IP Library Granted Patent US 12,145,674
Granted Patent B2
US 12,145,674 · App. 16/365,526 · Granted Nov 19, 2024

Electric outdoor ride-on power equipment

Inventors: Jeffrey Zeiler (Wauwatosa, WI); David Schulenberg (Sussex, WI); Scott Funke (New Berlin, WI); Steve Avery (Wauwatosa, WI); Steve Weber (Wauwatosa, WI); Brian Poirier (Wauwatosa, WI); Jacob Schmalz (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
B62D6/08A01D34/008A01D34/66A01D34/78B60K1/02B60K1/04B62D1/12B62D9/002B62D11/003H01Q1/27B60K2001/0416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,145,674
App. No.
16/365,526
Granted
Nov 19, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Ride-on outdoor power equipment includes one or more batteries, one or more electric traction motors electrically connected to the one or more batteries, one or more user input devices, a plurality of sensors, and a controller in communication with the one or more batteries, the electric traction motors and the one or more user input devices, the controller configured to control the electric traction motors to operate the ride-on outdoor power equipment based on inputs received via the user input devices.

Claims (35)

1. Ride-on outdoor power equipment, comprising:

a plurality of batteries each being configured to be removed without the use of a tool;

one or more electric traction motors electrically connected to the plurality of batteries;

one or more user input devices;

an on-board plug-in battery charger electrically connected to the plurality of batteries and configured to provide power to the plurality of batteries via a plug from a utility connection;

a plurality of sensors; and

a controller in communication with the plurality of batteries, the electric traction motors and the one or more user input devices, the controller configured to:

control the electric traction motors to operate the ride-on outdoor power equipment based on inputs received via the user input devices;

determine a state of charge of at least one of the plurality of batteries; and

provide power to the at least one of the plurality of batteries or a discharge device based on the determined state of charge.

2. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the electric traction motors are configured to control a lateral rotational position of a non-traction wheel.

3. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a processing circuit, a user interface, an input/output (I/O) interface, and a communication module.

4. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 3 , wherein the communication module comprises one or more of a serial communication interface and a wireless communication interface.

5. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuit comprises a traction control module configured to control the electric traction motors.

6. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 5 , wherein the traction control module is further configured to control one or more non-traction motors electrically connected to the plurality of batteries.

7. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 5 , wherein the traction control module is further configured to execute one or more automatic turning functions to alter the direction of the ride-on outdoor power equipment.

8. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuit comprises an implement control module configured to operate one of an implement or a mower deck.

9. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 8 , wherein the implement control module is configured to communicate with one or more sensors associated with the implement or the mower deck.

10. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment deck.

11. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 10 , further comprising a power and communication bus, the power and communication bus configured to provide power and communication to the attachment deck.

12. Ride-on outdoor power equipment, comprising

a plurality of batteries each being configured to be removed;

one or more electric motors electrically connected to the plurality of batteries;

one or more user input devices;

an on-board plug-in battery charger electrically connected to the plurality of batteries and configured to provide power to the plurality of batteries via a plug from a utility connection;

a plurality of sensors; and

a controller comprising a traction control module and an operational control module communicably coupled to the one or more electric motors.

13. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 12 , wherein the traction control module is communicably and operatively coupled to the one or more electric motors to control the one or more electric motors and a lateral rotational position of a non-traction wheel.

14. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 12 , wherein the operational control module is communicably and operatively coupled to the one or more electric motors and controls the speed of the one or more electric motors to provide a steering assist function; wherein the on-board plug-in battery charger is configured to receive power via at least one of an electrical plug, an inductive charger receiver, or regenerative braking via the one or more electric motors.

15. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 12 , further comprising one or more communication antennas electrically coupled to the controller and configured to provide communication to the controller via one or more wireless protocols.

16. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of batteries weight less than 20 pounds.

17. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of batteries is configured to provide approximately one kilowatt-hour of energy.

18. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of batteries is configured to cumulatively provide between two kilowatt-hours of energy and three kilowatt-hours of energy or between three kilowatt-hours of energy and four kilowatt-hours of energy.

19. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of batteries weight between approximately 13 pounds and approximately 15 pounds.

20. The ride-on outdoor power equipment of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of batteries is configured to provide approximately one kilowatt-hour of energy, and wherein the plurality of batteries is configured to cumulatively provide between two kilowatt-hours of energy and three kilowatt-hours of energy or between three kilowatt-hours of energy and four kilowatt-hours of energy.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2021
From: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
To: BRIGGS & STRATTON, LLC
Reel/Frame 057042/0247 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053885/0211 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2020
From: BRIGGS & STRATTON, LLC
To: KPS CAPITAL FINANCE MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 053850/0192 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2020
From: BRIGGS & STRATTON, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053838/0046 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2020
From: ZEILER, JEFFREY; SCHULENBERG, DAVID; FUNKE, SCOTT; AVERY, STEVE; WEBER, STEVE; POIRIER, BRIAN; SCHMALZ, JACOB
To: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053648/0161 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054617/0331 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2020
From: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053287/0487 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2019
From: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050564/0916 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62648115 · Mar 26, 2018
Related Publication 20190291779A1 · Sep 26, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,302,785 US 12,695,407