unit 235, and the various modules connected to the controller 200 are connected through one or more control buses and / or data buses (for example, the common bus 240). For the purpose of illustration, the control bus and / or data bus are generally Figure 5 In view of the embodiments described herein, it is known to those skilled in the art to use one or more control buses and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between multiple modules and components.

[0038] The memory 225 is a non-transient computer readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as ROM, RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, hard disk, SD card or other suitable magnetic memory device, optical memory device, physical memory device or electronic memory device. The processing unit 205 is connected to the memory 225 and executes software instructions, which can be stored in the RAM of the memory 225 (e.g., during execution), the ROM of the memory 225 (e.g., on a generally permanent basis) or another non-transient computer readable medium such as another memory or disk. The software included in the embodiment of the lawn mower 10 can be stored in the memory 225 of the controller 200. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more application programs, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules and other executable instructions. The controller 200 is configured to obtain from the memory 225 and execute instructions related to the control process and method described herein in particular. In other embodiments, the controller 200 includes additional components, fewer components or different components.

[0039] The controller 200 drives the motor 280 to rotate the blade 20 in response to the user's actuation of the paddle 26. In some examples, the motor 280 is referred to as a blade motor. The paddle 26 is pressed to actuate the contactless switch to indicate that the paddle 26 is being pressed. The paddle position sensor 159 is configured to sense the position of the paddle 26 (e.g., the depression amplitude of the paddle), which outputs a signal to the controller 200 to drive the motor 280 and thus drive the blade 20. In some embodiments, the controller 200 is configured to control the power switch network 255 (e.g., a field effect transistor ("FET") switch bridge) to drive the motor 280 in response to the sensed value received from the position sensor 159 and / or the contactless switch 158. For example, the power switch network 255 may include a plurality of high-side switch elements (e.g., FETs) and a plurality of low-side switch elements. The controller 200 may control each of the plurality of high-side switch elements and the plurality of low-side switch elements to drive each phase of the motor 280.

[0040] In response to determining that the paddle 26 is released, the controller 200 can be configured to control the power switch network 255 to apply a braking force to the motor 280. For example, the power switch network 255 can be controlled to decelerate the motor 280 more quickly. In some embodiments, the controller 200 is configured to drive an auxiliary motor 290, which can be configured to drive the plurality of wheels 22. For example, the motor 280 is controlled to drive the blade 20, and the auxiliary motor 290 is controlled to drive the plurality of wheels 22 to provide a powered drive function to the lawn mower 10. The auxiliary motor can be controlled via the auxiliary power switch network 295.

[0041] Indicator 245 is also connected to controller 200 and receives control signals from controller 200 to turn on and off or otherwise communicate information based on different states of lawn mower 10. Indicator 245 includes, for example, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a display screen. Indicator 245 can be configured to display a condition of lawn mower 10 or information associated with the lawn mower. For example, indicator 245 can be configured to provide an indication of whether lawn mower 10 is in a condition that allows a user to activate motor 280 and / or auxiliary motor 290, such as when bail control lever 28 is in the off position.

[0042] The battery pack interface 250 is connected to the controller 200 and is configured to couple with the battery pack 100. The battery pack interface 250 includes a combination of mechanical components (e.g., a battery pack receiving portion) and electrical components that are configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) the lawn mower 10 with the battery pack 100. The battery pack interface 250 is coupled to a power input unit 260. The battery pack interface 250 transmits power received from the battery pack 100 to the power input unit 260. The power input unit 260 includes active components and / or passive components (e.g., a buck controller, a voltage converter, a rectifier, a filter, etc.) to regulate or control the power received through the battery pack interface 250 and provided to the controller 200. In some embodiments, the battery pack interface 250 is also coupled to a power switch network 255. The operation of the power switch network 255 controlled by the controller 200 determines how power is supplied to the motor 280.

[0043] As described above, in some embodiments, the lawn mower 10 is a battery-powered lawn mower. Figure 6 A battery pack 100 is shown including a housing 105 and a battery pack interface 110 for connecting the battery pack 100 to a device, such as a lawn mower 10 .

[0044] Figure 7A control system for a battery pack 100 is shown. The control system includes a battery pack controller 300. The battery pack controller 300 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to a plurality of modules or components of the battery pack 100. For example, the battery pack controller 300 is shown connected to one or more battery cells 305 and an interface 310 (e.g., Figure 6 The battery pack controller 300 is also connected to one or more voltage sensors or voltage sensing circuits 315, one or more current sensors or current sensing circuits 320, and one or more temperature sensors or temperature sensing circuits 325. The battery pack controller 300 includes a combination of hardware and software that are operable to, among other things, control the operation of the battery pack 100, monitor the condition of the battery pack 100, enable or disable charging of the battery pack 100, enable or disable discharging of the battery pack 100, etc.

[0045] The battery pack controller 300 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection for the components and modules within the battery pack controller 300 and / or the battery pack 100. For example, the controller 200 includes, among other things, a processing unit 335 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 340, an input unit 345, and an output unit 350. The processing unit 335 includes, among other things, a control unit 355, an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") 360, and a plurality of registers 365 (in Figure 7 The processing unit 335, the memory 340, the input unit 345, the output unit 350, and the multiple modules or circuits connected to the controller 200 are connected through one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., the common bus 370). For the purpose of illustration, the control bus and / or data bus are generally Figure 7 In view of the invention described herein, it is known to those skilled in the art to use one or more control buses and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between multiple modules, circuits and components.

[0046] The memory 340 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as a read-only memory ("ROM"), a read-only memory (RAM) (e.g., a dynamic RAM ("DRAM"), a synchronous DRAM ("SDRAM"), etc.), an electrically erasable programmable ROM ("EEPROM"), a flash memory, a hard disk, a secure digital ("SD") card, or other suitable magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, physical storage devices, or electronic storage devices. The processing unit 335 is connected to the memory 340 and executes software instructions that can be stored in the RAM of the memory 340 (e.g., during execution), the ROM of the memory 340 (e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer-readable medium such as another memory or disk. The software included in the embodiment of the battery pack 100 may be stored in the memory 340 of the controller 300. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The battery pack controller 300 is configured to retrieve from the memory 340 and execute, among other things, instructions related to the control processes and methods described herein. In other constructions, the battery pack controller 300 includes additional components, fewer components, or different components.

[0047] The interface 310 includes a combination of mechanical components (e.g., tracks, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical components (e.g., one or more terminals) that are configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) the battery pack 100 with another device (e.g., a power tool, a battery pack charger, a lawn mower 10, etc.). For example, the interface 310 is configured to receive power via a power line between one or more battery cells 305 and the interface 310. The interface 310 is also configured to be communicatively connected to the battery pack controller 300.

[0048] As described above, the bail lever 28 is configured to prevent operation of the motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290 in response to the bail lever 28 being in the open position. One or more sensors 285 provide an indication of the position of the bail lever 28 to the controller 200. In one embodiment, the one or more sensors 285 may include a Hall effect sensor; however, other sensors (such as proximity sensors, inductive sensors, contact switches, reed switches, and / or other sensors) may be used to provide data indicating the position of the bail lever 28 to the controller 200.

[0049] Now go to Figure 8 , according to some embodiments, a sensing system 800 is shown integrated with a bail lever 28. Figure 8As shown, the bail lever 28 and sensor 285 are housed in the handle housing 24 of the lawn mower 10. As described above, the sensor 285 can be a Hall effect sensor assembly having a Hall sensor 802 and an associated magnet 804. When the bail lever 28 is in the closed position, the position of the bail lever 28 will cause the magnet to be located in front of the Hall effect sensor 802. When the bail lever 28 is in the open position, the magnet moves away from the range of the sensor and moves out of the range of the sensor. The sensor can be located in the main component (e.g., the top user holding portion) of the handle 16, for example, in the center of the main component / holding portion of the handle 16.

[0050] The bail lever 28 is configured to rotate about the rotation axis A1 at an associated rotation point 806. The magnet 804 is coupled to a linkage mechanism 808 of the bail lever 28 and is configured to move with the movement of the bail lever 28 relative to the Hall sensor 802. For example, the rotation axis A1 and the rotation point 806 of the bail lever 28 are linked to the magnet 804 and cause the magnet 804 to move between an open position and a closed position relative to the Hall sensor 802. The magnet 804 can move between a closed position of the bail lever 28 (where the magnet is within the range of the sensor / can be detected by the sensor) and an open position (where the magnet is not within the range of the Hall effect sensor 802 / cannot be detected by the Hall effect sensor). The controller 200 of the lawn mower receives the signal from the sensor 285 (e.g., via a user interface cable) and is able to determine / detect whether the bail lever 28 is in the closed position or the open position.

[0051] Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B Shows the above Figure 8 The operation of the Hall effect sensor 802 and the magnet 804 is described. Fig. 9A As shown, the bail lever 28 is in a closed position (e.g., grasped by a user to facilitate operation of the lawn mower 10), and the magnet 804 is placed adjacent to the Hall effect sensor 802. Fig. 9A, magnet 804 is attached to linkage 808 such that rotation of bail lever 28 causes rotation of linkage 808, thereby changing the position of magnet 804 relative to Hall effect sensor 802. In some embodiments, bail lever 28 may include features that secure bail lever 28 in place and allow the bail lever to rotate on one axis. Accordingly, movement of bail lever 28 into the closed position causes linkage 808 to rotate such that magnet 804 is placed within the sensing / detecting vicinity of the sensor. This positioning of magnet 804 generates a magnetic field that can be detected by Hall effect sensor 802. Depending on the strength of the magnetic field detected by Hall effect sensor 802 (which in turn is related to the position of magnet 804 and relative to the bail lever), Hall effect sensor 802 outputs a signal to controller 200 indicating whether bail lever 28 is in the open position or the closed position. In some examples, the Hall effect sensor 802 can be configured such that the magnet 804 must be substantially aligned (eg, greater than 90% aligned) with the Hall effect sensor 802, such as Fig. 9A shown.

[0052] on the contrary, Fig. 9B The bail lever 28 is shown in an open position (e.g., released or not fully grasped by a user), thereby rotating the magnet 804 to a position away from the face 812 of the Hall effect sensor 802. This reduces and / or eliminates the magnetic field strength detected by the Hall effect sensor 802. In response to the magnetic field strength dropping below a threshold, the Hall effect sensor 802 may provide a signal to the controller 200 indicating that the bail lever 28 is in an open position. In some embodiments, the Hall effect sensor 802 may only provide a signal to the controller 200 when the Hall effect sensor 802 determines that the bail lever 28 is in a closed position. In other examples, the Hall effect sensor 802 may send raw data indicating the sensed magnetic field directly to the controller 200, which in turn may determine whether the bail lever 28 is in an open position or a closed position. In other examples, such as where other or additional sensors are used to determine the position of the bail lever 28, various data points may be sent by various sensors to the controller to provide an indication of the position of the bail lever 28 as desired for a given application.

[0053] Fig.10A state machine 1000 of an operator presence device ("OPD") system is shown in accordance with various embodiments. The OPD may include a combination system (bail lever 28, magnet 804, Hall effect sensor 802, etc.). In response to magnet 804 being within the sensing range of Hall effect sensor 802 (e.g., when bail lever 28 is in the closed position), Hall effect sensor 802 may output a logic low (e.g., 0V) signal to controller 200. In response to magnet 804 being outside the sensing range of the sensor (e.g., when bail lever 28 is in the open position), Hall effect sensor 802 may output a logic high (e.g., 3.3V) signal. In some embodiments, Hall effect sensor 802 is omnipolar such that the output signal is driven to a logic low when a strong north or south pole is detected. Otherwise, the output is a logic high when a strong magnetic field is not detected (e.g., above a minimum strength threshold).

[0054] The output signal from the Hall effect sensor 802 can be processed by the controller 200 to allow the drive motor or blade motor to be activated via its corresponding control (when the bail control lever 28 is in the closed position), or to allow the motor to be disabled (when the bail control lever 28 is in the open position), regardless of the state of the corresponding control of the motor in the system. Fig.10 Four different internal states of the OPD system are shown: an on state 1002 , an off state 1004 , a disabled state 1006 , and a running state 1008 .

[0055] With the bail control lever 28 in the open position, the mower 10 can be operated in the on state 1002. In the on state 1002, the bail control lever 28 is open and the blade motor 280 and the auxiliary (e.g., drive) motor 290 are deactivated. The on state 1002 can occur when the mower 10 is not in use or during a reset condition. When the bail control lever 28 is moved to the off position and the mower 10 is placed in an active state (e.g., with battery power, or receiving an activation input from a user, such as via one or more paddles 26 and / or via one or more inputs received through the input unit 230), the mower 10 transitions to the off state 1004. In the off state 1004, the blade motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290 are active and can operate in response to receiving an input, such as via the paddles 26. In response to the bail control lever 28 transitioning to the open position, the mower 10 will return directly to the on state 1002.

[0056] The lawn mower 10 enters the operating state 1008 from the off state 1004 upon receiving an input to activate the blade motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290, wherein one or both of the blade motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290 are operating (e.g., driving respective loads of both the blade motor and the auxiliary motor). In response to the bail control lever 28 being transitioned to the open position, the lawn mower 10 will return directly to the on state 1002. In response to the blade motor 280 being transitioned to the off condition (e.g., the user disables the blade motor), the lawn mower 10 enters the disabled state, wherein only the auxiliary motor 290 may be operable. In response to the bail control lever 28 being transitioned to the open position, the lawn mower 10 will return directly to the on state.

[0057] Now go to Fig.11 , according to some embodiments, a process 1100 for controlling a lawn mower 10 having a bail control lever 28 as described above is shown. In one embodiment, the process 1100 is performed by the controller 200. In one embodiment, the process may be stored as instructions in the memory 225 and may be executed by the processing unit 205.

[0058] At process block 1102, the mower 10 is operating in the off mode. At process block 1104, the controller 200 determines whether the mower 10 is in the on mode. The on mode may be initiated by a user providing input to the controller 200, such as via the contactless switch 158 of the paddle 26. In response to determining that the mower is not in the on mode, the mower 10 remains in the off mode at process block 1102. In some embodiments, the off mode may be similar to the on state 1002 described above. In response to determining that the mower 10 is in the on mode, the controller 200 transitions the mower to the standby mode at process block 1108. The standby mode may be similar to the off state 1004 described above. For example, when operating in the standby mode, the mower may be in an active state (e.g., the controller 200 is active and ready to control one or more operations of the mower 10, such as motor rotation) and wait for user input to control one or more operations of the mower, such as controlling the rotation of the blade motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290.

[0059] At process block 1110, the controller 200 determines whether one or more motor control commands have been received. The motor control commands may be received via the contactless switch 158 and / or the position sensor 159. However, the motor control commands may also be received from one or more auxiliary sensors 272 and / or via inputs to the input unit 230 of the controller 200. The motor control commands may be provided for the blade motor 280, the auxiliary (drive) motor 290, or both. In response to determining that no motor control commands have been received, the controller 200 proceeds to operate the lawn mower 10 in the standby mode at process block 1108. The motor control commands may provide the desired motor speed, rotational direction, and / or other signals required for a given application.

[0060] In response to determining that one or more motor control commands are received at the controller 200, the controller 200 then determines the position of the bail control lever 28 at process block 1112. Specifically, the controller 200 determines whether the bail control lever 28 is in a closed position (e.g., grasped by a user) or in an open position. As described above, the controller 200 can determine the position of the bail control lever 28 based on information from one or more position sensors 285 (such as the Hall effect sensor 802 described above). In response to determining that the bail control lever 28 is in the open position, the controller 200 resumes operating the lawn mower 10 in the standby mode at process block 1108. In some examples, the controller 200 can provide an indication to the user, such as via the indicator 245, that the bail control lever 28 is not in the closed position, thereby preventing operation of the blade motor 280 and / or the auxiliary motor 290. In response to the controller 200 determining that the bail control lever 28 is in the closed position, the controller 200 causes the motor (i.e., the blade motor 280, the auxiliary motor 290, or a combination thereof) to operate (e.g., rotate) based on the received motor control command. The controller 200 then returns to process block 1110 so that any changes to the motor control command and / or changes in the position of the bail control lever are reflected in the operation of the mower 10. For example, when the bail control lever 28 moves from the closed position to the open position, the controller 200 stops the rotation of the blade motor 280 and / or the drive motor 290.

Claims

1. A battery-powered lawn mower, characterized in that: include: a blade motor coupled to at least one blade; a user input device configured to receive a blade motor control signal; bail control lever; a position sensor configured to determine a position of the bail lever; as well as a controller connected to the position sensor and configured to control operation of the blade motor, the controller being configured to: Receive blade motor control commands, determining a position of the bail lever based on a signal output by the position sensor, and In response to determining that the bail control lever is in the closed position, the blade motor is controlled based on the received blade motor control command.

2. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein: The position sensor is a Hall effect sensor assembly including a Hall effect sensor and a magnet.

3. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 2, wherein: The bail control lever is coupled to a handle assembly of the battery-powered lawn mower via a linkage mechanism, and Wherein the magnet is coupled to the linkage mechanism and is configured to rotate relative to the Hall effect sensor in response to the bail lever moving between one of the closed position and the open position.

4. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 3, wherein: The magnet is configured to be positioned proximate the Hall effect sensor when the bail lever is in the closed position.

5. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein: Further including: A handle wherein the handle includes a recessed portion configured to receive the bail lever when the bail lever is in the closed position.

6. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein: Further including: Multiple wheels; as well as A drive motor is coupled to at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels and is configured to rotate the at least one wheel in at least one direction.

7. A battery-powered lawn mower as claimed in claim 6, wherein: The controller is further configured to: Receiving a drive motor control command; determining a position of the bail lever based on a signal output by the position sensor; and In response to determining that the bail lever is in the closed position, the drive motor is controlled based on the received drive motor control command.

8. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to: detecting a transition of the bail lever from the closed position to the open position based on a signal output by the position sensor; and Based on detecting the transition of the bail lever to the open position, operation of the blade motor is stopped.

9. A battery-powered lawn mower, characterized in that: include: a blade motor coupled to at least one blade; a user input device configured to receive a blade motor control signal; bail control lever; a handle assembly including a handle housing and a handle, wherein the handle includes a recessed portion configured to receive the bail lever when the bail lever is in a closed position; a Hall effect sensor assembly configured to determine a position of the bail lever, wherein the Hall effect sensor assembly comprises a Hall effect sensor and a magnet; and a controller connected to the Hall effect sensor and configured to control operation of the blade motor, the controller being configured to: Receive blade motor control commands, determining a position of the bail lever based on a signal output by the Hall Effect sensor, and In response to determining that the bail lever is in the closed position, the blade motor is controlled based on the received blade motor control command.

10. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 9, wherein: The bail lever is coupled to the handle housing via a linkage mechanism, and wherein the magnet is coupled to the linkage mechanism and is configured to rotate relative to the Hall effect sensor in response to the bail lever moving between one of the closed position and the open position.

11. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 10, wherein: The magnet is configured to be positioned proximate the Hall effect sensor when the bail lever is in the closed position.

12. The battery-powered lawn mower of claim 9, wherein: The controller is further configured to: detecting a transition of the bail lever from the closed position to the open position based on a signal output by the Hall Effect sensor; and Based on detecting the bail lever transitioning from the closed position to the open position, operation of the blade motor is stopped.

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