A system, generally for use with light personal vehicles such as bicycles or e-bikes, for enabling a vehicle trailer and a tow bar to be interconnected in either a braking configuration or a non-braking configuration, is described. Also described is a braking kit for interconnecting a tow bar and a vehicle trailer in a braking configuration, wherein the vehicle trailer comprises a connection interface dimensioned to be connected with an end of the tow bar in a non-braking configuration. When the tow bar and the trailer are interconnected in the braking configuration, at least a threshold amount of rearward force imparted via the tow bar during vehicle braking causes the actuation of at least one brake associated with the trailer wheels. The same tow bar can be used in either braking or non-braking configuration.

A riding lawn care vehicle (10) includes first and second drive wheels (32), a steering lever (34), a brake assembly (110), and a mechanical brake linkage assembly (120) including a cable tensioner (250). The brake assembly (110) may be operably coupled to at least one of the first and second drive wheels (32) to enable brakes to be selectively applied to the first and second drive wheels (32) based on a position of the steering lever (34). The cable tensioner (250) may be configured to activate the brake assembly (110) relative to the at least one of the first and second drive wheels (32) in response to the steering lever (34) being moved outwardly to an outboard position. The mechanical linkage assembly (120) may be configured to provide a greater amount of rotation of the cable tensioner (250) than a magnitude of rotation of the steering lever (34) when the steering lever (34) is moved from the inboard position to the outboard position.

The present invention relates to a double hinge type parking brake device which is constituted by a plurality of connection members having each gear formed on an outer peripheral surface while excluding a connection cable connecting a parking brake lever and a parking cable operating shaft for operating a parking cable to maintain an initial installation state instead of stretching the connection cable when the connection cable is used for a long time, thereby facilitating post management.

A machine includes a prime mover having a power take-off, a chassis configured to support at least an operator and the prime mover, a subframe pivotally coupled to the chassis about a pivot axis at a first location, at least one drive device configured to drive wheels of the machine, a drive belt and pulley arrangement. The subframe is further coupled to the chassis via at least one suspension device at a second location. The at least one drive device is driven by the prime mover and is coupled to the subframe. The pulley arrangement is configured to direct the drive belt from the power take-off of the prime mover to at least one drive pulley on the at least one drive device. The pulley arrangement comprises an idler pulley having a diameter and a rotational axis. The idler pulley is coupled to the chassis such that the rotational axis is spaced from the pivot axis by no greater than 1.5 times the diameter.

A traveling vehicle includes a mechanical brake link mechanism to transmit operation of a brake pedal to a brake device housed in a case and to control brakes of right and left rear wheels. The brake link mechanism includes a pair of brake rods extending in a front-back direction at sides of the case. A guard assembly includes a pair of guards extending in the front-back direction below the pair of brake rods. The pair of brake rods overlaps the pair of guards in a vertical direction. In a side view of the traveling vehicle, the pair of brake rods includes a higher portion positioned above a lower surface of the case to be distanced by a predetermined interval or more and positioned above the lower surface of the case, and a lower portion positioned below the higher portion. The pair of guards overlaps at least all of the lower portions in the vertical direction.

A traveling vehicle includes a mechanical brake link mechanism to transmit operation of a brake pedal to a brake device housed in a case and to control brakes of right and left rear wheels. The brake link mechanism includes a pair of brake rods extending in a front-back direction at sides of the case. A guard assembly includes a pair of guards extending in the front-back direction below the pair of brake rods. The pair of brake rods overlaps the pair of guards in a vertical direction. In a side view of the traveling vehicle, the pair of brake rods includes a higher portion positioned above a lower surface of the case to be distanced by a predetermined interval or more and positioned above the lower surface of the case, and a lower portion positioned below the higher portion. The pair of guards overlaps at least all of the lower portions in the vertical direction.

There is provided a method of controlling an electric vehicle. The method includes obtaining by a controller of the electric vehicle a first state indicator of a state of the electric vehicle, receiving at the controller a status indicator of an operating status of the electric vehicle, and updating by the controller the state of the electric vehicle based on the status indicator to an updated state. The updated state may be associated with a second state indicator. The method also includes determining by the controller a given braking type of a braking to be applied to the electric vehicle. This determining may be based on one or more of the second state indicator and the status indicator. The method also includes applying to the electric vehicle the braking of the given braking type. Systems for applying such braking are also provided.

There is provided a method of controlling an electric vehicle. The method includes obtaining by a controller of the electric vehicle a first state indicator of a state of the electric vehicle, receiving at the controller a status indicator of an operating status of the electric vehicle, and updating by the controller the state of the electric vehicle based on the status indicator to an updated state. The updated state may be associated with a second state indicator. The method also includes determining by the controller a given braking type of a braking to be applied to the electric vehicle. This determining may be based on one or more of the second state indicator and the status indicator. The method also includes applying to the electric vehicle the braking of the given braking type. Systems for applying such braking are also provided.

There is provided a method of controlling an electric vehicle. The method includes obtaining by a controller of the electric vehicle a first state indicator of a state of the electric vehicle, receiving at the controller a status indicator of an operating status of the electric vehicle, and updating by the controller the state of the electric vehicle based on the status indicator to an updated state. The updated state may be associated with a second state indicator. The method also includes determining by the controller a given braking type of a braking to be applied to the electric vehicle. This determining may be based on one or more of the second state indicator and the status indicator. The method also includes applying to the electric vehicle the braking of the given braking type. Systems for applying such braking are also provided.

The present invention makes it possible to avoid the risk of a brake operation system for emergency stopping not operating normally during autonomous travel of a work vehicle. A work vehicle is provided with: a foot brake for braking left and right rear wheels; an autonomous travel unit that enables autonomous travel of the vehicle; and an electric actuator for switching the foot brake between a braking state and a release state. The autonomous travel unit comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of the electric actuator. When an autonomous travel mode is selected by human operation of a mode selection unit, the control unit performs operation verification processing in which it is verified by operation control of the electric actuator whether the foot brake is operating normally, and when it is verified that the foot brake is operating normally in the operation verification processing, said control unit transitions to a completed operation verification state and allows the travel mode to transition from a manual travel mode to the autonomous travel mode.