Electronic control system for operating groups of a vehicle

• US 7,274,164 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Original Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Inventors: Zema, Massimo
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCLOUD, RENATA D
• Application Number:
  US11/220,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/005 Suspension locking arrangements for retractable wheels B62D61/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/017 characterised by their use when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. during loading, engine start-up or switch-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/122 Trikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/124 Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/50 Electric vehicles; Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/34 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/90 Other conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/85 System Prioritisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/107 with electrical power assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13009 State machine instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13066 Execute next step if state, control zone changes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13068 Program divided in operation blocks, groups, tasks each executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13076 Interprete in pc a ladder diagram, use of sequence engine

Abstract

Electronic control system for an actuation device of operating groups of a vehicle comprising an electronic gearcase that allows the activation and deactivation of said at least one device to be managed. The gearcase defines a first operating condition of the selective actuations defined as rest, a second condition defined as block and a third condition defined as transitional, which is a passage step between the other two conditions.

Claims

1. Electronic control system for at least one actuation device of at least one operating group of a vehicle comprising an electronic gearcase that allows the activation and deactivation of said a least one device to be managed, characterized in that said gearcase defines a first operating condition of selective activations defined as rest state, a second condition defined as block state and at least a third condition defined as transitional state, which is a passage step between the said first and said second operating conditions, through which said gearcase may pass into a further failure state or into at least an undetermined state wherein said control gearcase receives detection signals from a plurality of sensors and sends at least one control signal for at least one of said operating groups of the vehicle and wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a sensor for detecting said operation condition, a current measurement sensor for electric motor (8), a sensor (9) for measuring revolutions of the motor with which a signal for the number of revolutions (91) is associated and a signal relative to under-key battery (92) and wherein said sensor for detecting said operation condition comprises an “

up”

limit switch sensor with which an “

up”

limit switch signal is associated and a “

down”

limit switch sensor with which a “

down”

limit switch signal is associated.

2. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said transitional state comprises a first transitional state (T1) that refers to the passage from the rest state to an actuated block state and a second transitional state (T2) that refers to the passage from the actuated block state to the rest state.

3. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control signal determines a transition from the rest condition to the block condition and vice-versa.

4. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said gearcase determines a condition defined as limitation of revolutions in which the number of revolutions of a motor of the vehicle is predetermined.

5. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said undetermined state comprises a first undetermined sub-state (I1) that is reached during an actuation from the rest state towards the block state and a second undetermined sub-state (I2) that is reached during an actuation from the block state towards the rest state.

6. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said control signal is sent to an actuator actuated by an electric motor.

7. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a speed sensor for every front wheel of the vehicle from the which a corresponding speed signal is detected for each front wheel, a gas handle control sensor from which a corresponding gas signal 4 is detected and a control sensor (5).

8. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control signal comprises at least one of the group consisting of a system state light indicator signal, a system failure light indicator signal, a sound warning signal and a flywheel pick up signal (16).

9. Electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating group comprises an anti-roll device.

10. Electronic-c control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating group comprises a device for stopping a suspension stroke.

11. Electronic control system according to claim 1, further comprising a first error state (E1) that is reached due to a variation in the logic states of two limit switches and not as a consequence of an actuation being carried out, starting from the rest state.

12. Electronic control system according to claim 11, further comprising a second error state (E2) that is reached due to a variation in the logic states of the two limit switches not as a consequence of an actuation being carried out, starting from the block state.