Throttle control apparatus for a vehicle and vehicle incorporating same

A vehicle, comprising:

• a handlebar;
• a throttle control sleeve rotatably mounted onto the handlebar;
• a throttle control housing fixed to the handlebar, and rotatably engaged with an outer periphery of the throttle control sleeve;
• and
• a throttle sensor unit housed in the throttle control housing, said throttle sensor unit being operable to detect a rotational angle of the throttle control sleeve;
• wherein:
• a spline is formed on an outer peripheral surface of one end portion of the throttle control sleeve in an axial direction thereof, the spline comprising a plurality of spaced-apart keys;
• the throttle sensor unit is formed in an annular shape having a spline hole formed therein at a substantially central portion thereof, the spine hole having a plurality of grooves formed therein;
• and
• the throttle control sleeve and the throttle sensor unit are engaged with each other by spline fitting, with the keys of the spline fitting into the grooves of the spline hole.

A motorcycle, comprising:

• a main frame comprising a head pipe;
• a handlebar supported by said head pipe;
• a throttle control apparatus operatively attached to said handlebar, said throttle control apparatus comprising:
• a throttle control sleeve which is rotatably mounted onto the handlebar;
• a throttle control housing fixed to the handlebar, and rotatably engaged with an outer periphery of the throttle control sleeve;
• and
• a throttle sensor unit housed in the throttle control housing, said throttle sensor unit operable to detect a rotational angle of the throttle control sleeve;
• wherein:
• a spline is formed on an outer peripheral surface of one end portion of the throttle control sleeve in an axial direction thereof, the spline comprising a plurality of spaced-apart keys;
• the throttle sensor unit is formed in an annular shape having a spline hole formed therein at a substantially central portion thereof, the spine hole having a plurality of grooves formed therein;
• and
• the throttle control sleeve and the throttle sensor unit are engaged with each other by spline fitting, with the keys of the spline fitting into the grooves of the spline hole.