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Stability control system

  • US 9,764,734 B1
  • Filed: 03/28/2016
  • Issued: 09/19/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A drive and control system for use on a vehicle having a prime mover, a pair of driven wheels, and a pair of drive motors, each drive motor being engaged to and independently driving one of the pair of driven wheels to provide zero turn capability to the vehicle, the drive and control system comprising:

  • an operator mechanism configured to generate a drive signal and a steering signal, wherein;

    the drive signal corresponds to a neutral drive position of the operator mechanism or to one of a plurality of non-neutral drive positions of the operator mechanism; and

    the steering signal corresponds to a neutral steering position of the operator mechanism or to one of a plurality of non-neutral steering positions of the operator mechanism;

    a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle and capable of generating sensor signals corresponding to sensed roll parameters, sensed pitch parameters and sensed yaw parameters; and

    a stability control module comprising a processor connected to the operator mechanism for receiving the drive signal and the steering signal, the stability control module being connected to and capable of providing output signals to the pair of drive motors;

    wherein the processor is configured to;

    (a) load an initial roll parameter, an initial pitch parameter, and an initial yaw parameter;

    (b) if the drive signal corresponds to one of the non-neutral drive positions, and if the steering signal corresponds to the neutral steering position, activate a steering correction feature;

    (c) if the drive signal corresponds to one of the non-neutral drive positions, perform a roll comparison by comparing at least one of the sensed roll parameters to the initial roll parameter and, in response to a first outcome of the roll comparison, limit power supplied to the pair of drive motors, enforce a first predetermined maximum vehicle speed, or provide an audible or visual warning; and

    (d) if the drive signal corresponds to one of the non-neutral drive positions, perform a pitch comparison by comparing at least one of the sensed pitch parameters to the initial pitch parameter and, in response to a first outcome of the pitch comparison, limit power supplied to the pair of drive motors, enforce a second predetermined maximum vehicle speed or provide an audible or visual warning.

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