System and method for a vehicle accelerator pedal
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMatthew Walton, Douglas Raymond Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle, an accelerator pedal system, and a method of controlling the vehicle are provided. The accelerator pedal system has an accelerator pedal, a pedal limit connected to a motor and movable towards and away from the accelerator pedal, wherein the pedal limit limits movement of the accelerator pedal in a first direction when the pedal limit is in contact with the accelerator pedal, and a controller configured to control the motor to move the pedal limit to a first position in contact with the accelerator pedal in response to receiving a cruise control input from a driver to maintain a selected vehicle speed without actuation of the accelerator pedal.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a prime mover supported by the chassis to propel the vehicle;
- an accelerator pedal supported by the chassis, wherein the accelerator pedal moves in a first direction to request additional torque from the prime mover;
- a pedal limit connected to a motor and movable towards and away from the accelerator pedal, wherein the pedal limit limits movement of the accelerator pedal in the first direction when the pedal limit is in contact with the accelerator pedal;
- and
- a controller configured to control the motor to move the pedal limit to contact the accelerator pedal in response to receiving an input from a driver to maintain a selected vehicle speed without actuation of the accelerator pedal.
A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving a request from a driver to operate a vehicle in cruise control at a selected vehicle speed;
- controlling a prime mover to propel the vehicle at the selected vehicle speed without actuation of an accelerator pedal;
- and
- actuating a pedal limit towards the accelerator pedal to establish contact with the accelerator pedal and maintain the accelerator pedal in a position associated with the selected vehicle speed and limit movement of the accelerator pedal towards an idle position while the vehicle is operating in cruise control.
An accelerator pedal system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- an accelerator pedal movable in a first direction to request additional torque from a prime mover;
- a spring biasing the accelerator pedal in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
- a pedal limit connected to a motor and movable towards and away from the accelerator pedal, wherein the pedal limit limits movement of the accelerator pedal in the first direction when the pedal limit is in contact with the accelerator pedal;
- and
- a controller configured to control the motor to move the pedal limit to a first position in contact with the accelerator pedal in response to receiving a cruise control input from a driver to maintain a selected vehicle speed without actuation of the accelerator pedal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.