Vehicle control with manual back up

• US 7,021,416 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SKF Engineering & Research Center BV
• Original Assignee: SKF Engineering & Research Center BV
• Inventors: Kapaan, Hendrikus Jan, Holweg, Eduardus Gerardus Maria, Nervo, Aurelio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosenberg, Laura B.
• Application Number:
  US10/240,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 180/333, 180/402, 180/405, 744/71.XY, 744/80.R, 744/84.R, 744/86, 744/87, 744/71.R, 744/901.1, 744/901.2, 744/901.4, 744/91
• US Class Current: 180/405
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/02 vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/163 Part of the steering column replaced by flexible means, e.g. cable or belt
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/003 Backup systems, e.g. for manual steering B62D5/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0448 Ball nuts
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20256 Steering and controls assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20396 Hand operated

Abstract

A manual control device for electrically driven and controlled steering, and/or accelerating and/or decelerating of a road vehicle, that includes a hand grip device, sensors for sensing a force and/or a movement imposed on the hand grip device which correspond to a desired steering direction, and/or acceleration and/or deceleration of the vehicle, as well as a manual lever device comprising at least one mechanical connection for mechanically steering, and/or accelerating, and/or decelerating (e.g. maintenance parking etc.) of the vehicle in the absence of electric power (e.g. in the case of an electric power failure or in the case of electric power switched off) maintenance, garage parking etc., the manual lever device being swivelable or rotatable about at least one axis for actuating said at least one mechanical connection.

Claims

1. Manual control means for at least one of electrically driven and controlled steering, accelerating, and decelerating of a road vehicle, comprising:

a hand grip means;

sensors for sensing at least one of a force and a movement imposed on the hand grip means which correspond to at least one of a desired steering direction, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle;

a support means which is fixed with respect to the vehicle;

manual lever means including;

at least one mechanical connection for at least one of mechanically steering, accelerating, and decelerating of the vehicle in the absence of electric power, wherein the manual lever means is swivelable or rotatable about at least one axis with respect to the support means, characterized by an immobilization means which immobilizes the manual lever means with respect to the support means in case of nominal operation and availability of electric power, and which allows swiveling motion in case of power failure.

2. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the immobilization means includes an electromagnetic coupling.

3. Control means according to claim 2, wherein the lever means engages a gear reduction.

4. Control means according to claim 2, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick with integrated pressure buttons.

5. Control means according to claim 2, wherein support means is provided which carries a first gear wheel having a first gear wheel axis, a second gear wheel being provided on the first gear wheel having a second gear wheel axis transverse with respect to the first gear wheel axis, the manual lever means being connected to the second gear wheel.

6. Control means according to claim 2, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick without integrated pressure buttons.

7. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the lever means engages a gear reduction.

8. Control means according to claim 7, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick with integrated pressure buttons.

9. Control means according to claim 7, wherein the support means is provided which carries a first gear wheel having a first gear wheel axis, a second gear wheel being provided on the first gear wheel having a second gear wheel axis transverse with respect to the first gear wheel axis, the manual lever means being connected to the second gear wheel.

10. Control means according to claim 7, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick without integrated pressure buttons.

11. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick with integrated pressure buttons.

12. Control means according to claim 11, wherein the support means is provided which carries a first gear wheel having a first gear wheel axis, a second gear wheel being provided on the first gear wheel having a second gear wheel axis transverse with respect to the first gear wheel axis the manual lever means being connected to the second gear wheel.

13. Control means according to claim 1, wherein athe support means is provided which carries a first gear wheel having a first gear wheel axis, a second gear wheel being provided on the first gear wheel having a second gear wheel axis transverse with respect to the first gear wheel axis, the manual lever means being connected to the second gear wheel.

14. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the handgrip means is a joystick without integrated pressure buttons.