HANDLEBAR CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20110320063A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group LLC (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Inventors: Molinaro, Frank, Williams, Jim, Hodge, Benjamin IV
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/14 Handlebar constructions, or arrangements of controls thereon, specially adapted thereto hand controls per se B62K23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/02 hand actuated arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/068 with switches mounted on a handlebar, e.g. for motorcycles, fork lift trucks, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20189 Foot operated

Abstract

A handlebar control system for a motorcycle. The system includes a controller, a network interface, a plurality of user actuated devices coupled to the controller, an electronic switch coupled to the controller, a first connector having terminals linking to motorcycle power and a network bus, and a second connector coupled to a device external to the control system.

Claims

1. A handlebar control system for a machine, the system comprising:

a controller;

a network interface coupled to a network bus;

a plurality of user actuated devices coupled to the controller;

an electronic control device coupled to the controller;

a first connector having terminals linking to machine power and the network bus; and

a second connector coupled to the electronic control device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a controller area network interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface is coupled to the network bus of the machine, the network bus linking the handle bar control system to a control module of the machine.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of devices is a turn-signal switch.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller sends a message to the control module of the machine indicative of the position of the turn-signal switch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller cyclically drives the electronic control device when the turn-signal switch is engaged, and wherein the electronic control device is coupled to a front turn-signal lamp.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the control module cyclically lights a rear turn-signal lamp when the turn-signal switch is engaged.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first connector includes a redundant terminal coupled to the controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the redundant terminal is coupled to a control module of the machine.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein a second electronic control device is driven by the controller and is coupled to the redundant terminal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control device drives a grip warmer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes the network interface.

13. A handlebar control system, comprising:

a first handlebar controller including

a controller;

a network interface coupled to the controller;

a plurality of user-actuated devices coupled to the controller;

an electronic control device coupled to the controller;

a first connector having terminals coupled to machine power and a network bus, the first connector coupled to the network interface; and

a second connector coupled to the electronic control device.

a second handlebar controller including

a second controller;

a second network interface coupled to the controller;

a plurality of second user-actuated devices coupled to the controller;

a second electronic control device coupled to the second controller;

a third connector having terminals coupled to machine power and the network bus, the third connector coupled to the network interface; and

a fourth connector coupled to the electronic control device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the third connector includes a first terminal for supplying power to the second handlebar controller, a second terminal for coupling the second handlebar controller to ground, a third terminal for coupling the second handlebar controller to a first network bus line, a fourth terminal for coupling the second handlebar controller to a second network bus line, and a fifth terminal for coupling a redundant output of the second handlebar controller to a machine control module.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first connector includes a first terminal for supplying power to the first handlebar controller, a second terminal for coupling the first handlebar controller to ground, a third terminal for coupling the first handlebar controller to a first network bus line, and a fourth terminal for coupling the first handlebar controller to a second network bus line.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller sends a status of the plurality of devices to a machine control module via the network interface and the second controller sends a status of the plurality of second devices to the machine control module via the second network interface.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the second connector is connected to a left turn-signal and the fourth connector is connected to a right turn-signal.

18. A motorcycle, comprising:

a control module;

a network bus coupled to the control module; and

a handlebar control system including

a controller;

a network interface coupled to the network bus;

a plurality of user actuated devices coupled to the controller;

a first connector having terminals linking to motorcycle power and the network bus; and

a second connector coupled to a device external to the handlebar control system.

19. The motorcycle of claim 18, wherein the controller communicates a status of the plurality of the user actuated devices to the control module via the network bus.

20. The motorcycle of claim 18, wherein the device external to the handlebar control system is a turn signal lamp.

21. The motorcycle of claim 18, wherein the control module drives a rear turn signal lamp based on a status of a user actuated device received from the handlebar control module via the network bus.

22. The motorcycle of claim 18, wherein the network interface is coupled to the network bus via the first connector, the handlebar controller receives power via the first connector, and the electronic switch drives the device external to the handlebar control system.

23. The motorcycle of claim 18, further comprising an electronic switch coupled to the controller and the device external to the handlebar control system.