Abstract:
An integrated assembly useful for controlling a variable speed drive having a housing and a control shaft projecting therefrom. The control assembly consists of a control arm fixed on the control shaft to effect its rotation; a return to neutral mechanism disposed about the control shaft to bias the control shaft to a neutral position; and a rotary, viscous fluid damper integrated with the return to neutral mechanism, the damper having a rotor engaged to the control shaft and a stator fixed to the housing of the variable speed drive to moderate, or slow the rotational movement of the control shaft under the influence of inputs from the control arm and the return to neutral mechanism. The neutral arm of the return to neutral mechanism is integrally formed with the external case of the rotary, viscous fluid damper, creating a compact control mechanism.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/321,645 filed on Apr. 7, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to control assemblies for drive systems used in self-propelled vehicles and machines. The invention is particularly useful for controlling a pump/motor combination, transmission, or transaxle used in self-propelled vehicles and machines such as riding lawn mowers, snow-throwers, and lawn or garden tractors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Self-propelled vehicles and machines such as riding lawn mowers, snow-throwers, and lawn or garden tractors using variable speed drives are well known. Such variable speed drives, whether hydrostatic, toroidal, friction, or the like, will generally have a control shaft whose rotation, via manipulation of an operator control mechanism mechanically linked to the control shaft, regulates the variable speed drive&#39;s output. As an example, many zero-turn mowers employ a pair of pumps which independently transmit hydraulic fluid, and thus power, to a corresponding pair of hydraulic motors, each independently driving a separate axle and wheel combination to provide steering. The control mechanism utilized by an operator of the machine often employs a damper to prevent sudden acceleration or deceleration of the machine resulting from unintended manipulation of the control mechanism, for example, when the operator is jostled upon striking a bump, dip, or other obstacle in the machine&#39;s path. Dampers may be used between the operator control levers and the frame or body of the zero-turn mower, using mounting points on the mower&#39;s body or frame distant from the variable speed drive system. Dampers may also be connected directly to a control arm, the mechanical link between the control shaft of the pump and the operator control mechanism. Again, additional mounting points are necessary to effectuate the damping effect. 
     It would be advantageous for manufacturers of self-propelled vehicles and machines to eliminate bulky dampers and their associated mounting points, reducing manufacturing costs and assembly complexity, while retaining the functional benefits of the dampers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an assembly useful for controlling a variable speed drive having a control shaft projecting from its housing. The reference to a variable speed drive as used herein will be understood to include, at a minimum, pumps, transmissions and transaxles, whether hydrostatic, toroidal, friction or the like. The control assembly comprises a control arm fixed on the control shaft to effect rotation thereof; a return to neutral mechanism disposed about the control shaft to bias the control shaft to a neutral position; and a rotary, viscous fluid damper integrated with the return to neutral mechanism, the damper having a rotor engaged to the control shaft and a stator fixed to the housing of the variable speed drive to moderate, or slow the rotational movement of the control shaft under the influence of inputs from the control arm and the return to neutral mechanism. The neutral arm of the return to neutral mechanism may be integrally formed with the external case of the rotary, viscous fluid damper, creating a compact control mechanism. The inclusion of the damper mechanism in the control assembly makes it unnecessary for a manufacturer to supply a separate dampening mechanism in the control linkage of a vehicle or machine employing such a variable speed drive. This invention also relates to a variable speed drive fitted with the control assembly. 
     A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments that are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of an exemplary transaxle incorporating the control assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-section of the transaxle of  FIG. 1  taken along line  2 - 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of the control assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the rotary damper subassembly shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view showing the reverse sides of elements of the rotary damper subassembly shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The description that follows describes, illustrates and exemplifies one or more embodiments of the present invention in accordance with its principles. This description is not provided to limit the invention to the embodiments described herein, but rather to explain and teach the principles of the invention in order to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to understand these principles and, with that understanding, be able to apply them to practice not only the embodiments described herein, but also other embodiments that may come to mind in accordance with these principles. The scope of the present invention is intended to cover all such embodiments that may fall within the scope of the appended claim, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents. 
     Turning now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, an embodiment of a control assembly  30  of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as used in connection with a transaxle  10 , which may be substantially identical to that described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,276, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The details of transaxle  10  are not critical to this invention; this invention could also be used on other transaxle, transmission, or even pump designs and this disclosure should not be read as limited to use with a zero-turn transaxle such as transaxle  10 . The variable speed drive may comprise a hydrostatic or hydraulic pump in a housing or a mechanical mechanism such as a toroidal drive, so long as there is a control shaft to regulate the output of the variable speed drive and extending from the housing of the variable speed drive. The return to neutral design depicted herein is bi-directional in function and similar in many respects to that shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,313,915. The return to neutral design depicted herein is also similar to the bi-directional and uni-directional designs disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,797. It will be understood that the control assembly of the present invention may be used in connection with other return to neutral designs and that this invention is not so limited. For further details on the operation of transaxle  10  or the return to neutral feature, the reader is referred to the patents referenced above, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     The element of transaxle  10  upon which the control assembly  30  acts is a control shaft, in this instance, trunnion shaft  26   a  which extends from main housing  12 . Though trunnion shaft  26   a  is depicted in  FIG. 2  as integral with movable swash plate  26 , it will be understood that the trunnion shaft may be a separable element from the swash plate. The general design of a hydrostatic transmission, such as transaxle  10 , is well known in the art and generally includes a variable displacement, axial piston pump  20  and a fixed displacement, axial piston motor (not shown), each carrying a plurality of reciprocating pistons which are placed in fluid communication through hydraulic porting located in a center section  22 . When swash plate  26  is rotated away from a neutral position, the rotation of pump  20  against moveable swash plate  26  creates an axial motion in the pump pistons that forces an operating oil through the hydraulic porting to the axial piston motor, displacing the motor pistons and causing rotation of the motor to drive an output shaft or axle. The flow of operating oil from pump  20  may be reversed by changing the direction of rotation of swash plate  26  away from the neutral position, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the motor output shaft or axle. The axial piston pump  20  is driven by an input shaft  18 , which is generally powered by a prime mover (not shown) such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor. Side housing  14  is secured to main housing  12  by a plurality of fasteners  16 , forming a sump for the operating oil. In an alternate transaxle embodiment (not shown), wherein the trunnion shaft extends from the side housing, control assembly  30  may be disposed about the trunnion shaft adjacent the side housing. 
     In general terms, control assembly  30  consists of a rotary damper subassembly  40 , a control arm  28 , and a scissor arm style, return to neutral subassembly  32 . Rotary damper subassembly  40  has a backing plate  42  as part of its external case, wherein certain cooperative elements of the return to neutral subassembly are integrally formed therewith. Specifically, a neutral arm extension  42   a  radially disposed from the trunnion shaft  26   a  and a pair of openings  42   d . As shown in  FIG. 3 , proper placement of control assembly  30  is assured by the mating of a centering ring  12   a  formed on main housing  12  with the centering flange  42   b  formed in the backing plate  42  of rotary damper subassembly  40 . Screw  70  and washer  72  retain the various elements of control assembly  30  on trunnion shaft  26   a , though other means known in the art may be used to connect such elements. 
     Control arm  28  is fixed to the end of trunnion shaft  26   a , preferably by providing control arm  28 , trunnion shaft  26   a  and the center opening of a damper rotor  46  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) with complementary mating shapes, so that rotation of control arm  28  will also result in rotation of trunnion shaft  26   a  and damper rotor  46 . Control arm  28  may be connected, via a driving link, to a lever or pedal (not shown) provided on the vehicle (not shown) whereby movement of the lever or pedal is translated to the speed adjusting mechanism  30  to cause the rotation of trunnion shaft  26   a  and movement of swash plate  26 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , return to neutral subassembly  32  of control assembly  30  is of the scissors-arm style, comprising an inner scissors return arm  34  and an outer scissors return arm  36  rotatably disposed at the end of trunnion shaft  26   a . A biasing means such as spring  38  is linked to inner and outer scissors return arms  34  and  36 . 
     Control assembly  30  also functions to substantially establish the neutral position of trunnion shaft  26   a , i.e., the position of trunnion shaft  26   a  where swash plate  26  does not cause flow of hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic circuit of a hydrostatic transmission such as that depicted. During the mating of control assembly  30  to transaxle  10 , trunnion shaft  26   a  and the attached control arm  28  are rotated to the position that corresponds to the neutral position of swash plate  26 . The neutral arm extension  42   a  of rotary damper backing plate  42  is rotated into radial alignment with a similar control arm extension  28   a  integrally formed on control arm  28  to demarcate the neutral position. Neutral arm extension  42   a  may be locked into this neutral position by means of a neutral set screw  60  and lockdown washer  62  combination, or the like, inserted through opening  42   d  to mate with a boss on main housing  12 . Two openings  42   d  are provided to permit the control assembly  30  to be rotated 180 degrees to allow for various mating orientations with external operating linkages. The configuration and operation of the return to neutral subassembly  32 , via the interaction of the contact surfaces  34   a  and  36   a  of the inner scissor return arm  34  and the outer scissor return arm  36 , respectively, with the neutral arm extension  42   a  and control arm extension  28   a , is otherwise conventional as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,313,915 and will not be recited herein. 
     Because control assemblies such as control assembly  30  comprise a plurality of components, it is advantageous to preassemble a portion of them in order to simplify assembly and reduce costs. Rotary damper subassembly  40 , shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  as part of control assembly  30 , serves to dampen the movement of trunnion shaft  26   a  and, thus, make changes in the position of swash plate  26  less abrupt than they would otherwise be. This dampening substantially decreases unwanted and unintentional jarring movements of the trunnion shaft  26   a  due to passage of a self-propelled vehicle or machine so equipped over rough terrain, thereby providing smoother control of the pump  20  and thus, smoother control of the associated motor output. This dampening also prevents sudden reversal of the motor and reduces bucking of the vehicle or machine, similarly reducing the risk of damage to the hydraulic equipment. Though the control assembly and its benefits are described in conjunction with a hydrostatic transaxle, the control assembly of the present invention will impart similar benefits to any variable speed drive having a control shaft extending from its housing. 
     Rotary damper subassembly  40  comprises a viscous fluid damper formed of damper backing plate  42 , o-ring seal  50 , damper stator  44 , damper rotor  46 , o-ring seals  52  and  54 , and damper cover  48 . On a first side, damper stator  44  has anti-rotation projections  44   b  that mate with and project through openings  42   c  on damper backing plate  42  to prevent rotation of damper stator  44 , and a seat  44   c  for o-ring seal  50 . On a second side opposite the first side, damper stator  44  has concentric friction rings  44   a  projecting therefrom and a seat  44   d  for o-ring seal  54 . Concentric friction rings  44   a  mesh with concentric friction rings  46   a  of damper rotor  46  in an environment of viscous fluid to produce the dampening effect. Concentric friction rings  46   a  of damper rotor  46  additionally have slots  46   b  therein to allow passage of a viscous fluid therethough. Damper rotor  46  also has fluid openings  46   c  in rotor face  46   d  which allow passage of viscous fluid therethrough, serving to provide additional damping surface area and lubrication between rotor face  46   d  and the inside face  48   a  of damper cover  48  when damper rotor  46  rotates due to manipulation of control arm  28 . The viscous fluid that fills the void space in the rotary, viscous fluid damper can be a grease such as “PTFE-thickened damping grease” or a “Fluorocarbon Gel,” each available from Nye Lubricants, Fairhaven, Mass., USA. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the viscosity of the viscous fluid can be varied to obtain the desired dampening effect from the rotary, viscous fluid damper. Damper cover  48  is secured to damper backing plate  42 , e.g. by friction fit of guide indentations or the like (not shown) on the rim of the cover, or by crimping features such as tabs and slots (not shown) to secure the parts of the rotary damper subassembly  40 . 
     Inner scissors return arm  34  and outer scissors return arm  36  may also be pre-assembled to form bi-directional scissors return subassembly  32 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The use of these separate subassemblies simplifies the assembly of the entire control assembly and the transaxle. 
     While specific embodiments have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalent thereof.