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Dual pedal operation of electronically-controlled vehicle engine

  • US 5,449,956 A
  • Filed: 02/02/1994
  • Issued: 09/12/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In an automotive vehicle comprising an engine that powers the vehicle and that is under the control of an electrical controller that is itself under the control of two separate accelerator pedals in different locations of the vehicle for operating the engine over a range comprising idle operation and non-idle operation, the improvement which comprises:

  • a) for each accelerator pedal, a corresponding accelerator pedal sensor that is individual to and operated by the corresponding pedal;

    b) each said sensor comprising,i) an accelerator pedal position sensing device for providing an electrical pedal position signal representing position of the corresponding pedal over a pedal range spanning an idle position and non-idle positions, andii) an idle validation switch for providing a validation signal to distinguish idle position from non-idle positions of the corresponding pedal;

    c) each said sensing device comprising means operated by the corresponding pedal for providing a corresponding electrical pedal position signal as a voltage whose magnitude represents pedal position over such pedal range;

    d) each idle validation switch comprising switch means operated by the corresponding pedal selectively to first and second switch conditions for distinguishing idle position of the pedal from non-idle positions of the pedal by presenting one of said switch conditions when the pedal is in idle position and the other of said switch conditions when the pedal is in non-idle; and

    e) coupling circuit means for operatively coupling said sensors with said controller such thati) whenever the pedals are in identical positions in which their respective sensing devices provide identical magnitude voltages, such identical magnitude voltage is coupled through to said controller,ii) whenever the pedals are in different positions in which their respective sensing devices provide different magnitude voltages, only the voltage from the one sensing device whose pedal is more distant from idle position is coupled through to said controller to the exclusion of the voltage from the other sensing device,iii) whenever at least one pedal is in non-idle position causing the corresponding idle validation switch to be in said other switch condition, such other switch condition is coupled through to said controller to the exclusion of said one switch condition, andiv) whenever both pedals are in idle position causing both idle validation switches to be in said one switch condition, such one switch condition is coupled through to said controller; and

    f) said coupling circuit means including current blocking means comprising,i) means for blocking current flow between each sensing device when voltage from the one sensing device whose pedal is more distant from idle position is coupled through to said controller so as to thereby prevent the other sensing device from imposing a current drain on such one sensing device that would otherwise impair the accuracy of the voltage coupled through to said controller from such one sensing device.

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