VEHICLE POWER AND SPEED CONTROL SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A power control system for a vehicle having an electric drive with regenerative braking, said system comprising:
- a power control actuator which is biased to a neutral position, and which is controllably moveable between positive and negative power control positions relative to the neutral position for producing a power control signal ranging from a value corresponding to zero power when in the neutral position to a variable value dependent on the amount of such movement from said neutral position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To control both acceleration and deceleration of vehicles having an electric drive with regenerative braking, there is disclosed a control actuator which is biased to a neutral position, and which is controllably moveable between opposed positive and negative control positions relative to the neutral position to produce a control signal ranging from a value corresponding to zero when in the neutral position to a positive or negative value dependent on the amount of movement from the neutral position. The actuator may comprise a rocking foot pedal which is rotationally biased to the neutral position and which is pivotable against the bias both clockwise and anticlockwise from the neutral position to a desired positive or negative power control position. In one system, the signal produced by the actuator is treated as a power control signal and is conditioned and used to control vehicle power (i.e. energy flow from the vehicle battery the vehicle'"'"'s electric drive). In another system, the signal produced by the actuator is treated as a speed changing control signal and is conditioned and used to control vehicle speed. Whatever desired speed is reached by movement of the actuator from its neutral position, the speed is sustained if the actuator is then permitted to return to its neutral position.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A power control system for a vehicle having an electric drive with regenerative braking, said system comprising:
a power control actuator which is biased to a neutral position, and which is controllably moveable between positive and negative power control positions relative to the neutral position for producing a power control signal ranging from a value corresponding to zero power when in the neutral position to a variable value dependent on the amount of such movement from said neutral position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle speed control system for a vehicle having an electric drive with regenerative braking, the electric drive comprising an electric motor, an electric motor controller for controlling the motor, and a power source, said system comprising:
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(a) a speed changing control actuator biased to a neutral position and controllably moveable between opposed positive and negative control positions relative to a neutral position for producing a speed changing control signal having a variable value dependent on the direction and on the degree of such movement from said neutral position; (b) a braking actuator for producing a braking signal; (c) a resettable integrator operably connected to said control actuator for receiving an input signal corresponding to said speed changing control signal and, in the absence of said braking signal, for providing an output signal related to said input signal and the time integral of said input signal; (d) an integrator resetter for resetting the integrator in response to said braking signal; and
,(e) a speed sensor for providing a measured vehicle speed signal to said integrator. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification