Acquisition system for detecting the angular position of a gas twist grip in a motorcycle

• US 7,571,073 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A. (Magneti Marelli S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A. (Magneti Marelli S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Fiorentini, Maurizio, Gamberini, Giuseppe, Grossi, Claudio, Piciotti, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano; Edward R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn; Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US11/827,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 702/151, 702/150
• US Class Current: 702/151
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/04 Twist grips
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/02 characterised by hand, foot, or like operator controlled initiation means
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/08 Redundant elements, e.g. two sensors for measuring the same parameter

Abstract

A system for acquiring the angular position of a gas twist grip in a motorcycle; the acquisition system is provided with a fixed supporting body; a rotating shaft turnable mounted in the supporting body; a transmission device mechanically connected to the gas twist grip and to the revolving shaft to transmit the motion of the gas twist grip to the revolving shaft itself; a main angular position sensor, which is carried by the supporting body, is coupled to the revolving shaft to determine the angular position of revolving shaft, and is adapted to provide two reciprocally redundant measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft; and an angular control position sensor, which is carried by the supporting body, is coupled to the revolving shaft to determine the angular position of the revolving shaft, and is adapted to provide two reciprocally redundant measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft.

Claims

1. A system (1) for acquiring the angular position of a gas twist grip (2) in a motorcycle;

the acquisition system (1) comprises;

a fixed supporting body (3);

a rotating shaft (4) turnable mounted in the supporting body (3);

a transmission device (6) mechanically connected to the gas twist grip (2) and to the revolving shaft (4) to transmit the motion of the gas twist grip (2) to the revolving shaft (4) itself;

a main angular position sensor (10), which is carried by the supporting body (3), is coupled to the revolving shaft (4) to determine the angular position of revolving shaft (4), and is adapted to provide two reciprocally redundant measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4);

an angular control position sensor (11), which is separate and independent from the main angular position sensor (10), is carried by the supporting body (3), is coupled to the revolving shaft (4) to determine the angular position of the revolving shaft (4), and is adapted to provide two reciprocally redundant measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4) that are independent from the two reciprocally redundant measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4) provided by the main angular position sensor (10).

2. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1 and comprising a processing unit (14), which is connected to both angular position sensors (10, 11), uses the signals provided by the main angular position sensor (10) to determine the angular position of the gas twist grip (2), and uses the signals provided by the control angular position sensor (11) to check and validate the signals provided by the main angular position sensor (10).

3. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the angular position two sensors (10, 11) are arranged at the opposite ends of the revolving shaft (4).

4. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the main angular position sensor (10) is a double potentiometer.

5. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 4, wherein for the main angular position sensor (10) one measure of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4) is equal to half the other measure of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4).

6. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 4, wherein the control angular position sensor (11) is a double potentiometer.

7. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the two measures of the angular position of revolving shaft (4) by the control angular position sensor (11) follow a different law with respect to the two measures of the angular position of the revolving shaft (4) by the main angular position sensor (10).

8. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control angular position sensor (11) presents two digital type outputs which indicate whether the revolving shaft (4) is about a certain angular position or not.

9. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 8, wherein the control angular position sensor (11) presents two digital type outputs which indicate whether the revolving shaft (4) is about a certain home angular position corresponding to no motive torque or not.

10. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein each angular position sensor (10;

11) is connected to the processing unit (14) by means of its own wiring (15) independently from the other angular position sensor (11;

10).

11. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission device (6) is of the wire type and comprises a pull-push type pulley integral with the revolving shaft (4) and a pair of Bowden type wires, each of which presents one end secured to the gas twist grip (2) and one opposite end integral with the pulley.

12. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission device (6) is of the wire type and comprises a pulley integral with the revolving shaft (4) and a Bowden type wire, which presents one end secured to the gas twist grip (2) and one opposite end integral with the pulley.

13. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission device (6) comprises a direct mechanical connection to make the revolving shaft (4) coaxial and angularly integral with the twist grip (2).

14. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 1, wherein a return spring (9) is arranged around the revolving shaft (4) to push at a certain force the revolving shaft (4) itself towards a home position corresponding to no motive torque.

15. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 14, wherein the fixed supporting body (3) is “

C”

-shaped and crossed by the revolving shaft (4) which protrudes from the fixed supporting body (3) at two opposite ends of the rotating shaft (4) itself.

16. An acquisition system (1) according to claim 15, wherein the transmission device (6) is of the wire type and comprises a pulley integral with the revolving shaft (4) and arranged in a middle position of the revolving shaft (4) itself and at least one Bowden type wire, which presents one end secured to the gas twist grip (2) and one opposite end integral with the pulley.