# US 8,783,130 B2 · Device to control force required to depress accelerator pedal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,130 B2 - Document ID: US8783130B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/522,808 - Filed: 2010-09-09 - Published: 2012-11-15 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-01-28 - Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shigeyuki Sakaguchi; Masao Shiomi; Masahiro Omori - Inventors: Shigeyuki Sakaguchi; Masao Shiomi; Masahiro Omori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783130B2 ## CPC - B60K 26/021: {with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics} - F02D 11/02: characterised by hand, foot, or like operator controlled initiation means - B60K 2026/023: {with electrical means to generate counter force or torque} - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - B60W 2540/103: Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown - F02D 9/105: {having a throttle position sensor (detection of actuation F02D11/106)} - F02D 11/106: {Detection of demand or actuation} - Y10T 74/20534: Accelerator - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract When an accelerator opening angle has reached an accelerator opening angle threshold value APS1 corresponding to a boundary of a range in which a fuel consumption is relatively deteriorated, a pedal effort of accelerator pedal 2 is increased by a pedal effort increment with respect to a base pedal effort. Even in a case where the accelerator pedal is pushed back to reduce the accelerator opening angle due to an increase in pedal effort when the accelerator opening angle exceeds the accelerator opening angle threshold value APS1, cancellation of pedal effort increment is inhibited to thereby ensure suppression of rattling of accelerator pedal 2 contrary to the driver's intention. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising: an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle; a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal; and a control unit configured to: set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle, add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined time elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased, wherein the control unit is configured to inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until said predetermined time elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased even when the accelerator opening angle becomes lower than the accelerator opening angle threshold value during said predetermined time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein as the increment of the pedal effort becomes larger, the predetermined time is set longer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein as the accelerator opening angle threshold value becomes smaller, the predetermined time is set longer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the accelerator opening angle threshold value is set at a boundary between an operating range in which the specific fuel consumption is relatively low and an operating range in which the specific fuel consumption is relatively high. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is started at a time at which the increase in pedal effort is started. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is started at a time at which the accelerator opening angle is reduced to the accelerator opening angle threshold value after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased. ### Claim 7 An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising: an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle; a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal; and a control unit configured to: set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle, add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased, wherein the predetermined period is defined in terms of running mileage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The accelerator pedal effort control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein as vehicle speed becomes higher, the running mileage is set longer. ### Claim 9 An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising: an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle; a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal; and a control unit configured to: set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle, add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased, wherein as the increment of the pedal effort becomes larger, the predetermined period is set longer. ### Claim 10 An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising: an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle; a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal; and a control unit configured to: set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle, add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased, wherein as the accelerator opening angle threshold value becomes smaller, the predetermined period is set longer. ### Claim 11 An accelerator pedal effort control device comprising: an accelerator opening angle sensor configured to sense an accelerator opening angle that is varied by operating an accelerator pedal of a vehicle; a pedal effort varying mechanism configured to vary a pedal effort of the accelerator pedal; and a control unit configured to: set an accelerator opening angle threshold value relating to specific fuel consumption on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle, add a predetermined increment to the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal when the accelerator opening angle becomes larger than the accelerator opening angle threshold value, and inhibit cancellation of the increment of the pedal effort until a predetermined period elapses after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased, wherein the predetermined period is started at a time at which the accelerator opening angle is reduced to the accelerator opening angle threshold value after the pedal effort of the accelerator pedal is increased.