Accelerating pedal for electronic throttle actuation system
First Claim
1. In an accelerator pedal control apparatus that remotely controls the throttle valve of an internal combustion engine via electrical signals wherein the apparatus comprises a housing, a shaft journaled on the housing, for imparting rotational motion to the shaft, a spring rotationally biasing the shaft toward a first position corresponding to the throttle valve being in closed or substantially closed position, an electrical sensor that is operated by the rotation of said shaft to positions away from said first position to signal the amount of rotation that is being imparted to the shaft, and a friction mechanism that acts on the shaft to dampen shaft rotation, the improvement in said friction mechanism characterized by a disk affixed to said shaft, friction elements on opposite sides of said disk, a pair of formed metal elements acting to sandwich said friction elements and said disk, and resilient means urging said formed metal elements to forcefully sandwich said friction elements and said disk.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improvements for imparting hysteresis, or dampening, to the shaft of a pedal assembly for an electronic throttle actuation system so that the feel of the pedal simulates the feel of a strictly mechanical system. Pads are resiliently urged against a disk in one embodiment, the disk being affixed to the pedal shaft. In another embodiment, metal rings are resiliently urged against friction rings on the disk.
82 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. In an accelerator pedal control apparatus that remotely controls the throttle valve of an internal combustion engine via electrical signals wherein the apparatus comprises a housing, a shaft journaled on the housing, for imparting rotational motion to the shaft, a spring rotationally biasing the shaft toward a first position corresponding to the throttle valve being in closed or substantially closed position, an electrical sensor that is operated by the rotation of said shaft to positions away from said first position to signal the amount of rotation that is being imparted to the shaft, and a friction mechanism that acts on the shaft to dampen shaft rotation, the improvement in said friction mechanism characterized by a disk affixed to said shaft, friction elements on opposite sides of said disk, a pair of formed metal elements acting to sandwich said friction elements and said disk, and resilient means urging said formed metal elements to forcefully sandwich said friction elements and said disk.
Specification