THROTTLE GRIP APPARATUS

• US 20100307282A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: YAGUCHI, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,567,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/504
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/04 Twist grips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20474 Rotatable rod, shaft, or post
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

A throttle grip apparatus is provided with a throttle grip (1) rotatably mounted on a leading end of a handlebar (H) of a vehicle, a magnet (6) which is integrally rotatable with the throttle grip (1), a detector (13) for detecting variations of a magnetic field of the magnet (6) in a non-contact manner so as to detect a rotation angle of the throttle grip (1), and a frictional device (9, 10) for generating a resistance force during a rotation of the throttle grip (1). The resistance force is variable.

Claims

1. A throttle grip apparatus comprising:

a throttle grip rotatably mounted on a leading end of a handlebar of a vehicle;

a magnet which is integrally rotatable with the throttle grip;

a detector that detects variations of a magnetic field of the magnet in a non-contact manner and also detects a rotation angle of the throttle grip according to a value of the detected variation of the magnetic field, wherein an engine of the vehicle is controlled based on the detected value; and

a frictional device configured to generate a resistance force during a rotation of the throttle grip and generate a rotation load of the throttle grip,

wherein the frictional device is configured to vary the resistance force based on the rotation angle of the throttle grip.

2. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frictional device is configured to increase a friction resistance and the resistance force as the rotation angle of the throttle grip increases.

3. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frictional device includes:

a rotation side frictional portion integrally rotatable with the throttle grip; and

a fixed side frictional portion fixed to the handlebar and disposed in contact with the rotation side frictional portion, and

wherein a friction coefficient of a specific portion of a contact surface of the rotation side frictional portion or the fixed side frictional portion is made different from a friction coefficient of the contact surface, to thereby be able to vary the resistance force of the frictional device according to the rotation angle of the throttle grip.

4. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said specific portion of the contact surface is coated with a material to make the friction coefficient of said specific portion different from the friction coefficient of said remaining portions.

5. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an urging member that presses the rotation side frictional portion against the fixed side frictional portion;

and

an adjusting mechanism capable of arbitrarily changing an urging force of the urging member.