CA1110731A - Acceleration warning device - Google Patents
Acceleration warning deviceInfo
- Publication number
- CA1110731A CA1110731A CA291,211A CA291211A CA1110731A CA 1110731 A CA1110731 A CA 1110731A CA 291211 A CA291211 A CA 291211A CA 1110731 A CA1110731 A CA 1110731A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- acceleration
- warning
- speed
- vehicle
- voltage
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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- Controls For Constant Speed Travelling (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The specification describes an acceleration warning system for motor driven vehicles. The system includes speed measuring apparatus providing an output to a differentiating circuit for determining the rate of change of vehicle accelera-tion, and means responsive to a predetermined output of the differentiating circuit for indicating when the acceleration of the vehicle is beyond a predetermined rate. The system may also include control means for automatically limiting the acceleration of the vehicle.
The specification describes an acceleration warning system for motor driven vehicles. The system includes speed measuring apparatus providing an output to a differentiating circuit for determining the rate of change of vehicle accelera-tion, and means responsive to a predetermined output of the differentiating circuit for indicating when the acceleration of the vehicle is beyond a predetermined rate. The system may also include control means for automatically limiting the acceleration of the vehicle.
Description
7~3~
l Field of the Invention ., This invention relates to an acceleration warning system for use in motor driven vehicles.
Background of the Invention Motor driven vehicles have considerably more power , than that required under normal operating conditions. However ~` these excess power reserves are required for abnormal operating conditions such as high driving speeds ancl maintaining proper driving speed when negotiating grades. It is also desirable -to have additional power reserves to accelerate in traffic situations where lack of available acceleration would otherwise result in an accident.
The availability Oe this power is however fre~uently misused -to accelerate vehicles from a starting position or from low speeds to higher speeds at excessive rates. This unnecessary acceleration contributes very substantially to the fuel consumption in stop and go or varying speed traffic con-ditions common to city driving. In some cases the use of the excess power by the driver has resulted in a 25% increase in ~uel consumption.
Standard arrangements of vehicle or engine controls and instrumentation are not suitable to overcome this problem.
Governors or warnin~ devices for total engine power, engine RPM, engine throttle setting or fuel supply to -the engine are un-suitable because they restrict the available power when it is required in the abnormal conditions mentioned above. ~his also ~ !
applies to the system in which the engine intake manifold vacuum gauge is used as a simple warning device indicating uneconomical fuel wastage as a result of the vacuum being low due to the 0 throttle being opened too much at low engirle RPM.
- 1 - ~ ' l Acceleration and deceleration measurin~ or warning devices based on inertia or gravity principals have been pro-posed for controlling both positive and negative vehicle acceleration. However, due to their very nature, they are inherently disadvantageous due to the fact that they are subject to gravity and as such do not function properly when the vehicle is climbing or descending a grade in the road.
Furthermore, because they are essentially mechanical, they are also adversely affected by shocks or vibrations to the vehicle resulting in activation of these inertia and gravity systems under non-acceleration situa-tions.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the prior art by providing an acceleration warning sys-tem comprising differentiating means for determining the rate of acceleration change of the vehicle and means responsive to a predetermined output of the differentiating means for indi-cating when the acceleration of the vehicle is beyond a predetermined rate. The system may be used to indicate posi-tive acceleration, negaiive acceleration or deceleration, or both acceleration and deceleration.
Unlike previous systems, the present invention is strictly dependent upon the acceleration of the vehicle. It therefore permits the use of the power reserves when required in abnormal driving conditions, such as climbing steep grades and pulling heavy loads, since the use of the power reserve under these conditions does not produce an excessive increase in acceleration.
According to an aspect of the invention, the system includes elec-trical speed measuring apparatus providing 0 a DC voltage proportionate to the speed of the vehicle a differ-73~
1 entiator circuit providing a voltage corresponding -to the rate of change of vehicle acceleration, and switch means operated by a predetermined output from the differentiator circuit to activate warning and/or control means for warning and/or controlling of excessive acceleration. The switch means may include a first limit switch responding to a first predetermined output voltage from the differentiating circuit relating to positive acceleration and a second limit switch responding to a second predetermined outpu-t from the diEfer-entiating circuit relating to a negative acceleration ordeceleration.
The control means may be in the form of an auto-matic control activated by the switch means for limiting or ; restricting the supply of fuel to the engine when the rate of ~`15 acceleration exceeds a desired or recommended rate. The fuel contxol is arranged to allow only minimal acceleration and no acceleration whatsoever beyond the recommended rate.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments according to this invention, wherein:
Figure la is a schematic showing a preferred arrange-ment for carrying out the system according to this invention; and Figure lb is a graphic illustration of the output of the speed measuring apparatus as the speed of the vehicle increases.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Pulse generating source 1 generates pulses pro-portionate with and relating to the speed of the vehicle. The ~0 pulse generator may be mechanically driven with a rotational '~ 31 1 speed corresponding to the vehicle speed. Tt may also be a magneti.c pick-up generating pulses corresponding to the ' rotation of a rotating magnet of a component in the vehicle . speed-indicating system. For example, a magnetic pick-up 5 coi.l suitably located with respect to the magnet of the ~
vehicle's speedometer, is coupled to a source which produces ~:
a change in magnetic flu~ proportionate to the vehicle's speed. . ~
,:~
The pulses generated from source 1 are therefore used to . determine the speed of the vehicle. ~:
.-- 10 In some instances it may be preferable to provide ~.
;; a conventlonal voltage regulator in the acceleration warning ~
., - .
:~ and control system as shown i.n the upper left portlon of Figure 1 for turning the system on at a predetermi:ned speed, i.e., five or ten miles an hour or so that unavoidable jumps 15 experienced when moving a heavy truck and the like from a ~
standing position cannot inadvertently activate the warning and control devices of the system. With this arrangement the .. pulses generated by pulse generator are fed to diode 12 and converted to a DC voltage by means of RC network block 13 ; .
as known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, a change in frequency from the pulse generator will produce a change in voltage output from the RC network and the resulting voltage output corresponds to the vehicle speed. The output of RC
network 13 .is fed into a comparator 14, which compares the voltage output to a reference voltage corresponding to a pre-determined vehicle speed at which the voltage regulator is switched on. When the output from RC network 13 equals the reference voltage, voltage regulator 16 is turned on through output line 15 of comparator 14. Voltage regulator 16 in turn ^0 provides a voltage Vc to a speed measuring unit 2 to activate ~: :
l the system.
The pulses from generator 1 are also fed into the speed measuring unit which is again a frequency to vol-tage converter. The output of the converter is a voltage which at all times aorresponds to the frequency of the pulse input.
Therefore, the DC voltage output of the converter which is demonstrated graphically in Figure lb has a slope of ~V
corresponding to the rate of speed change or acceleration of the vehicle.
The voltage output of the speed measuring unit is fed into a differentiating circuit 3. When the vehicle is moving at a constant speed, the input voltage to the circuit remains constant, and circuit 3 provides a constant output voltage as determined by bias voltage Vl shown at 22-l.
However, when the input voltage from converter 2 rises, the output from the differentiating circuit is proportionate to the rate of change or slope of the voltage curve from the converter plotted over time. The voltage output of the differentiator is therefore directly proportional to the vehicle acceleration and rises proportionately with positive acceleration and falls proportionately wi-th negative acceler-ation, or deceleration of the vehicle. The circuit can be set up such that it provides a positive voltage output in reference to Vl relating to acceleration and a negative voltage output relative -to Vl corresponding to deceleration.
The differentiating circuit output voltage is amplified in amplifier 4 and fed to voltage comparator switches SW l and SW 2. Switch SW l switches on when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined rate and the input voltage to the 0 switch exceeds a predetermined reference voltage. Switch SW 2, t~3~L
~ ie~ m;l~ re~o~t~!i.vc3 .a rle~lclt:ive~ voltcl~.Je~, swit:c~he3s c~n wht-3n th(3 tl~ce!lc~r~ ~l t ,l,orl ~.!Y~Ct:!(.'3CI':, cn l) r ~3de L.crrrl:inc-3ci r;,l te . The3se Sw i tcht~?s ilr~3 ter;pe(:t Lv-3ly corln~3( teel to w~lrn:ine1 cl~3v:lct?s 5 clnd 6 which mi.ly be wcl:rni.n(l L:i(Jht.`l, t~u~.~c!rC.. c~x t ne3 likt! tc~ mclke the3 dr:ive3r aw~.lrc~ tl~ t ti~ lCCC 1.(3r~.lt~i.on or de~ee Ic3rat.i.~n of tht3 ve311i.cle .i t; I)t3yon(l cl (1C!C~ i rllcl r~ltcl SO t hclt thr~ drivt3r carl l~?~Ct cc.~or(.l:i.n(J'l,y .
rn c~a.C;e3~; whe.~re.~ t--urthe3r clr:ive3r e~onlrol is desired, I_llt`! C;yl~c3ltl i -t t)r~J~Idc;!(~l w:i th a me~actur:irlel clev:ict3 7, whi.eh l~t) al.sto Xe~C(~.iVC.r.t t he amlJI.i.ELe3(l OUtj~lt vo:l.tcl{~e Erom the3 cl:i.Eft-3r-13r1t :j.llLOr. 'l~l1(' mOart~lr j n(l (leV iC:e :;.S CIn anCI IO~I~Ie? mC?t..er nOrma] 1.Y
tl(.~ lt l::h(! '~.er0 I:~C~ i. t iorl l~ror,l which t:llo poinL(?r moveC; to the 't.~ orr(:~r~ )ot~l.LIIcJ t.:o cloc,(:~ I.crclt:ion cln~l I;C) tilr? :r:i.cli-lt. co:rre-spolltl Ln(J t o .nc(~c~l.t~ri:lt :iorl. ~I:ith su:Lt~lb:Le3 cc~l:ibrat:ion th.Ls 15 me?t~3r CCIIl :I.ncl:icclt,~ the rc?~t,~?t~ctive? rat~s oE spee~?tl chancJe? in ny clc~t:irtlb.lc-~ ullitl;, sucll as me~ters/C;e?c or in ~-s~
'L`llo m~cls~lr i.nc~ tle?v.ice~ c.ln i.l1so be a rt?corcl1ncJ
typc.~ I-.tllch ~:ls ttlnt: ele~-.ct^ i.i:~etl .ill c:opencl:incl Cclnac~ n pc~te?tlt apE)l.i-C`al~,i.OII L;C':ri,~ mb~3r 2(3'i,:3ti!) f.i.letl ';e~?L~ml)er 23rcl, l')7'7 l~or
l Field of the Invention ., This invention relates to an acceleration warning system for use in motor driven vehicles.
Background of the Invention Motor driven vehicles have considerably more power , than that required under normal operating conditions. However ~` these excess power reserves are required for abnormal operating conditions such as high driving speeds ancl maintaining proper driving speed when negotiating grades. It is also desirable -to have additional power reserves to accelerate in traffic situations where lack of available acceleration would otherwise result in an accident.
The availability Oe this power is however fre~uently misused -to accelerate vehicles from a starting position or from low speeds to higher speeds at excessive rates. This unnecessary acceleration contributes very substantially to the fuel consumption in stop and go or varying speed traffic con-ditions common to city driving. In some cases the use of the excess power by the driver has resulted in a 25% increase in ~uel consumption.
Standard arrangements of vehicle or engine controls and instrumentation are not suitable to overcome this problem.
Governors or warnin~ devices for total engine power, engine RPM, engine throttle setting or fuel supply to -the engine are un-suitable because they restrict the available power when it is required in the abnormal conditions mentioned above. ~his also ~ !
applies to the system in which the engine intake manifold vacuum gauge is used as a simple warning device indicating uneconomical fuel wastage as a result of the vacuum being low due to the 0 throttle being opened too much at low engirle RPM.
- 1 - ~ ' l Acceleration and deceleration measurin~ or warning devices based on inertia or gravity principals have been pro-posed for controlling both positive and negative vehicle acceleration. However, due to their very nature, they are inherently disadvantageous due to the fact that they are subject to gravity and as such do not function properly when the vehicle is climbing or descending a grade in the road.
Furthermore, because they are essentially mechanical, they are also adversely affected by shocks or vibrations to the vehicle resulting in activation of these inertia and gravity systems under non-acceleration situa-tions.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the prior art by providing an acceleration warning sys-tem comprising differentiating means for determining the rate of acceleration change of the vehicle and means responsive to a predetermined output of the differentiating means for indi-cating when the acceleration of the vehicle is beyond a predetermined rate. The system may be used to indicate posi-tive acceleration, negaiive acceleration or deceleration, or both acceleration and deceleration.
Unlike previous systems, the present invention is strictly dependent upon the acceleration of the vehicle. It therefore permits the use of the power reserves when required in abnormal driving conditions, such as climbing steep grades and pulling heavy loads, since the use of the power reserve under these conditions does not produce an excessive increase in acceleration.
According to an aspect of the invention, the system includes elec-trical speed measuring apparatus providing 0 a DC voltage proportionate to the speed of the vehicle a differ-73~
1 entiator circuit providing a voltage corresponding -to the rate of change of vehicle acceleration, and switch means operated by a predetermined output from the differentiator circuit to activate warning and/or control means for warning and/or controlling of excessive acceleration. The switch means may include a first limit switch responding to a first predetermined output voltage from the differentiating circuit relating to positive acceleration and a second limit switch responding to a second predetermined outpu-t from the diEfer-entiating circuit relating to a negative acceleration ordeceleration.
The control means may be in the form of an auto-matic control activated by the switch means for limiting or ; restricting the supply of fuel to the engine when the rate of ~`15 acceleration exceeds a desired or recommended rate. The fuel contxol is arranged to allow only minimal acceleration and no acceleration whatsoever beyond the recommended rate.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments according to this invention, wherein:
Figure la is a schematic showing a preferred arrange-ment for carrying out the system according to this invention; and Figure lb is a graphic illustration of the output of the speed measuring apparatus as the speed of the vehicle increases.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Pulse generating source 1 generates pulses pro-portionate with and relating to the speed of the vehicle. The ~0 pulse generator may be mechanically driven with a rotational '~ 31 1 speed corresponding to the vehicle speed. Tt may also be a magneti.c pick-up generating pulses corresponding to the ' rotation of a rotating magnet of a component in the vehicle . speed-indicating system. For example, a magnetic pick-up 5 coi.l suitably located with respect to the magnet of the ~
vehicle's speedometer, is coupled to a source which produces ~:
a change in magnetic flu~ proportionate to the vehicle's speed. . ~
,:~
The pulses generated from source 1 are therefore used to . determine the speed of the vehicle. ~:
.-- 10 In some instances it may be preferable to provide ~.
;; a conventlonal voltage regulator in the acceleration warning ~
., - .
:~ and control system as shown i.n the upper left portlon of Figure 1 for turning the system on at a predetermi:ned speed, i.e., five or ten miles an hour or so that unavoidable jumps 15 experienced when moving a heavy truck and the like from a ~
standing position cannot inadvertently activate the warning and control devices of the system. With this arrangement the .. pulses generated by pulse generator are fed to diode 12 and converted to a DC voltage by means of RC network block 13 ; .
as known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, a change in frequency from the pulse generator will produce a change in voltage output from the RC network and the resulting voltage output corresponds to the vehicle speed. The output of RC
network 13 .is fed into a comparator 14, which compares the voltage output to a reference voltage corresponding to a pre-determined vehicle speed at which the voltage regulator is switched on. When the output from RC network 13 equals the reference voltage, voltage regulator 16 is turned on through output line 15 of comparator 14. Voltage regulator 16 in turn ^0 provides a voltage Vc to a speed measuring unit 2 to activate ~: :
l the system.
The pulses from generator 1 are also fed into the speed measuring unit which is again a frequency to vol-tage converter. The output of the converter is a voltage which at all times aorresponds to the frequency of the pulse input.
Therefore, the DC voltage output of the converter which is demonstrated graphically in Figure lb has a slope of ~V
corresponding to the rate of speed change or acceleration of the vehicle.
The voltage output of the speed measuring unit is fed into a differentiating circuit 3. When the vehicle is moving at a constant speed, the input voltage to the circuit remains constant, and circuit 3 provides a constant output voltage as determined by bias voltage Vl shown at 22-l.
However, when the input voltage from converter 2 rises, the output from the differentiating circuit is proportionate to the rate of change or slope of the voltage curve from the converter plotted over time. The voltage output of the differentiator is therefore directly proportional to the vehicle acceleration and rises proportionately with positive acceleration and falls proportionately wi-th negative acceler-ation, or deceleration of the vehicle. The circuit can be set up such that it provides a positive voltage output in reference to Vl relating to acceleration and a negative voltage output relative -to Vl corresponding to deceleration.
The differentiating circuit output voltage is amplified in amplifier 4 and fed to voltage comparator switches SW l and SW 2. Switch SW l switches on when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined rate and the input voltage to the 0 switch exceeds a predetermined reference voltage. Switch SW 2, t~3~L
~ ie~ m;l~ re~o~t~!i.vc3 .a rle~lclt:ive~ voltcl~.Je~, swit:c~he3s c~n wht-3n th(3 tl~ce!lc~r~ ~l t ,l,orl ~.!Y~Ct:!(.'3CI':, cn l) r ~3de L.crrrl:inc-3ci r;,l te . The3se Sw i tcht~?s ilr~3 ter;pe(:t Lv-3ly corln~3( teel to w~lrn:ine1 cl~3v:lct?s 5 clnd 6 which mi.ly be wcl:rni.n(l L:i(Jht.`l, t~u~.~c!rC.. c~x t ne3 likt! tc~ mclke the3 dr:ive3r aw~.lrc~ tl~ t ti~ lCCC 1.(3r~.lt~i.on or de~ee Ic3rat.i.~n of tht3 ve311i.cle .i t; I)t3yon(l cl (1C!C~ i rllcl r~ltcl SO t hclt thr~ drivt3r carl l~?~Ct cc.~or(.l:i.n(J'l,y .
rn c~a.C;e3~; whe.~re.~ t--urthe3r clr:ive3r e~onlrol is desired, I_llt`! C;yl~c3ltl i -t t)r~J~Idc;!(~l w:i th a me~actur:irlel clev:ict3 7, whi.eh l~t) al.sto Xe~C(~.iVC.r.t t he amlJI.i.ELe3(l OUtj~lt vo:l.tcl{~e Erom the3 cl:i.Eft-3r-13r1t :j.llLOr. 'l~l1(' mOart~lr j n(l (leV iC:e :;.S CIn anCI IO~I~Ie? mC?t..er nOrma] 1.Y
tl(.~ lt l::h(! '~.er0 I:~C~ i. t iorl l~ror,l which t:llo poinL(?r moveC; to the 't.~ orr(:~r~ )ot~l.LIIcJ t.:o cloc,(:~ I.crclt:ion cln~l I;C) tilr? :r:i.cli-lt. co:rre-spolltl Ln(J t o .nc(~c~l.t~ri:lt :iorl. ~I:ith su:Lt~lb:Le3 cc~l:ibrat:ion th.Ls 15 me?t~3r CCIIl :I.ncl:icclt,~ the rc?~t,~?t~ctive? rat~s oE spee~?tl chancJe? in ny clc~t:irtlb.lc-~ ullitl;, sucll as me~ters/C;e?c or in ~-s~
'L`llo m~cls~lr i.nc~ tle?v.ice~ c.ln i.l1so be a rt?corcl1ncJ
typc.~ I-.tllch ~:ls ttlnt: ele~-.ct^ i.i:~etl .ill c:opencl:incl Cclnac~ n pc~te?tlt apE)l.i-C`al~,i.OII L;C':ri,~ mb~3r 2(3'i,:3ti!) f.i.letl ';e~?L~ml)er 23rcl, l')7'7 l~or
2() ~ lt.ill~lt~ r ~ t-r(:litl<~ ~Ic~ r~ :ic-rl ~Ir~l cl(~ ?lt!r.ltio~ s a rlc~lllL~ ol. tlri.vcr Gc)rlt~ol ttlc~l.c~by l~sst~rlirlcl t 11~? :L:il;c?~ .i.llood oF
ally l1nn~oe~ssary ~IS~ ot thc? brake?s ~n(l c-Jas l)eclal oE the vehi.cle~
by t,lle (lr ive~r .
Il. .Irt clcleli l io~ l. cli.tli.tal r~l~c10llt is c~i?sixe?d, this ;~,rj i'.3 ac il.iev~.cl by ~e~.~elin~l tht.? volt~acJe Exom ampl:i.fie~r ~1 into the all~tlo~Ju~ to cii.(~:it.ll conv~?rt:ex Ol. intt r~lcc ll~ whi.ch i.n t~lrn eol~trol.s ci~ ital. ~ a(lo~lt ~3 -~how.itlq ~lec~le?rat.io1l as positive~
~ ( t i ~ v ~ cl t1 ~c ~ r il t :i. c l~ ~l S mi tl~l ~; cl i~t i t~ V ~l ~ Ul' S .
Tile syst~t~m may a.lso be U';(?(l to pttysicc~ Lly control ,(~ or llmi t. the ite~et~ t.iol~ of~ tlle vehiele in which cas? a - 1 solenoid operated Elow control valve is connected to switch .~ SW l. Valve 17 can be set up such that the fuel flow is restricted to the amount of fuel required for idling of the -~l engine or for maintaining a very low speed such as 30 km/hr ,. ................... ..
S over a level road. With this arrangement, the vehicle is not capable of excessive acceleration and will either maintain its speed or slowly decelerate when switch SW l is operated ~: thereby forcing the driver to maintain a desirable rate of ~
. acceleration or be faced with an undesirable repeat cycle .;.
. 10 of acceleration and deceleration. .`~
-..................... Another method of restricting the fuel flow to ; ~., the engine, is to provide servopower means directly into the mechanical linkage of the gas pedal or accelerator. This servopower means would again be operated through switch SW 1 15 and serves to restrict the operation of the driver controlled :: .
fuel control device. This function of reducing the available fuel quantity or fuel mixture for the engine, can be achieved through the use of devices presently used to control the fuel supply in diesel engines or the fuel air mixture in gasoline engines having constant speed controls. These devices interact with the accelerator and reduce the fuel supply or change the :
fuel mixture independent of the accelerator position chosen .
by the driver.
In the application of the invention to automati- ~ -cally limit the acceleration of the vehicle, it is desirable :~ to provide an override of the automatic limiting of fuel.
This override is required in cases where maximum acceleration is necessary to avoid a collision hazard. A simple manner of incorporating the override in the system is to provide a .
: 0 cut off switch 18 in the linkage of the gas or fuel pedal l9.
1 Cut off switch 18 which is normally open to permit operation of the warning and control system, is closed when the gas or -~ fuel pedal is fully depressed thereby making the system in-operative. ~
Although the above system has been described ~;
such that the various components are responsive to predeter-; mined voltage levels, it will be appreciated that the system can be adapted to react to control signals of varying fre-` quencies, such as the system can be a digital system as opposed to an analogue system.
The system which has been described can be set up as either a warning system or an automatic governing system, when a preset acceleration rate is exceeded. Th~e system when simultaneously designed to warn of excessive deceleration caused by extreme braking, extends its value as an educational aid to the driver to drive the vehicle in a fuel conserving manner. Energy conservation requires that as little as , possible energy be lost through braking. Energy conserving driving requires that the driver lets the vehicle roll to a stop as much as possible using its kinetic energy and wind resistance to restrict rolling and to not waste energy by converting it to heat through braking. -~
~ The system has been described as including both ; acoustical and visual warning means, as well as automatic control means. It is to be under stood that the warning means could be used independently of the control means and vice versa.
~ lthough various preferred embodiments oE the invention have been described herein in detail, variations ,0 may be made thereto without departing form the spirit of the 1 invention or the scope of the ~ppended claims.
g _
ally l1nn~oe~ssary ~IS~ ot thc? brake?s ~n(l c-Jas l)eclal oE the vehi.cle~
by t,lle (lr ive~r .
Il. .Irt clcleli l io~ l. cli.tli.tal r~l~c10llt is c~i?sixe?d, this ;~,rj i'.3 ac il.iev~.cl by ~e~.~elin~l tht.? volt~acJe Exom ampl:i.fie~r ~1 into the all~tlo~Ju~ to cii.(~:it.ll conv~?rt:ex Ol. intt r~lcc ll~ whi.ch i.n t~lrn eol~trol.s ci~ ital. ~ a(lo~lt ~3 -~how.itlq ~lec~le?rat.io1l as positive~
~ ( t i ~ v ~ cl t1 ~c ~ r il t :i. c l~ ~l S mi tl~l ~; cl i~t i t~ V ~l ~ Ul' S .
Tile syst~t~m may a.lso be U';(?(l to pttysicc~ Lly control ,(~ or llmi t. the ite~et~ t.iol~ of~ tlle vehiele in which cas? a - 1 solenoid operated Elow control valve is connected to switch .~ SW l. Valve 17 can be set up such that the fuel flow is restricted to the amount of fuel required for idling of the -~l engine or for maintaining a very low speed such as 30 km/hr ,. ................... ..
S over a level road. With this arrangement, the vehicle is not capable of excessive acceleration and will either maintain its speed or slowly decelerate when switch SW l is operated ~: thereby forcing the driver to maintain a desirable rate of ~
. acceleration or be faced with an undesirable repeat cycle .;.
. 10 of acceleration and deceleration. .`~
-..................... Another method of restricting the fuel flow to ; ~., the engine, is to provide servopower means directly into the mechanical linkage of the gas pedal or accelerator. This servopower means would again be operated through switch SW 1 15 and serves to restrict the operation of the driver controlled :: .
fuel control device. This function of reducing the available fuel quantity or fuel mixture for the engine, can be achieved through the use of devices presently used to control the fuel supply in diesel engines or the fuel air mixture in gasoline engines having constant speed controls. These devices interact with the accelerator and reduce the fuel supply or change the :
fuel mixture independent of the accelerator position chosen .
by the driver.
In the application of the invention to automati- ~ -cally limit the acceleration of the vehicle, it is desirable :~ to provide an override of the automatic limiting of fuel.
This override is required in cases where maximum acceleration is necessary to avoid a collision hazard. A simple manner of incorporating the override in the system is to provide a .
: 0 cut off switch 18 in the linkage of the gas or fuel pedal l9.
1 Cut off switch 18 which is normally open to permit operation of the warning and control system, is closed when the gas or -~ fuel pedal is fully depressed thereby making the system in-operative. ~
Although the above system has been described ~;
such that the various components are responsive to predeter-; mined voltage levels, it will be appreciated that the system can be adapted to react to control signals of varying fre-` quencies, such as the system can be a digital system as opposed to an analogue system.
The system which has been described can be set up as either a warning system or an automatic governing system, when a preset acceleration rate is exceeded. Th~e system when simultaneously designed to warn of excessive deceleration caused by extreme braking, extends its value as an educational aid to the driver to drive the vehicle in a fuel conserving manner. Energy conservation requires that as little as , possible energy be lost through braking. Energy conserving driving requires that the driver lets the vehicle roll to a stop as much as possible using its kinetic energy and wind resistance to restrict rolling and to not waste energy by converting it to heat through braking. -~
~ The system has been described as including both ; acoustical and visual warning means, as well as automatic control means. It is to be under stood that the warning means could be used independently of the control means and vice versa.
~ lthough various preferred embodiments oE the invention have been described herein in detail, variations ,0 may be made thereto without departing form the spirit of the 1 invention or the scope of the ~ppended claims.
g _
Claims (10)
PROPERTY OF PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An acceleration warning and control system for motor driven vehicles having in combination speed measuring apparatus providing an output signal proportionate to and changing with the speed of the vehicle, differentiating circuitry providing an output signal corresponding to the rate of change of the output signal from said speed measuring apparatus switch means for indicating an undesirable rate of acceleration and operated by a predetermined output signal from said differentiating circuitry, control warning means activated by said switch means and an activation switch for actuating the system, said activation switch being open during initial acceleration from a standing start and closing to actuate the system at a predetermined speed such that the system is only operational at speeds equal to and above the predetermined speed.
2. Acceleration and deceleration warning and control system for motor driven vehicles having in combination speed measuring apparatus providing an output signal proportionate to and changing with the speed of the vehicle, differentiating circuitry providing an output signal corresponding to the rate of change in the output signal from said speed measuring apparatus, a first switch operated by a first predetermined signal output from said differentiating circuitry indicating unacceptable positive acceleration, a second switch operated by a second predetermined signal output from said differenti-ating circuitry indicating unacceptable negative acceleration, control warning means activated by said first and second switches and an activation switch for activating the system, said activation switch being open during initial acceleration from a standing start and closing to activate the system at a predetermined speed such that the system is only operational at speeds equal to and above the predetermined speed.
3. Acceleration and deceleration warning and control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second switches are adjustable to different predetermined signal outputs from the differentiating circuitry.
4. Acceleration and deceleration warning and control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said speed measuring apparatus provides a DC voltage output proportionate to the speed of the vehicle and said differentiating circuitry provides a voltage corresponding to the rate of change in output voltage from the speed measuring apparatus.
5. Acceleration and decelertion warning and control system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said speed measuring apparatus includes pulse generating means generating pulses of a frequency corresponding to the speed of the vehicle and a frequency to DC voltage convertor providing a DC voltage output proportionate to the pulse frequency of the pulse generating means.
6. Acceleration and deceleration warning and control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pulse generating means comprises a magnetic pick-up device generating pulses corresponding to the rotation of a rotating magnet in the vehicle speed indicating system.
7. Acceleration warning and control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said control warning means comprises a fuel flow limiting device activated by operation of said switch means to limit the vehicle fuel flow.
8. An acceleration warning and control system as claimed in claim 1 including servopowered means activated by said switch means to restrict the operation of the driver controlled fuel control device.
9. An acceleration warning and control system as defined in claims 7 or 8 including an override controllable by the driver of the vehicle to permit full acceleration when required.
10. Acceleration and deceleration warning and control systems as defined in claim 4, wherein said first predeter-mined signal output is a positive voltage and said second predetermined signal output is negative voltage in reference to a predetermined bias voltage.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA291,211A CA1110731A (en) | 1977-11-18 | 1977-11-18 | Acceleration warning device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA291,211A CA1110731A (en) | 1977-11-18 | 1977-11-18 | Acceleration warning device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1110731A true CA1110731A (en) | 1981-10-13 |
Family
ID=4110066
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA291,211A Expired CA1110731A (en) | 1977-11-18 | 1977-11-18 | Acceleration warning device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1110731A (en) |
-
1977
- 1977-11-18 CA CA291,211A patent/CA1110731A/en not_active Expired
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |