Patent ID: 9650024
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B60T

Claim:
1. A control system for a vehicle operator to control a vehicle, the vehicle having an operator control and being capable of configuration in a drive mode, a neutral mode, and a lockout mode, the vehicle having a drive system capable of moving the vehicle in the drive mode, the vehicle having a brake system capable of engaging and disengaging a vehicle brake, the vehicle operator controlling the operator control to direct vehicle operations, the control system comprising: a control sensor operatively coupled to the operator control, the control sensor being adapted to detect whether the operator control is being actively controlled by the vehicle operator, wherein the lockout mode corresponds to an absence of active control over the operator control, wherein the drive mode corresponds to the operator control being actively controlled by the vehicle operator; an automatic return to automatically transition the operator control to enable the lockout mode and the neutral mode, the automatic return adapted to transition the operator control to enable the lockout mode based on absence of active control over the operator control by the vehicle operator; a brake control system to control the brake system, the brake control system adapted to engage the vehicle brake based on the control sensor indicating absence of active control over the operator control, the brake control system adapted to disengage the vehicle brake based on the control sensor indicating the operator control is being actively controlled; a vehicle starter coupled to the drive system, the vehicle starter adapted to allow starting of the drive system if the control sensor indicates absence of active control over the operator control; wherein the operator control includes a first control lever and a second control lever, the first control lever and the second control lever being linked to the drive system to independently control respective first and second drive wheels such that, in the drive mode, the first control lever is adapted to direct the first drive wheel to rotate forward or backward and the second control lever is adapted to direct the second drive wheel to rotate forward or backward; wherein the automatic return includes at least one first spring element that, based on absence of operator control over the first control lever by the vehicle operator, directs the first control lever to a first neutral position corresponding to the neutral mode such that the first drive wheel remains substantially motionless; wherein the automatic return includes at least one second spring element that, based on absence of operator control over the second control lever by the vehicle operator, directs the second lever to a second neutral position corresponding to the neutral mode such that the second drive wheel remains substantially motionless; and wherein the automatic return further independently directs the first and second control levers to a lockout position based on absence of operator control by the vehicle operator, the lockout position corresponding to the lockout mode.