Throttle Twist Grip Controller with Ring Potentiometer Assembly

• US 20110303041A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CTS Corporation
• Original Assignee: CTS Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Wen Feng, Chen, Yuan Pin
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/488
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/413 Rotation sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/422 on the handlebar
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/04 Twist grips
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 11/00 Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with two or more controlling members co-operating with one single controlled member
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/34 the contact or the associated conducting structure riding on collector formed as a ring or portion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20226 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20262 Rotary control shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2028 Handle bar type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20402 Flexible transmitter [e.g., Bowden cable]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2042 and hand operator

Abstract

A throttle twist grip controller assembly includes a rotatable hand grip, a throttle housing coupled to the hand grip, and a ring potentiometer assembly located in the throttle housing. In one embodiment, the ring potentiometer assembly is fitted and supported on a sleeve associated with the throttle housing. A ring rotor is seated in the ring potentiometer assembly, surrounds the sleeve of the throttle housing, and includes at least a first tab which couples the rotor to the hand grip for rotation with the hand grip. A second tab on the rotor holds a potentiometer conductor. A spring is fitted and supported on the sleeve of the throttle housing. One end of the spring is coupled to the hand grip and the other end is coupled to the throttle housing for returning the hand grip to idle.

Claims

1. A throttle twist grip controller assembly comprising:

a rotatable handle grip;

a throttle housing; and

a ring-shaped potentiometer assembly located in the throttle housing and including a ring-shaped rotor coupled to the handle grip for rotation with the handle grip.

2. The throttle twist grip controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped potentiometer assembly and the ring-shaped rotor define respective central apertures for fitting the ring-shaped potentiometer assembly in a relationship surrounding a sleeve.

3. The throttle twist grip controller assembly of claim 2 wherein the throttle housing includes the sleeve and further comprising a spring fitted on and surrounding the sleeve, the spring including one end coupled to the handle grip and an opposite end coupled to the throttle housing.

4. The throttle twist grip controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the throttle housing defines a circumferential slot, the ring-shaped potentiometer assembly being fitted in the circumferential slot.

5. The throttle twist grip controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped potentiometer assembly includes a potentiometer housing having a pair of spaced-apart circumferential walls defining an interior slot, the rotor including a conductor extending into the slot.

6. The throttle twist grip controller assembly of claim 5, wherein the potentiometer assembly includes at least a first strip of resistive material, the strip of resistive material being fitted in the slot in the potentiometer housing between the rotor and one of the pair of walls defining the slot.

7. A throttle controller assembly comprising:

a rotatable handle grip;

a throttle housing coupled to the rotatable handle grip and including a sleeve; and

a potentiometer assembly surrounding the sleeve and including a rotor coupled for rotation with the handle grip.

8. The throttle controller assembly of claim 7, wherein the potentiometer assembly is ring-shaped and defines a central aperture, the sleeve of the throttle housing extending through the central aperture of the potentiometer assembly.

9. The throttle controller assembly of claim 8 further comprising a spiral spring fitted on the sleeve of the throttle housing, the spiral spring including one end coupled to the handle grip and an opposite end coupled to the throttle housing.

10. The throttle control assembly of claim 7, wherein the rotor includes at least one tab fitted in a groove defined in the throttle housing and the throttle housing includes at least one tab fitted in a groove in the potentiometer assembly.

11. A potentiometer assembly comprising:

a ring-shaped potentiometer housing including a first wall and defining a slot;

a ring-shaped rotor mounted on the housing for rotation relative to the potentiometer housing and including at least a first conductor extending into the slot;

at least a first strip of resistive material fitted in the slot in the housing between the first wall and the first conductor.

12. The potentiometer assembly of claim 11, wherein the potentiometer housing includes a second wall spaced from the first wall and together defining the slot, the second wall including a top peripheral edge and the rotor including a rotor plate seated against the top peripheral edge of the second wall.

13. The potentiometer assembly of claim 12, wherein the rotor includes at least a first tab extending from the rotor plate and fitted in the slot in the potentiometer housing and adapted to hold the conductor.

14. The potentiometer assembly of claim 13, wherein the rotor includes at least a second tab adapted for coupling to a rotatable control element, the second tab extending from the rotor plate in a direction opposite the first tab.

15. The potentiometer assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the ring-shaped potentiometer housing and the ring-shaped rotor defines a central through aperture for mounting the potentiometer assembly in a relationship surrounding a sleeve.