A gardening appliance has a traction drive system with a clutch, an electric motor drive system and a user-triggerable signalling device. The clutch is designed to, as a result of forward rotation, automatically engage for forward drive of the gardening appliance and, as a result of backward rotation, automatically disengage for freewheeling of the gardening appliance. The electric motor drive system is designed to effect the forward rotation and the backward rotation of the clutch. A method of operating the appliance includes: a) in a user-triggered manner by way of a change in a signal state of the signalling device, operating the electric motor drive system in a running-down and/or braking operating mode in order to lower a motor rotational speed of the forward-rotating electric motor drive system; b) acquiring whether a back electromotive force caused by the electric motor drive system or a variable based on the back electromotive force satisfies a standstill criterion, wherein the standstill criterion is characteristic of an attainment of a standstill state of the electric motor drive system; and c) when the standstill criterion is satisfied, operating the electric motor drive system in a backward-rotation operating mode to effect the backward rotation of the electric motor drive system for disengaging the clutch for freewheeling of the gardening appliance.

The present disclosure relates to an agricultural operation vehicle comprising a body; a transmission; a clutch pedal; a hand lever; a clutch switch; a clutch link unit connected to the clutch such that the transmission is fastened and unfastened from the clutch; a clutch pedal link unit coupled to the clutch link unit to rotate around the connecting shaft; a pedal link unit connected to the clutch pedal link unit and the clutch pedal so as to rotate the clutch link unit around the connecting shaft responsive to manipulation of the clutch pedal; a clutch switch link unit coupled to the clutch link unit to rotate around the connecting shaft with the clutch link unit; and an operation unit for rotating the clutch switch link unit around the connecting shaft such that the clutch link unit is rotated around the connecting shaft responsive to manipulation of the clutch switch.

The present disclosure relates to an agricultural operation vehicle comprising a body; a transmission; a clutch pedal; a hand lever; a clutch switch; a clutch link unit connected to the clutch such that the transmission is fastened and unfastened from the clutch; a clutch pedal link unit coupled to the clutch link unit to rotate around the connecting shaft; a pedal link unit connected to the clutch pedal link unit and the clutch pedal so as to rotate the clutch link unit around the connecting shaft responsive to manipulation of the clutch pedal; a clutch switch link unit coupled to the clutch link unit to rotate around the connecting shaft with the clutch link unit; and an operation unit for rotating the clutch switch link unit around the connecting shaft such that the clutch link unit is rotated around the connecting shaft responsive to manipulation of the clutch switch.

Provided is a mower system that includes an idler pulley, a deck drive pulley coupled to a drive shaft of a mower motor and an intermediate pulley coupled to the mower frame such that a position of the intermediate pulley is fixed relative to a position of the deck drive pulley and the intermediate pulley is positioned to be engaged by a portion of the deck drive belt spanning between the deck drive pulley and the idler pulley.

Provided is a mower system that includes an idler pulley, a deck drive pulley coupled to a drive shaft of a mower motor and an intermediate pulley coupled to the mower frame such that a position of the intermediate pulley is fixed relative to a position of the deck drive pulley and the intermediate pulley is positioned to be engaged by a portion of the deck drive belt spanning between the deck drive pulley and the idler pulley.

An agricultural machine configured to be operated by an operator and including a drive mechanism having a drive shaft and a gear assembly for driving an agricultural implement. The agricultural machine includes a slip clutch that has an outer sleeve operatively coupled to the gear assembly, an inner sleeve positioned within the outer sleeve and coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft, a plurality of torque-transfer members positioned between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve and configured to selectively couple the inner sleeve to the outer sleeve, and a position sensor in communication with one of the plurality of torque-transfer members and configured to output a signal in response to radial displacement of the one torque-transfer member being detected. The agricultural machine includes a control unit in communication with the position sensor and configured to alter an operating parameter of the machine in response to receiving the signal.

A transmission control system and method for a lawnmower having a battery and an electric drive transmission that can include a propulsion motor and a propulsion motor driver. The control system can include a clutch lever, a speed lever, a cable connected to the clutch lever and the speed lever, a hall sensor in electrical communication with the propulsion motor driver, and a clutch arm connected to the cable and configured to actuate the hall sensor to change a speed of the electric transmission.

A perception system coupled to a harvesting head that includes row units, and slip clutches configured to couple the row units to a drive shaft and automatically disengage a jammed row unit. The perception system includes vision sensors collecting image data in front of the head, and a processor that processes the image data, and notifies the operator when it detects excessive crop buildup in front of one of the row units based on the image data. The perception processor can activate a notification device, and it can indicate which row unit has the detected crop buildup. The vision sensors can be positioned to have separate or overlapping fields of view covering the row units. A method of collecting image data in front of the row units, processing the image data to detect excessive crop buildup, and notifying the operator of detected buildups.

A perception system coupled to a harvesting head that includes row units, and slip clutches configured to couple the row units to a drive shaft and automatically disengage a jammed row unit. The perception system includes vision sensors collecting image data in front of the head, and a processor that processes the image data, and notifies the operator when it detects excessive crop buildup in front of one of the row units based on the image data. The perception processor can activate a notification device, and it can indicate which row unit has the detected crop buildup. The vision sensors can be positioned to have separate or overlapping fields of view covering the row units. A method of collecting image data in front of the row units, processing the image data to detect excessive crop buildup, and notifying the operator of detected buildups.

A clutch assembly includes: a drive hub having a spline configured to couple to a gearbox; a clutch housing coupled to the drive hub and having an end face defining an opening therein; a clutch hub disposed within the clutch housing and having a portion that extends out of the opening, the clutch hub being rotatable with respect to the clutch housing during a slip condition; a primary seal disposed between the clutch housing and the clutch hub; a quantity of purging compound disposed between the clutch housing and the clutch hub; and an end washer coupled to the clutch hub and facing the end face, the end washer and the end face defining a purge gap therebetween such that rotation of the clutch hub relative to the clutch housing causes some of the purging compound to eject from the clutch housing through the purge gap.