Abstract
A device (1), in particular an electronic throttle system, in particular for motorcycles, having a handle (2) and a measuring arrangement assigned to this handle (3), wherein a rotary movement of the handle (2) is transmitted to and acts on the measuring arrangement, wherein means are provided which convert a rotary movement of the handle (2) into a limit movement of at least a part of the measuring arrangement.
Claims
1. A throttle for a motorcycle, the throttle comprising: a hand grip; sensor operatively connected to this hand grip such that rotation of the hand grip is transmitted to the sensor and acts thereon; and means for converting rotation of the hand grip into linear movement of at least part of the sensor.
2. The throttle according to claim 1, wherein the means comprise: a base; a straight toothed rack on the base of the throttle and an arcuate array of pinion teeth cooperating therewith and coupled to the hand grip.
3. The throttle according to claim 2, the means further comprising: a movable magnet holder; and a magnet mounted on the base.
4. The throttle according to claim 3, wherein the magnet holder is connected to the straight toothed rack.
5. The throttle according to claim 3, wherein the means has; a sensor element that interacts with the a magnet.
6. The throttle according to claim 5, wherein the means comprises: a printed circuit board on which at least the sensor element is mounted.
7. The throttle according to claim 3, wherein the hand grip is formed with a guide groove for guiding part of the magnet holder.
8. The throttle according to claim 3, wherein the hand grip has: a tube carrying the arcuate array of pinion teeth and/or the magnet holder and the straight toothed rack consists of plastic.
9. The throttle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises exactly two magnets spaced from one another.
10. The throttle according to claim 9, wherein the same poles or opposite poles of the two magnets face one another.
11. A throttle comprising: a hand grip rotatable about an axis; an arcuate array of pinion teeth carried on the grip and centered on the axis; a straight rack meshing with the array of pinion teeth and movable tangentially of the grip; a magnet holder carried on and movable with the rack; a magnet carried by the holder; and a fixed electronic sensor juxtaposed with the magnet for generating an output corresponding to a tangential position of the holder and magnet.
Description
[0022] With regard to further details, reference is made to the drawing.
[0023] A throttle 1, in particular an electronic throttle, in particular for motorcycles, is shown in various views in FIG. 1, and this throttle 1 is explained in more detail below with reference to the further figures.
[0024] In FIGS. 2 and 3, the throttle 1 is shown in a three-dimensional view. The throttle 1 has a hand grip 2 rotatable about its longitudinal axis. Rotation of the hand grip 2 is preferably possible between two stops. Furthermore, a base 3 is shown that is fixed for example on a steering fork of a motorcycle. FIG. 2 shows that the base 3 has a cover 4 within which further elements of the throttle 1 to be described are mounted. In contrast, FIG. 3 shows the cover 4 removed. Furthermore, a cable 5 extends out of the base 3, and a plug-in connector 6 is mounted at one end of the cable 5, and the plug-in connector 6 is inserted into an electronic engine controller.
[0025] FIG. 4 shows further details of the throttle 1. The hand grip 2 comprises a tube 7 preferably extending over the entire length of the hand grip 2 and a distance beyond it as shown in FIG. 3. A magnet holder 8 with at least one magnet 9 is shown juxtaposed with the end of the tube 7. While the tube 7 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis by the action of the hand grip 2, the magnet holder 8 moves in a straight line tangentially relative to the base 3. The magnet holder 8 is juxtaposed with a printed circuit board 10 with electronic elements mounted thereon and at least one sensor element that is not described in more detail here. The magnet 9 acts on the sensor element, so that the output signal of the sensor element can be processed by the electronic parts on the printed circuit board 10 and can be fed to the electronic engine controller by the cable 5.
[0026] Further individual parts of the throttle 1 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0027] FIG. 5 shows the magnet holder 8 that has a seat 11 for the magnet 9 that is not yet inserted here. This magnet 9 is inserted into the seat 11 and permanently fixed, for example by pressing, latching, adhesive bonding or the like. As an alternative to this, it is conceivable that the magnet holder 8 is produced in a plastic injection molding process and the magnet 9 is integrated in the magnet holder 8 permanently in a fixed position. In addition, the magnet holder 8 has a straight toothed rack 12. In this embodiment, the seat 11 is designed in the form of a pocket in such a way that the magnet 9 is exposed on the front side and in a small part after insertion into the seat 11. This has the advantage that visual inspection of the finished magnet holder 8 can take place and it can be checked whether the magnet 9 (at least one) has been inserted into the magnet holder 8.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows an end of the tube 7 that extends into the cover 4 of the base 3. It can easily be seen that this one end of the tube 7 carries over a full circumferential or, as in this embodiment, part-cylindrical array of teeth forming a pinion 13. The shape of the teeth of both the straight toothed rack 12 of the magnet holder 8 and of the arcuate array of pinion teeth 13 on the end of the tube 7 are complementary such that rotation of the tube 7 is converted to linear displacement of the magnet holder 8 relative to the base 3. This linear movement is detected by the effect of the magnetic field of the at least one magnet 9 on the sensor element on the printed circuit board 10 and converted into a corresponding output signal.
[0029] FIGS. 7 to 9 show, in cross section through the tube 7, different positions of the magnet holder 8 with respect to the base 3, illustrated by way of example on the basis relative to the printed circuit board 10.
[0030] While the one angular end position of the hand grip 2 (represented by the tube 7) is shown in FIG. 7, a neutral position of the hand grip 2 is shown in FIG. 8 and the other end position of the hand grip 2 is shown in FIG. 9. While the neutral position of the hand grip 2 is indicated at 0 in FIG. 8, the one end position in FIG. 7 is reached during a rotation by 10 and the other end position in FIG. 9 is reached during a rotation by +65. These rotational ranges in degrees are purely exemplary and can vary depending on the application. Thus, it is conceivable, for example, that, starting from the neutral position in both directions, a rotation about the same number of degrees, thus the same angle section, is possible. Also, degree numbers for the end positions (that is to say the angular ranges that are traversed during rotation of the hand grip) can be greater or smaller than those indicated by way of example by numbers. Rotation of the hand grip 2 by up to 180 or possibly also only in one direction (starting from a neutral position) is also conceivable in principle. It is also not absolutely necessary to have a perceptible neutral position between the two end positions.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows that a sensor element 14, in particular a Hall element, is carried on the printed circuit board 10 in addition to other electronic parts. The cable 5 consists of a plurality of individual electrical conductors, and each electrical conductor is connected appropriately to the circuit board 10.
[0032] It can also be seen in FIGS. 7 to 9 that the tube 7 has an angularly extending arcuate guide groove 15 (shown over a part of its circumference). This guide groove 15 cooperates with an unillustrated guide element on the base 3 in order to delimit a defined rotational movement of the tube 7 about its longitudinal axis. The hand grip 2 is rotated by an external force outside (for example by the driver of the motorcycle), the guide groove 15 can alternatively or additionally also interact with a guide element (not shown) of the magnet holder 8 so that the tube 7 together with the magnet holder 8 execute a defined common angular movement (rotational movement of the tube 7 and linear movement of the magnet holder 8).
[0033] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, magnets 9 mounted at a spacing from the magnet holder 8 are mounted in (or from the outside). Of course, only a single magnet 9 or more than two magnets 9 can also be provided in or from the outside of the magnet holder 8. In addition, the arcuate array of pinion teeth 13 here extends angularly only over part of the circumference of the tube 7, approximately 45. This extension can be extended according to application and be greater than or less than 45. The length of the straight toothed rack 12 can also be adapted accordingly.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 9 in different positions in side view. In this case, it can be seen very clearly that the guide groove 15 of the tube 7 does not interact with the magnet holder 8. The element on the base 3 with which it interacts is not shown. The juxtaposition of the at least one magnet 9 with respect to the sensor element 14 can be clearly seen with an air gap present between them, so that the at least one magnet 9 can sweep over the sensor element 14 with its magnetic field during the linear movement of its magnet holder 8 via the printed circuit board 10.
[0035] In addition, it can be seen in FIG. 10 that (in this position shown of the tube 7 or hand grip 2) in the upper half of the tube 7, for example, three ridges extend angularly around the outer surface of the tube 7. More than three or less than three ridges may also be present. If fewer than three ridges are present, they may (but need not) be designed to be correspondingly wider, whereas in the presence of more than three ridges they can be designed to be correspondingly narrower (but need not). These ridges reinforce the region of the tube 7 adjacent the arcuate array of pinion teeth portion 13, so that at the end of the tube 7 where the ridges and the lower rack 13 are provided (and optionally also in addition), the tube 7 is sufficiently stable and there is also a uniform distribution of forces during rotation of the hand grip 2.
[0036] Preferably, the tooth width of the straight toothed rack 12 corresponds to the tooth width of the arcuate array of pinion teeth 13. Different widths are also conceivable depending on the installation space.
[0037] Analogously to the various positions shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the relative positions of the at least one (single) magnet 9 and the sensor element 14 are shown once again in FIGS. 11 to 13. The same applies to FIG. 14 that shows a side view corresponding to FIG. 10 once again; here too, only the at least one (single) magnet 9 is shown in its position relative to the sensor element 14.
[0038] FIGS. 15 and 16 show an embodiment with two magnets 9 that are mounted in (or alternatively from the outside) to the magnet holder 8. Preferably, the magnet holder 8 is made of plastic and is produced in a plastic injection-molding process, and in this method the two magnets 8 are mounted within the magnet holder 8 and are thus protected, and the straight toothed rod section 12 has also been produced with this method.
[0039] FIG. 15 again shows the printed circuit board 10 with the sensor element 14 mounted thereon, and an air gap is provided between the sensor element 14 and the magnet holder 8, and the magnet holder 8 can sweep over the sensor element 14 from right to left and vice versa as a result of rotation of the hand grip 2. In this case, the magnetic field of the two magnets 9 is applied to the sensor element 14, so that a corresponding output signal is generated as a function of the position of the hand grip 2, which output signal is supplied to the electronic throttle for evaluation or generation of a corresponding output.
[0040] In FIG. 16, based on the structure shown in FIG. 15, the magnetic field of the two magnets 9 is shown that acts on the sensor element 14. In this case, it can be seen very clearly that an almost homogeneous magnetic field is generated by the presence of the two magnets 9 in the region of the magnetic field that acts upon the sensor element 14 when it is swept over, and can thus be evaluated. This has the advantage that no error correction of the output signal of the sensor element 14 has to take place in the downstream electronic throttle. As a result, a very sensitive control, for example of the drive of the motorcycle, is possible by rotation of the hand grip 2.
[0041] FIGS. 15 and 16 show that the different poles of the two magnets face each other. The left magnet 9 has a north pole N and a south pole S, with the north pole N still pointing upward as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. In contrast, the right-hand magnet 9 has an upward-pointing south pole S and a downward-pointing north pole N (as viewed in FIGS. 15 and 16). Thus, the different poles of the two magnets 9 face each other. As a result, the output characteristic curve of the sensor can be adjusted in a targeted manner or the linear path of the magnet holder can be extended from its one end point to its other end point on the base. In a particularly advantageous manner, the sensor element, in particular a Hall element, is always acted upon by an almost homogeneous magnetic field when the magnet holder moves in a straight line past the sensor element between its two end positions. A two-part magnet system is thus installed since the resulting magnetic field can be better evaluated by a Hall sensor than in the case of a simple bar magnet. As a result, greater signal strength can be realized over the measuring range, which results in a lower signal deviation and the system also makes more robust comparison with external interference fields.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0042]
TABLE-US-00001 1 throttle 2 hand grip 3 base 4 cover 5 cable 6 plug-in connector 7 tube 8 magnet holder 9 magnet 10 printed circuit board 11 pick-up 12 rack (straight) 13 rack (round) 14 sensor element 15 guide groove
