METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIMITING THE VELOCITY OF A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY OF MOTOR VEHICLES, TO A DESIRED VELOCITY

• US 3,800,904 A
• Filed: 08/07/1972
• Issued: 04/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hermann Zelenka
• Original Assignee: Hermann Zelenka
• Inventors: Zelenka, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Knowles, Allen N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Church, Gene A.
• Application Number:
  US05/278,388
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 180/15E,15R,82 303/21CE,21CH
• US Class Current: 180/170
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/04 and means for comparing one electrical quantity, e.g. voltage, pulse, waveform, flux, or the like, with another quantity of a like kind, which comparison means is involved in the development of an electrical signal which is fed into the controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/103 by comparing the value of the measured signal with one or several reference values in general G01R17/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for limiting the velocity of vehicles, especially of motor vehicles to a desired velocity, in which a frequency proportional to the vehicle velocity is produced by a frequency generator coordinated to one wheel, which is converted by a frequency-voltage converter into a D.C. voltage that acts on a switching circuit in such a manner that upon exceeding a voltage proportional to the selected, desired velocity, a switching signal is triggered which, in its turn, acts on the fuel supply, the brake system, and/or other units in a velocityreducing sense.

Claims

1. An apparatus for limiting the velocity of vehicles, to a desired velocity, characterized in that a frequency transmitter means is coordinated to a wheel of the vehicle which produces a voltage having a frequency proportional to the vehicle velocity, a frequency-voltage converter means operatively connected to the frequency-transmitter means for converting the frequency into a D.C. voltage, switching means connected in the output of the frequency-voltage converter means which becomes operable to cause a reduction in the vehicle velocity upon exceeding a predetermined voltage threshold, and in that a control means is present in the vehicle which is operable in such a manner that the adjustment of the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired velocity can be realized by said control means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching means produces a switching signal which acts on at least one of fuel supply means, brake means and other aggregates in a velocity-reducing manner.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the switching circuit means produces a switching signal producing at least one of optical and acoustic signal.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching means includes an electronic trigger circuit means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the electronic trigger circuit means is constructed in such a manner that the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired maximum velocity can be reduced.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired maximum velocity can be reduced continuously.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired maximum velocity can be reduced stepwise.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized by means for manually adjusting the threshold voltage correSponding to the desired velocity.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the switching means includes means for enabling the adjustment of the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired velocity by means disposed outside the vehicle.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that a selecting range exists for the desired velocity which has an upper limit corresponding to the prescribed desired maximum velocity.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by means for manually adjusting the threshold voltage corresponding to the desired velocity.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means includes means for enabling the adjustment of the voltage threshold corresponding to the desired velocity by means disposed outside the vehicle.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a selecting range exists for the desired velocity which has an upper limit corresponding to the prescribed desired maximum velocity.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means includes means responsive to variable vehicle control conditions for automatically adjusting the threshold value of the switching means in accordance therewith.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the variable vehicle control magnitudes include at least one of weight of the vehicle, road inclination on which the vehicle is travelling and the transmission ratio of the vehicle.

16. An apparatus for limiting the velocity of vehicles, to a desired velocity, characterized in that a frequency transmitter means is coordinated to a wheel of the vehicle which produces a voltage having a frequency proportional to the vehicle velocity, a frequency-voltage converter means for converting the frequency into a D.C. voltage, switching means connected in the output of the frequency-voltage converter means which becomes operable to cause a reduction in the vehicle velocity upon exceeding a predetermined voltage threshold, and control means providing an output signal to the switching means for automatically adjusting the predetermined voltage threshold of the switching means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the control means is responsive to variable vehicle control magnitudes for providing the output signal for adjusting the predetermined threshold value of the switching means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the variable vehicle control magnitudes include at least one of weight of the vehicle, road inclination on which the vehicle is travelling and transmission ratio of the vehicle, the control means providing an output signal for adjusting the predetermined threshold of the switching means in accordance therewith.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the control means includes means responsive to means disposed outside of the vehicle for providing an output signal for controlling the adjustment of the predetermined voltage threshold of the switching means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the control means also include means responsive to means disposed outside the vehicle for providing an output signal for controlling the adjustment of the predetermined voltage threshold of the switching means.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the means disposed outside the vehicle include inductive transmitter means.

22. An apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the switching means includes means responsive to means disposed outside the vehicle for enabling the adjustment of the predetermined voltage threshold of the switching means.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that the means disposed outside the vehicle include inductive transmitter means for transmitting a signal to the adjustment enabling means of the switching means.