Electric gas pedal

• US 4,506,642 A
• Filed: 09/29/1982
• Issued: 03/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Probst, Kurt, Pfalzgraf, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Ronald B.
• Application Number:
  US06/427,394
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 123/361, 123/339, 123/399, 123/396, 180/179, 180/271, 180/281, 180/272, 251/131
• US Class Current: 123/361
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/16 End position calibration, i.e. calculation or measurement of actuator end positions, e.g. for throttle or its driving actuator

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric gas pedal for automotive vehicles having a desired-value transmitter 1 from which a desired-value signal can be fed to an electronic controller unit 3. The controller unit 3 controls by means of electric signals a setting member 4 which controls the motor power via a displacement device. In order to make optimum adjustment of this electric gas pedal possible in a simple and economical manner, the actual setting range possible for the displacement device is determined and stored as effective desired setting range of the controller unit 3 in the latter.

Claims

1. In an electric gas pedal for an automotive vehicle comprising a desired-value transmitter from which an electric desired-value signal can be fed to an electronic controller unit, a setting member controllable by electric signals of the controller unit and displaceable within a maximum possible desired setting range limited by a first and a second end position, by which setting member a displacement device displaceable within an actual setting range limited by a first end position and a second end position can be mechanically actuated via a transmission unit for control of the motor power, the improvement comprising

a setting device and means for storing positions of the displacement device, and wherein

the maximum possible desired setting range is greater than the actual setting range and that, in the first end position and in the second end position of the displacement device, the position of the setting member can in each case be detected by said setting device and be stored by said storing means as effective desired setting range in the controller unit.

2. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said setting member comprises an electric motor which is mechanically connected with said displacement device, and an actual-value transmitter which produces an electric signal corresponding to the instantaneous position of said displacement device.

3. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the electric motor can be driven into one end position of said displacement device and a signal corresponding to said one end position is producible by the actual-value transmitter, and that thereupon the electric motor can be driven into the second end position of the displacement device and an electric signal corresponding to said second end position is producible by the actual-value transmitter.

4. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said actual-value transmitter is a potentiometer and said electric signal is a voltage signal.

5. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

timing means for establishing setting times and wherein

the detection and storage of the effective desired setting range can be effected within a given setting time A.

6. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 5, wherein

said given setting time A constitutes a lower setting time (a) for the detection and storage of the first end position and an upper setting time (a'"'"') for the detection and storage of the second end position.

7. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the setting time A can contain a starting time (e'"'"') following the upper setting time (a'"'"') and a resetting time (e") for returning said electric motor into said lower end position.

8. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said electric motor can be driven into said first or said second position for a time which corresponds at least to the maximum required displacement time b or b'"'"' for the displacement of said setting member from one end position into the other end position.

9. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 8, further comprising

transmitting means for signaling end positions in the driving of said electric motor, and means in circuit with said transmitting means for measuring time, and wherein

after the maximum required displacement time b or b'"'"' of the setting member during a counting time of said measuring means, the electric signal corresponding end position can be produced by said transmitting means.

10. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 9, wherein

the counting time constitutes an effective counting time c or c'"'"' and a safety time d or d'"'"' and the counting time is greater than the maximum possible effective counting time c or c'"'"'.

11. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said setting device 11 is arranged fixed in the vehicle and is connected to the desired-value transmitter and the electric controller unit.

12. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said setting device can be switched on by the ignition switch of the vehicle.

13. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

means responsive to an engine speed for blocking said setting device during operation of an engine in the vehicle.

14. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said setting device includes means in circuit with the desired value transmitter for blocking, during the setting time of the setting device, the controllability of the electronic controller unit in response to a signal of the desired value transmitter.

15. The electric gas pedal as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said setting device includes means for blocking the switching on of the starter for the engine of the automotive vehicle during a setting time in the operation of said setting device.