OPERATOR SENSING CIRCUIT FOR DISABLING MOTOR OF POWER EQUIPMENT

摘要

An electrical characteristic in an operator-sensing circuit having a microcontroller that commands a charge sensor to send a sensor charge signal to a capacitive sensing element. The charge sensor outputs a corresponding r aw data signal to the microcontroller that in turn sends a signal that disables the motor of a unit power equipment upon the absence of an operator's hand o n a hand-gripping surface of the equipment. Capacitive means for operating within a predetermined charge range that includes preselected values that designate hands-off and hands-on conditions on the hand-gripping surface. Th e capacitor charge range is effective to distinguish between the presence of a n operator's hand and foreign material on the gripping surface for avoiding a false hands-on-signal.