Accelerator module

An accelerator module for actuating an electrical switch and providing a variable electrical resistance value which is indicative of movement of an accelerator pedal upon an electric vehicle, comprising:

• a housing;
• an electrical switch disposed within said housing;
• an actuator pivotably disposed within said housing;
• shaft means pivotably disposed within said housing for connection to said accelerator pedal of said electric vehicle;
• spring means for biasing said actuator toward an initial position at which said actuator engages said electrical switch and for permitting pivotable movement of said actuator away from said electrical switch and against the biasing force of said spring means in response to movement of said actuator by said shaft means and said accelerator pedal of said electric vehicle;
• variable electrical resistance means disposed within said housing;
• electrically conductive wiper means mounted upon said actuator and disposed in contact with said variable electrical resistance means disposed within said housing for generating a variable electrical resistance, as a result of the movable disposition of said electrically conductive wiper means along said variable electrical resistance means, as a function of said pivotable movement of said actuator away from said electrical switch and against said biasing force of said spring means in response to pivotable movement of said shaft means;
• and
• linkage means for interconnecting said shaft means and said actuator in a mechanically advantaged manner such that when said shaft means undergoes a predetermined pivotable movement, said actuator undergoes a correspondingly larger predetermined pivotable movement.

a variable electrical resistance assembly for generating a variable electrical resistance value which is indicative of pivotable movement of a pivotably movable member, comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• variable electrical resistance means disposed upon said printed circuit board;
• actuator pivot means for pivotably mounting an elongate actuator, at a substantially central portion thereof, upon said printed circuit board;
• said elongate actuator having means disposed upon a first end thereof, at a position which is radially remote from said substantially central actuator pivot means, for connecting said elongate actuator to a pivotably movable member;
• and
• electrically conductive wiper means mounted upon a second end of said elongate actuator, at a position which is radially remote from said substantially central actuator pivot means and disposed substantially diametrically opposite said first end of said elongate actuator, and disposed in contact with said variable electrical resistance means disposed upon said printed circuit board, for generating a variable electrical resistance value, as a result of the movable disposition of said electrically conductive wiper means along said variable electrical resistance means, as a function of the pivotable movement of said actuator in response to the pivotable movement of the pivotably movable member.