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US 7,581,464 B2Granted
Thumb throttle vehicle controller
AssigneeDavid Munz
InventorDavid Munz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved vehicle throttle control mechanism in which a member captures the movement of an operators thumb beneath the underside of the said vehicle's handlebar. The operator is able to actuate the throttle without removing his thumb or the palm of his hand from contact with the handle bar. Other elements of the control system reduce operator fatigue and improve vehicle control.
Claims18
A throttle control mounted to the handlebar of a vehicle:
- a) where said handlebar has a tubular cross section;
- b) an elongated pivotable member exists in close proximity to said handlebar;
- c) on one end of said pivotable member is a pad against which a rider's thumb would press;
- d) on the end said pivotable member opposite the end with the pad is a pivot;
- e) said pivotable member rotates about the pivot;
- f) at least one member constrains the location of said pivot in relation to said handlebar;
- g) the axis of rotation of said pivot is no less than two inches from the center of the cross section of said handlebar;
- h) as said pad rotates about said pivot, the direction of its motion deviates from a theoretical path through the center of the cross section of said handlebar by less than 45 degrees;
- i) a portion of said pad remains within ½ inch of the either the surface of said handlebar, or any gripping surface covering said handlebar.
6 more elements
On a motorized vehicle equipped with handlebars:
- a) mounted to said handlebars is a throttle control with a movable pad which captures the motion of a rider's thumb;
- b) an electrical potentiometer is connected to at least one member rigidly connected to said handlebar and to either said movable pad directly or at least one member connected to said movable pad;
- c) motion of said movable pad in relation to said handlebar alters the electrical signal generated by said electronic potentiometer;
- d) the power output of the motor of said vehicle is regulated by the flow of combustibles through a gate valve to the motor;
- e) a servo motor is mechanically connected to said gate valve;
- f) movement of the armature of said servo motor opens and closes said gate valve;
- g) actuation of said servo motor is dependent on the electrical signals generated by said potentiometer.
4 more elements
A vehicle equipped with a thumb throttle control which is actuated by the movement of the thumb of the vehicle's rider:
- a) said vehicle is powered by an internal combustion engine;
- b) combustibles consumed by said internal combustion engine travel through an orifice whose flow is regulated by a gate valve consisting of a gate valve body in which a slidable gate moves to restrict flow through a section of the orifice running through said gate valve body;
- c) movement of said slidable gate in said gate valve body correlates to the actuation of said thumb throttle control;
- d) a secondary mass equivalent to that mass of said slidable gate exists in close vicinity to said slidable gate;
- e) said secondary mass moves along a path parallel to path along which said slideable gate valve moves;
- f) a mechanical linkage incorporating a mechanical lever harnesses the motion of said slidable gate so that the secondary mass is moved in a direction opposite that of said slidable gate.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.