Abstract: A small radius- or zero radius-turn vehicle that may be steered by differentially-driven rear drive wheels and by at least one electronically-controlled, steerable front wheel. A device, e.g., one or more levers, may be provided that controls both speed and direction of the drive wheels. A sensor may be provided that detects a position of the lever(s). A controller may calculate a steering angle of the front wheel based upon the position, and issue a command to an actuator associated with the front wheel. The actuator may rotate the front wheel to an electronically calculated steering angle in response to the command.

Abstract: This invention relates to an outdoor power equipment unit, such as a mower, having an electronic controller comprising a circuit board with a plurality of connector pins affixed thereto and with a connector housing surrounding the pins. A Macromelt overmold encapsulates the circuit board and is bonded to the connector housing to form a controller that needs no external housing and no separate wire harness extending from the connector pins to the circuit board. The controller can log the length of time of various operations of the unit as well as the number of various occurrences. In addition, the controller can prevent overheating by automatically disabling operation of the working implement carried by the unit but permitting continued operation of the prime mover when overheating of the prime mover is detected.

Abstract: A turf mower has one or more electrically powered cutting units and a traction drive system that is operatively powered by an internal combustion engine. A motor generator is also powered by the engine and is operatively connected to the engine and the traction drive system. A battery pack stores electrical energy and is charged by the motor generator during normal mowing on flat ground. When mowing on hillsides with increased mechanical power requirements above that supplied by the horsepower of the engine, a control system first removes the load imposed by the cutting units by supplying the electrical energy to the cutting units from the battery pack instead of the motor generator. If that is insufficient, the control system then uses energy from the battery pack to power the motor generator as a motor to supply additional mechanical power for use by the traction drive system.

Abstract: A turf mower has one or more electrically powered cutting units and a traction drive system that is operatively powered by an internal combustion engine. A motor generator is also powered by the engine and is operatively connected to the engine and the traction drive system. A battery pack stores electrical energy and is charged by the motor generator during normal mowing on flat ground. When mowing on hillsides with increased mechanical power requirements above that supplied by the horsepower of the engine, a control system first removes the load imposed by the cutting units by supplying the electrical energy to the cutting units from the battery pack instead of the motor generator. If that is insufficient, the control system then uses energy from the battery pack to power the motor generator as a motor to supply additional mechanical power for use by the traction drive system.