Internal-combustion engines – Engine speed regulator – Open loop condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-18
2004-01-06
Mohanty, Bibhu (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Engine speed regulator
Open loop condition responsive
C123S399000, C123S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06672281
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to motor vehicles equipped with an electronic throttle control, and further relates to motor vehicles equipped with a mobility enhancement system for drivers with physical disabilities. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mobility enhancement system featuring an electronic mobility enhancement throttle interface for the conventional electronic throttle control system of the motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is estimated that 88,082 U.S. drivers currently use mobility enhancement system hand controls for controlling vehicle operation, and that 43,623 U.S. drivers currently use a prosthetic aid for vehicle operation. Drivers requiring a mobility enhancement system for controlling vehicle operation are limited in their selection of hardware. Quite frequently, their selection involves thoughtful considerations regarding performance and convenience when attempting to address their specific needs. Often, their motor vehicle selection is limited to a small cross-section of products and is dictated by the available mobility enhancement control hardware.
Generally, drivers with disabilities who require a mobility enhancement system must settle for a purely mechanical mobility enhancement system, as exemplified by the mobility enhancement system
10
shown at
FIGS. 1 through 4
. In this regard, the mobility enhancement system
10
includes a mechanical brake pedal interface
10
′ and a mechanical throttle pedal interface
10
″.
In operation of the mechanical brake pedal interface
10
′, the brake pedal
12
is actuated by directing a brake force F
B
via the driver gripping a handgrip
16
and then downwardly pivoting a control arm
14
, whereby an interconnect member
18
applies the brake force onto the brake pedal. In operation of the mechanical throttle pedal interface
10
″, the throttle pedal (commonly referred to as a “as pedal”)
20
is depressed by the driver applying a rotational movement (see arrow R) to the control arm
14
. The rotational movement is converted into a downward throttle pedal force F
T
via a linkage assembly
22
, to thereby selectively depress the throttle pedal
20
.
For motor vehicles equipped with an electronic throttle control system
24
, a throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor
28
is incorporated in a throttle pedal housing
26
. For example, the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor
28
is in the form of two potentiometers which, in conjunction with the position of the throttle pedal, provide throttle control information or a throttle control transfer function as analog inputs to an engine control module (ECM/PCM)
30
for processing the throttle (also referred to as “torque”) command to an electronic throttle control (ETC) subsystem
32
.
The force to depress the throttle pedal
20
is primarily dependent on return biasing of the throttle pedal by a pedal return spring which is associated with the throttle pedal housing
26
. To minimize the throttle pedal force F
T
required to overcome this biasing force, the control arm
14
is lengthened to increase the mechanical advantage the physically disabled driver has over the pedal return spring. Because of the length of the control arm
14
, there is a need to minimize interference with interior vehicle components such as the inner door pull
34
and armrest
36
(see FIG.
2
). Also taken into consideration is the potential for the downward rotational movement R of the control arm
14
to necessitate an accommodating repositioning of the driver's left leg (see FIGS.
2
and
3
).
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a mobility enhancement system for drivers with disabilities which has none of the disadvantages of current mechanical mobility enhancement throttle pedal interfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an electronic enhanced mobility control interface of a mobility enhancement system implemented in a motor vehicle having a conventional electronic throttle control system. The electronic enhanced mobility throttle interface includes an auxiliary electronic throttle sensor in duplication of the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor, wherein the driver's selection of either the auxiliary electronic throttle sensor or the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor is interfaced transparently to an engine electronic controller, as for example an engine control module (ECM/PCM) for processing to the electronic throttle control (ETC) subsystem.
The electronic mobility enhancement throttle interface includes, besides the aforementioned auxiliary electronic throttle sensor, an auxiliary throttle control by which the driver executes throttle commands to the auxiliary electronic throttle sensor and a data switch for connecting one or the other of the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor and the auxiliary electronic throttle sensor processing electronics to the ECM/PCM, wherein the auxiliary electronic throttle sensor is a functional duplicate of the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor. Accordingly, selection by the driver of either the auxiliary electronic throttle sensor or the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor is transparent to the ECM/PCM for processing as throttle commands to the ETC subsystem, wherein the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor is the default selection.
The present invention provides for minimal force application to effect throttle commands, eliminates the need to mechanically depress the existing throttle pedal, and provides for the choice of utilizing the conventional throttle pedal or the auxiliary throttle control for executing throttle commands.
The present invention also prevents a change of source of throttle command as long as the ignition switch is turned on. Additionally, a time-out is preferably provided which times from selection of a source of throttle command to turning on of the ignition switch, and defaults to the throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor in the event of a time-out before the ignition switch is turned on.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobility enhancement system for physically disabled drivers which features an electronic mobility enhancement throttle interface including an auxiliary electronic throttle sensor in duplication of the conventional throttle pedal position electronic throttle sensor.
This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5235951 (1993-08-01), Taguchi et al.
patent: 6302084 (2001-10-01), Kamimura et al.
Generic Mobility Enhancement System for a Motor Vehicle, on the market since at least Jan. 1, 2002.
Cinpinski Kenneth J.
Talbot Gary L.
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