Throttle grip apparatus

• US 8,567,282 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yaguchi, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rogers, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US12/788,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 744/731.2, 744/84.R, 744/85, 744/86, 744/88, 745/04, 745/31, 745/519
• US Class Current: 74/504
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/04 Twist grips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20474 Rotatable rod, shaft, or post
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

A throttle grip apparatus is provided with a throttle grip (1) rotatably mounted on a leading end of a handlebar (H) of a vehicle, a magnet (6) which is integrally rotatable with the throttle grip (1), a detector (13) for detecting variations of a magnetic field of the magnet (6) in a non-contact manner so as to detect a rotation angle of the throttle grip (1), and a frictional device (9, 10) for generating a resistance force during a rotation of the throttle grip (1). The resistance force is variable.

Claims

1. A throttle grip apparatus comprising:

a throttle grip rotatably mounted on a leading end of a vehicle handlebar;

a magnet which is integrally rotatable with the throttle grip;

a detector that detects variations of a magnetic field of the magnet in a non-contact manner and also detects a rotation angle of the throttle grip according to a value of the detected variation of the magnetic field; and

a frictional device configured to generate a frictional resistance force during a rotation of the throttle grip and generate a rotation load of the throttle grip,

wherein the frictional device is configured to vary the resistance force based on the rotation angle of the throttle grip, and wherein the frictional device includes;

a rotation side frictional portion integrally rotatable with the throttle grip; and

a fixed side frictional portion fixed to the handlebar and disposed in contact with the rotation side frictional portion, and

wherein a friction coefficient of a specific portion of a contact surface of the rotation side frictional portion or the fixed side frictional portion is made different from a friction coefficient of the contact surface which does not include said specific portion, to thereby be able to vary the frictional resistance force of the frictional device according to the rotation angle of the throttle grip,

wherein the rotation side frictional portion is pressed against the fixed side frictional portion as the throttle grip is rotated such that a frictional resistance force is generated to generate the rotation load of the throttle grip,

wherein the rotation load of the throttle grip during the rotation of the throttle grip can be varied based on a demand of a user,

wherein a mechanical feedback is created by a mechanical contact between the specific portion of the contract surface of at least one of the rotation side frictional portion and the fixed side frictional portion being pressed against another of the at least one of the rotation side frictional portion and the fixed side frictional portion, and

wherein the mechanical feedback is sensed by the user.

2. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frictional device is configured to increase a friction resistance and the frictional resistance force as the rotation angle of the throttle grip increases.

3. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specific portion of the contact surface is coated with a material to make the friction coefficient of said specific portion different from the friction coefficient of the contact surface.

4. The throttle grip apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an urging member that presses the rotation side frictional portion against the fixed side frictional portion; and

an adjusting mechanism capable of arbitrarily changing an urging force of the urging member.