Patents by Inventor Ross Allen Pflanzer

Ross Allen Pflanzer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Turf-care vehicle operator presence detection
    Patent number: 9485906
    Abstract: An operator detection system for sensing the presence of an operator at an operator control station of a turf-care vehicle is provided. The system comprises at least one operator presence sensor structured and operable to sense whether an operator is present at the operator control station and a controller communicatively connected to the operator presence sensor(s). The controller structured and operable to determine whether each of the operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that an operator is present at the operator control station, enable operation of an engine of the vehicle and at least one cutting unit of the vehicle when one or more operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that the operator is present at the operator control station, and disable operation of the engine and at least one cutting unit when one or more operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that the operator is not present at the operator control station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Allen Pflanzer, Matthew Dewane Jackson, Joseph Lowell Harper
  • TURF-CARE VEHICLE OPERATOR PRESENCE DETECTION
    Publication number: 20160262305
    Abstract: An operator detection system for sensing the presence of an operator at an operator control station of a turf-care vehicle is provided. The system comprises at least one operator presence sensor structured and operable to sense whether an operator is present at the operator control station and a controller communicatively connected to the operator presence sensor(s). The controller structured and operable to determine whether each of the operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that an operator is present at the operator control station, enable operation of an engine of the vehicle and at least one cutting unit of the vehicle when one or more operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that the operator is present at the operator control station, and disable operation of the engine and at least one cutting unit when one or more operator presence sensor(s) sense(s) that the operator is not present at the operator control station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Ross Allen Pflanzer, Matthew Dewane Jackson, Joseph Lowell Harper