The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure calculates motor torque using an MT vehicle model simulating an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine. In the first operation mode, an operation amount of a pseudo-clutch pedal and a shift position of a pseudo-gearshift are input to the MT vehicle model to reflect operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal and operation of the pseudo-gearshift in electric motor control. In the second operation mode where the operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal is not needed, an operation amount of a clutch pedal calculated by a driver model is input to the MT vehicle model instead of the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal.

A ride-on vehicle is provided that has a speed controlled switching system. The ride-on vehicle has a vehicle body having a driver's seat, a plurality of wheels, a motor, a battery electrically connected to the motor, a direction switch assembly electrically connected between the battery and the motor, and a speed switch electrically connected between the direction switch assembly and the motor. The direction switch assembly has a forward button and a reverse button, and is proximal the driver's seat in the vehicle body. The speed switch has a high speed setting and a low speed setting and is distal the driver's seat and generally not accessible by a rider seated in the driver's seat. When the reverse button is actuated the direction switch assembly causes the voltage observed by the motor to be at the low speed setting regardless of the setting of the speed switch.

The present invention provides a control apparatus and system and method for operating a power wheel chair, the method comprising: a) providing an array of force-sensitive transducers adapted to provide proportional outputs in response to a detected force, the array comprising at least one forward force-sensitive transducer configured to provide a forward signal, at least one reverse force-sensitive transducers configured to provide a reverse signal, a left turn force-sensitive transducer and a right turn force-sensitive transducer; b) generating an output by array of force-sensitive transducers; c) receiving the output from the array at a signal conditioning module; d) conditioning, by the signal conditioning module, the received output from the array; e) generating, by the signal conditioning module, a control output based at least in part on the received output from the array; f) receiving, at a power wheelchair controller, the control output signal; and h) operating, by the power wheelchair controller, at least one drive wheel of a power wheelchair based at least in part on the received control output.

A riding lawn mower includes a seat, a chassis configured to support the seat, a cutting assembly mounted to the chassis, a walking assembly configured to drive the riding lawn mower to walk on a plane, and a steering wheel assembly. The steering wheel assembly includes a steering wheel operable by the user and a connecting rod configured to connect the steering wheel and the chassis. The steering wheel assembly further includes a pivot assembly that rotatably connects the connecting rod and the chassis, and the pivot assembly enables the steering wheel assembly to switch between a working position and a storage position. A distance between the steering wheel and the plane when the steering wheel assembly is in the storage position is smaller than a distance between the steering wheel and the plane when the steering wheel assembly is in the working position.

Powered wheel assemblies and methods of manufacturing and operating such assemblies are provided.

Powered wheel assemblies and methods of manufacturing and operating such assemblies are provided.

This application discusses various ways to adjust the performance of a variable input control in accordance with previous use data. In some embodiments, the previous use data can be associated with particular users of the variable input control. In this way, a response provided by the user input control can be adjusted to accommodate particular patterns of use on a user by user basis. In some embodiments, the variable input control can take the form of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle. Performance of the accelerator pedal can be adjusted by changing an amount of engine power provided for a particular accelerator pedal position. The adjustment can arrange commonly utilized power settings in the middle of the accelerator pedal range of motion to make manipulation of the accelerator pedal more comfortable and convenient for each user of the accelerator pedal.

An electric wheelchair operation apparatus includes a sliding part disposed in an armrest part, a dial part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part, the dial part configured to be moved together with the sliding part in the vehicle forward/backward direction, and an electric wheelchair drive control unit configured to control a traveling motion of an electric wheelchair by associating the amount of movement of the sliding part and/or the moved position thereof with respect to the reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction detected by a first sensor with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part detected by a second sensor with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

A battery powered ride-on vehicle is provided that has vehicle body, a plurality of wheels, a battery dock, a battery having battery terminals that mate with battery dock terminals, an accelerator switch and an accelerator switch controller, a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the accelerator switch controller, a plurality of electrical components, an electronics controller in electrical communication with the accelerator switch controller and the electrical components, a power line connecting the electronics controller with the accelerator switch controller to allow current to flow between the accelerator switch controller and the electronics controller, a timer that calculates the time between actuations of the accelerator switch, and when the time between actuations of the accelerator switch is greater than a timer threshold the accelerator switch controller prevents a release of current to the electronics controller until the accelerator switch is actuated again.

An electric skateboard includes a motor, a controller, and a pressure sensor located in a footboard. When a user of the skateboard places a foot on the pressure sensor, the controller measures an actual or estimated speed of the skateboard, and outputs a control signal to the motor to maintain the measured speed. When a user removes his foot from the pressure sensor, the controller sends a control signal to stop the motor.