EP0322785B1 - Dispositif de rappel de pédale - Google Patents

Dispositif de rappel de pédale Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0322785B1
EP0322785B1 EP88121579A EP88121579A EP0322785B1 EP 0322785 B1 EP0322785 B1 EP 0322785B1 EP 88121579 A EP88121579 A EP 88121579A EP 88121579 A EP88121579 A EP 88121579A EP 0322785 B1 EP0322785 B1 EP 0322785B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pedal
spring
potentiometer
accelerator pedal
position sensor
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 - Lifetime
Application number
EP88121579A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0322785A2 (fr
EP0322785A3 (en
Inventor
Hans Dipl.-Ing. Schreiber
Philip Leslie Joyce
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Siemens AG
Crystalate Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
Crystalate Electronics Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG, Crystalate Electronics Ltd filed Critical Siemens AG
Publication of EP0322785A2 publication Critical patent/EP0322785A2/fr
Publication of EP0322785A3 publication Critical patent/EP0322785A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0322785B1 publication Critical patent/EP0322785B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D11/00—Arrangements for, or adaptations to, non-automatic engine control initiation means, e.g. operator initiated
    • F02D11/06—Arrangements for, or adaptations to, non-automatic engine control initiation means, e.g. operator initiated characterised by non-mechanical control linkages, e.g. fluid control linkages or by control linkages with power drive or assistance
    • F02D11/10—Arrangements for, or adaptations to, non-automatic engine control initiation means, e.g. operator initiated characterised by non-mechanical control linkages, e.g. fluid control linkages or by control linkages with power drive or assistance of the electric type
    • F02D11/107—Safety-related aspects

Definitions

  • This invention relates to automotive vehicles incorporating electronic engine management systems and more particularly to an accelerator pedal arrangement for such vehicles which is connected to a pedal position sensor and incorporates a spring to return the pedal to a rest position when released after being depressed by a driver of the vehicle.
  • a position sensor such as a potentiometer
  • a position sensor such as a potentiometer is sometimes now connected to the accelerator pedal to sense the position of the pedal and provide electrical output signals, dependant upon the pedal position, over electrical wiring to electronic control means for the engine throttle.
  • a spring is generally provided to return the accelerator pedal to a predetermined rest position when released after being depressed by a driver of the vehicle A problem can arise if this return spring breaks while the vehicle is being driven in that the vehicle will not slow down when the driver's foot is removed from the accelerator pedal and an accident may be caused.
  • the present invention provides an accelerator pedal return arrangement according to claim 1 for use with an electronic engine management system for an automotive vehicle and in which a pedal position sensor is provided adapted to be connected to a voltage source and to provide an output signal, dependant upon the position of the pedal for controlling the speed of the engine, a spring being provided for returning the pedal to a predetermined rest position when the pedal is released after being depressed, the said arrangement being characterised in that the spring is of electrically conducting material and is included in a supervisory circuit, an electrical resistor being provided connected in parallel with the spring, the arrangement being such that if the spring breaks electric current in the supervisory circuit flows through the resistor and the magnitude of the said current is thereby reduced, whereby the speed of the engine is reduced to a safe level.
  • a plurality of said springs may be provided electrically connected in series and each having an electrical resistor connected in parallel with it and operating such that breakage of successive springs will result in successive reduction in the magnitude of the said current.
  • the supervisory circuit is arranged such that the voltage from the source is applied to, or the output signal is received from, the position sensor through the or each spring, breakage of the or each spring resulting in the magnitude of the output signal from the position sensor being reduced, whereby the speed of the engine is reduced to a safe level.
  • the pedal position sensor may suitably comprise a potentiometer, of rotary or linear form, mechanically linked to the pedal and providing an output signal in the form of a voltage of magnitude dependant upon the position of the pedal.
  • the electrical resistor connected in parallel with the spring may be provided externally to the potentiometer or may be incorporated within the potentiometer.
  • the resistor When incorporated within the potentiometer and the potentiometer includes a resistive track and associated conductors in film form on an electrically insulating substrate, the resistor may also be suitably provided in film form on the same substrate and provided with electrical conductors for connection to the spring.
  • An accelerator pedal return arrangement is constructed as follows.
  • a shaft 1 is arranged for rotation in bearings 2 in a housing 3.
  • the end 1A of the shaft is mechanically connected to an accelerator pedal (not shown) of known form in an automotive vehicle and a spring 4 of electrically conductive material (ie metal) is mounted inside the housing 3.
  • the spring 4 is arranged such that when the accelerator pedal is depressed from a fixed rest position, the shaft 1 is rotated against pressure from the spring 4.
  • the potentiometer 5 is basically of well-known construction and comprises a casing 6 incorporating a rotatable wiper carrier 7 supporting an electrically conductive wiper assembly 8.
  • the wiper carrier 7 is secured to the end 1B of the shaft 1 for rotation therewith and the wiper assembly 8 is arranged to traverse an arcuate film resistive track 9 ( Figure 2).
  • An electrically conductive collector track 11 is also provided on the substrate 10 and arranged to be traversed by the wiper assembly 8.
  • An electrically conductive terminal 12 is connected to the collector track 11 and serves as an electrical output terminal for the potentiometer.
  • Electrically conductive terminals 13, 14 are provided at opposite ends of the resistive track 9 and to which a voltage is to be applied from a source 15. Instead of the voltage from the source 15 being applied in the usual manner directly to the terminals 13 and 14 of the potentiometer, it is arranged for it to be applied to terminal 14 through the pedal return spring 4. Additionally, an electrical resistor 16 of film form is provided on the substrate 10 and electrically connected in parallel with the spring 4.
  • An output current or voltage signal is obtained at the terminal 12 of magnitude proportional to the position of the accelerator pedal and this output signal is applied to control the speed of the vehicle engine. If, while the accelerator pedal is depressed by a driver, the spring 4 should break and thereby loses its electrical continuity, the voltage from the source 15 is no longer applied to the terminal 14 of the potentiometer through the spring 4, but is applied instead through the resistor 16 in parallel with the spring 4. When this occurs, electric current which previously flowed through the spring 4 flows through the resistor 16 and is thereby reduced in magnitude. The output current or voltage signal at the terminal 12 immediately reduces in magnitude and the speed of the engine, and hence of the vehicle reduces to a safe level.
  • the output voltage signal at the output terminal 12 could be arranged to pass through the spring 4, a resistor similar to resistor 16 being connected in parallel with the spring 4.
  • a further spring 4A could be provided as shown in Figure 3, connected in series with the spring 4 and having a resistor 16A connected in parallel with it. With this arrangement, successive breakage of springs 4 and 4A would result in successive reductions in the magnitude of the output voltage signal at terminal 12 and hence successive reductions in the speed of the vehicle.
  • resistor 16 connected in parallel with the spring 4 is shown in the accompanying drawings as being provided of film form within the potentiometer, it is not necessary that this be so.
  • the resistor could be provided of discrete form within the potentiometer, or of film or discrete form at a suitable location outside of the potentiometer.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Drives, Propulsion Controls, And Safety Devices (AREA)

Claims (5)

1. Une structure de rappel de pédale d'accélérateur pour un véhicule automobile dans laquelle un capteur de position de pédale est incorporé pour être connecté pendant l'utilisation à une source de tension (15), et pour fournir pendant l'utilisation un signal de sortie qui dépend de la position de la pédale, de façon à commander la vitesse du moteur pendant l'utilisation, un ressort (4) étant incorporé pour ramener la pédale à une position de repos prédéterminée lorsque la pédale est relâchée après avoir été enfoncée, cette structure étant caractérisée en ce que le ressort (4) consiste en un matériau conducteur de l'électricité et est incorporé dans un circuit de supervision, une résistance électrique (16) étant connectée en parallèle avec le ressort (4), et le circuit de supervision étant conçu de façon que l'application de la tension de la source (15) au capteur de position, et la réception du signal de sortie provenant du capteur de position, s'effectuent par l'intermédiaire du ressort, la rupture du ressort entraînant une diminution de la valeur du signal de sortie du capteur de position.
2. Une structure de rappel de pédale d'accélérateur selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle un ensemble de ressorts (4, 4A) sont connectés électriquement en série, et chacun d'eux comporte une résistance électrique (16, 16A) connectée en parallèle avec lui, et fonctionnant de façon que la rupture de ressorts successifs entraîne une diminution successive de l'intensité du courant.
3. Une structure de rappel de pédale d'accélérateur selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle le capteur de position de pédale consiste en un potentiomètre (5), de forme rotative ou linéaire, qui est accouplé mécaniquement à la pédale et qui fournit un signal de sortie sous la forme d'une tension dont la valeur dépend de la position de la pédale.
4. Une structure de rappel de pédale d'accélérateur selon la revendication 3, dans laquelle la résistance électrique (16) est incorporée à l'intérieur du potentiomètre (5).
5. Une structure de rappel de pédale d'accélérateur selon la revendication 4, dans laquelle le potentiomètre (5) comprend une piste résistive (9) et des conducteurs associés (11), sous forme de couches sur un substrat électriquement isolant (10), et la résistance (16) est également réalisée sous forme de couche sur le même substrat et elle comporte des conducteurs électriques pour la connexion au ressort.
EP88121579A 1987-12-29 1988-12-23 Dispositif de rappel de pédale Expired - Lifetime EP0322785B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8730207A GB2214305B (en) 1987-12-29 1987-12-29 Pedal return arrangement
GB8730207 1987-12-29

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0322785A2 EP0322785A2 (fr) 1989-07-05
EP0322785A3 EP0322785A3 (en) 1990-02-14
EP0322785B1 true EP0322785B1 (fr) 1991-09-11

Family

ID=10629102

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88121579A Expired - Lifetime EP0322785B1 (fr) 1987-12-29 1988-12-23 Dispositif de rappel de pédale

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0322785B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3864806D1 (fr)
ES (1) ES2024621B3 (fr)
GB (1) GB2214305B (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4124515A1 (de) * 1991-07-24 1993-01-28 Vdo Schindling Verfahren zum ueberwachen und verstellanordnung fuer die betaetigung eines verstellorgans einer steuerung einer verbrennungskraftmaschine
GB9818575D0 (en) * 1998-08-27 1998-10-21 Lucas Ind Plc Improvements in or relating to sensors
US6571662B1 (en) 1999-12-06 2003-06-03 Volvo Car Corporation Method and apparatus for vehicular control pedals

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5724437A (en) * 1980-07-21 1982-02-09 Nissan Motor Co Ltd Engine controller
DE3328854A1 (de) * 1983-08-10 1985-02-28 Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart Rueckstellvorrichtung fuer ein verstellelement
JPS61171836A (ja) * 1985-01-25 1986-08-02 Hitachi Ltd 内燃機関のアイドル戻し装置
GB2173955B (en) * 1985-04-17 1988-12-21 Crystalate Electronics Potentiometer
DE3641224A1 (de) * 1985-12-09 1987-06-25 Michel Goulet Diebstahlsicheres elektrisches kabel

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8730207D0 (en) 1988-02-03
DE3864806D1 (de) 1991-10-17
GB2214305B (en) 1992-01-08
EP0322785A2 (fr) 1989-07-05
GB2214305A (en) 1989-08-31
EP0322785A3 (en) 1990-02-14
ES2024621B3 (es) 1992-03-01

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