Electrically-operated throttle actuator

An electrically-operated actuator in which a throttle shaft having a throttle valve is driven by the rotation of a motor and the operation of an accelerator by an operator;

• wherein
• (a) said throttle shaft is coaxial with a shaft of said motor;
• (b) there is provided a quadrilateral link mechanism which sequentially comprises a first link member, a second link member, a third link member, a fourth link member, said link mechanism further comprising a first joint between said fourth and first link members, a second joint between said first and second link members, a third joint between said second and third link members, and a fourth joint between said third and fourth link members;
• (c) said first joint of said quadrilateral link mechanism fixedly connects said fourth link member to said throttle shaft, said first joint supporting said first link member on said throttle shaft in such a manner that said first link member is rotatable relative to said throttle shaft;
• (d) said second joint of said quadrilateral link mechanism supports a link gear shaft on said first link member in such a manner that said link gear shaft is rotatable relative to said first link member, and fixedly connecting said second link member on said link gear shaft;
• (e) a motor gear is fixedly mounted on said motor shaft, a link gear in mesh with said motor gear being fixedly mounted on said link gear shaft;
• (f) there is provided a throttle shaft return spring always applying an urging force which urges said throttle shaft to rotate the same in a direction to close said throttle valve;
• (g) there is provided an accelerator return spring always applying an urging force which urges said first link member to rotate said throttle shaft in a direction to close said throttle valve;
• and
• (h) said first link member receives the force of operation of said accelerator by the operator in a direction opposite to the direction of the urging force of said accelerator return spring.

An electrically-operated actuator wherein a throttle shaft having a throttle valve is driven by the rotation of a motor and the operation of an accelerator by an operator, said actuator comprising:

• a wire drum rotatable in response to the operation of said accelerator, said wire drum rotatably bearing said throttle shaft, and said wire drum rotatably bearing a link gear shaft which is rotated by said motor through a differential gear mechanism;
• a parallelogrammic link mechanism connecting said throttle shaft to said link gear shaft;
• spring means for urging said throttle shaft in a direction to close said throttle valve;
• an accelerator sensor for detecting an amount of operation of said accelerator;
• a throttle sensor for detecting a degree of opening of said throttle valve;
• and
• a controller for receiving outputs from said accelerator sensor and said throttle sensor, said controller driving said motor to control the degree of opening of said throttle valve.

An electrically-operated actuator wherein a throttle shaft having a throttle valve is driven by the rotation of a motor and the operation of an accelerator by an operator, said actuator comprising:

• a wire drum rotatable in response to the operation of said accelerator, said wire drum rotatably bearing said throttle shaft, and said wire drum rotatably bearing a link gear shaft which is rotated by said motor through a differential gear mechanism;
• a parallelogrammic link mechanism connecting said throttle shaft to said link gear shaft;
• and
• spring means for urging said throttle shaft in a direction to close said throttle valve.