Patent ID: 7735592
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: A01D,B60L,Y02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A turf maintenance vehicle comprising: an internal combustion engine; an energy converting device operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine to convert mechanical energy from the internal combustion engine to electric energy; at least one subsystem powered by the electric energy from the energy converting device; a demand sensor that detects an electrical demand of the at least one subsystem, the demand sensor outputting an electrical demand signal correlating to the electrical demand of the at least one subsystem; and a controller that receives the electrical demand signal and outputs a control signal that changes a speed range of the internal combustion engine based on the electrical demand signal between a first speed range, which causes the energy converting device to produce electric energy within a first operating voltage range, and a second speed range, which causes the energy converting device to produce electric energy within a second operating voltage range.