A vehicle steering assembly for controlling movement of a vehicle having independently rotatable left and right ground-engaging traction elements. The steering assembly comprises a steering handle and a steering controller positioned generally below the steering handle and actuated by movement of the steering handle. The steering handle includes an upright shaft and a laterally-extending crossmember fixed to the top of the upright shaft. A flexible protective cover is attached to the shaft and is configured to prevent dirt and debris from entering the steering controller. The steering handle is shiftable in forward and rearward directions to thereby cause corresponding forward and rearward rotation of both of the left and right traction elements. The steering handle is rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to thereby cause a change in the relative speeds and directions of rotation of the left and right traction elements.

A vehicle steering assembly for controlling movement of a vehicle having independently rotatable left and right ground-engaging traction elements. The steering assembly comprises a steering handle and a steering controller positioned generally below the steering handle and actuated by movement of the steering handle. The steering handle includes an upright shaft and a laterally-extending crossmember fixed to the top of the upright shaft. A flexible protective cover is attached to the shaft and is configured to prevent dirt and debris from entering the steering controller. The steering handle is shiftable in forward and rearward directions to thereby cause corresponding forward and rearward rotation of both of the left and right traction elements. The steering handle is rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to thereby cause a change in the relative speeds and directions of rotation of the left and right traction elements.

A jamming protection apparatus of a shift lever for a vehicle includes a shift lever rotatably provided in a housing. A contact portion is provided in the shift lever and is provided with an elastically behaving bullet. A detent portion is disposed such that the bullet of the contact portion is brought in contact with the detent portion in the housing. The detent portion is moveably seated in the housing and is provided with a grooved bottom configured such that the bullet moves over the grooved bottom when the shift lever is rotated. A behavior generator is connected to the detent portion and is configured such that the detent portion is moved by an operation of the behavior generator.

Methods and apparatus for a lawn maintenance vehicle park brake and traction drive interlock are provided. A park brake mechanism is selectively operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. A traction drive is also mounted to the lawn maintenance vehicle, the traction drive having a disable mode which prohibits transmission of a driving force from the traction drive to a drive wheel. A first operable connection between the park brake mechanism and a wheel brake activates the wheel brake. A second operable connection between the park brake mechanism and the traction drive activates the disable mode of the traction drive. A method of controlling a lawn maintenance vehicle with a park brake and traction drive interlock include the steps of providing a lawn maintenance vehicle, providing an operable park brake mechanism, providing a first operable connection, and providing a second operable connection.

Methods and apparatus for a lawn maintenance vehicle park brake and traction drive interlock are provided. A park brake mechanism is selectively operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. A traction drive is also mounted to the lawn maintenance vehicle, the traction drive having a disable mode which prohibits transmission of a driving force from the traction drive to a drive wheel. A first operable connection between the park brake mechanism and a wheel brake activates the wheel brake. A second operable connection between the park brake mechanism and the traction drive activates the disable mode of the traction drive. A method of controlling a lawn maintenance vehicle with a park brake and traction drive interlock include the steps of providing a lawn maintenance vehicle, providing an operable park brake mechanism, providing a first operable connection, and providing a second operable connection.

A knob assembly includes a knob located at a front panel of the knob assembly and configured to rotate about an axis, a knob ring that is located at the front panel, that surrounds the knob, and that rotates about the axis independently of rotation of the knob, an adjusting shaft that extends from the knob through the knob ring in a direction rearward of the front panel and that rotates based on rotation of the knob and causes operation of a device, a first rotation sensing part that senses rotation of the adjusting shaft, and a first sensing target that rotates based on rotation of the adjusting shaft. A position of the first sensing target changes based on rotation of the first sensing target, and the first rotation sensing part senses at least one of the position or a change of the position of the first sensing target.

A knob assembly includes a knob located at a front panel of the knob assembly and configured to rotate about an axis, a knob ring that is located at the front panel, that surrounds the knob, and that rotates about the axis independently of rotation of the knob, an adjusting shaft that extends from the knob through the knob ring in a direction rearward of the front panel and that rotates based on rotation of the knob and causes operation of a device, a first rotation sensing part that senses rotation of the adjusting shaft, and a first sensing target that rotates based on rotation of the adjusting shaft. A position of the first sensing target changes based on rotation of the first sensing target, and the first rotation sensing part senses at least one of the position or a change of the position of the first sensing target.

A shift lever apparatus for a vehicle is an apparatus, in which by integrating P-range switch function into manual switch function, components for the P-range switch are eliminated and thus the configuration is simplified and cost reduction is achieved.

A multifunctional electronic gear shift lever for simultaneous manipulation includes a cylindrical lever rotatably inserted into a support which is disposed in a center fascia surface or a console surface of a vehicle and having an entrance opening that penetrates the cylindrical lever in a longitudinal direction. A start button is disposed at a lower side of the entrance opening, connected with a controller via a spring, and moving in a vertical direction. A display is disposed on the center fascia surface or the console surface, and displays a gear shift stage of the vehicle and a state of the vehicle. The gear shift stage is changeable by rotating the cylindrical lever while simultaneously starting an engine of the vehicle by operating the start button.

A variable track joystick device includes a support housing, a joystick movable with respect to the support housing, and a joystick guidance mechanism controllable to selectively confine joystick movement to a predetermined track pattern. During operation of the variable joystick device, a controller determines when the variable track joystick device is placed in a selected one of (i) a first mode in which joystick movement controls the first work vehicle function and (ii) a second mode in which joystick movement controls the second work vehicle function. The controller further commands the joystick guidance mechanism to restrict joystick movement to the predetermined track pattern when the joystick device is placed in the first mode, while permitting joystick movement outside of the predetermined track pattern when the joystick device is placed in the second mode.