Accelerator operating device

• US 20040065165A1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
• Inventors: Zama, Kazuaki, Sekiya, Mitsuru
• Application Number:
  US10/469,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065165A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/491
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/02 characterised by hand, foot, or like operator controlled initiation means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20396 Hand operated

Abstract

This apparatus comprises a thumb lever 10 which is supported rotatably around an axis of a shaft portion 11, a return spring 13 to urge the thumb lever 10 towards an initial position, and a position sensor 20 which detects a rotating angle of the thumb lever 10 around the axis of the shaft portion 11, and outputs electronic signals as information of the accelerator position while the position sensor 20 detects the rotating angle of the thumb lever 10. In this manner, a drive-by-wire system is adopted to an accelerator operating portion of motorcycles etc. without losing the steering operativity.

Claims

1. An accelerator apparatus which is attached to a steering handle of a vehicle, and which outputs an electronic signal of the accelerator position while said position is controlled by hand-operation, comprising:

a hand-operating portion which is supported rotatably around an axis of a specific shaft;

urging means which urges said hand-operating portion to return to a specific position; and

detecting means which detects a rotating angle of said hand-operating portion around the axis of said specific shaft.

2. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axis of said specific shaft locates at a intersecting or twisted position to the axis of said handle, and said hand-operating portion is a lever which one end is formed to rotate integrally with said specific shaft and the other end is a free end.

3. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axis of said specific shaft locates at almost a same position as the axis of said handle, and said hand-operating portion is an accelerator grip which is fitted outside and supported rotatably to the shaft of said handle.

4. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 2 and claim 3, wherein said detecting means is a non-contact position sensor to output a signal in accordance with a rotating angle of a rotor, wherein said position sensor comprises:

said rotor which has a magnet piece formed as a curved arc shape, and formed to rotate in synchronization with the rotation of said hand-operating portion;

a first stator which has a magnetic part formed to face said magnet piece with a specific gap;

a second stator which has two magnetic parts formed to face said magnet piece and said magnetic part with a specific gap;

an armature which forms a magnetic path; and

a magnetic sensor portion which is disposed between said first stator and said second stator and outputs an electronic signal in accordance with a change of magnetic flux.

5. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first stator, said magnetic sensor portion and said second stator are disposed at the outside in the diameter direction of said rotor.

6. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 2 and claim 3, wherein said detecting means is a contact type position sensor to output a signal in accordance with a rotating angle of a rotor, wherein said position sensor comprises:

a rotor which has a contactor and formed to rotate in synchronization with the rotation of said hand-operating portion; and

a portion being contacted to which said contactor can contact while moving.

7. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said lever has a linkage mechanism which can transmit rotating force to said rotor without contact, so that said rotor moves with the rotating movement of said lever.

8. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said accelerator grip has a linkage mechanism which can transmit rotating force to said rotor without contact, so that said rotor moves with the rotating movement of said accelerator grip.

9. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said rotor and said armature are formed to rotate integrally with said lever.

10. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said rotor and said armature are formed to rotate integrally with said accelerator grip.

11. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rotor is formed to rotate integrally with said accelerator grip, and the shaft of said handle doubles as said armature.

12. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rotor is formed to rotate integrally with said accelerator grip, and said armature is fixed to the shaft of said handle.

13. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is disposed in a waterproofed enclosure.

14. The accelerator apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a driving circuit of an actuator which controls throttle valve opening in accordance with the rotating angle of said hand-operating portion detected by said detecting means is disposed in said enclosure.