Electronic throttle control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086698-B2
Application number	US-201414571847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2010
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A recreational vehicle includes a seatbelt sensor configured to detect when a seatbelt is in an engaged position or a disengaged position and an engine control module in communication with the seatbelt sensor to automatically limit a maximum speed of the vehicle to a reduced maximum speed limit upon detection of the seatbelt is in the disengaged position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recreational vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a plurality of wheels;
a suspension coupled between the plurality of wheels and the chassis to support the chassis;
an engine supported by the chassis;
a seat supported by the chassis;
a seatbelt to secure a driver within the seat;
a seatbelt sensor configured to detect when the seatbelt is in an engaged position or a disengaged position;
a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a speed of the vehicle;
a throttle valve configured to regulate engine power;
a throttle input device configured to control the throttle valve;
a user input to permit a user to set a maximum speed limit for the vehicle;
an engine control module in communication with the throttle valve, the seatbelt sensor, and the vehicle speed sensor, the engine control module automatically limiting the maximum speed limit to a reduced maximum speed limit upon detection of the seatbelt in the disengaged position, the engine control module automatically maintains a speed of the vehicle below the reduced maximum speed limit based on a detected engine speed and detecting an error in the vehicle speed sensor; and
a GPS device coupled to the engine control module for tracking a location of vehicle and communicating the tracked location to the engine control module.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein if the vehicle speed is greater than the reduced maximum speed limit when the seatbelt is disengaged, the engine control module reduces a torque of the engine such that a speed of the vehicle is reduced at a predetermined deceleration rate until the speed of the vehicle is at or below the reduced maximum speed limit.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a safety net and a switch configured to detect an engagement of the safety net, the switch providing a signal to the engine control module representative of the detected engagement of the safety net, and wherein the engine control module automatically limits the maximum speed of the vehicle to the reduced maximum speed limit when the safety net is disengaged.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine control module controls a torque of the engine based on a position of the throttle input device upon the seatbelt being in the engaged position or upon a detected speed of the vehicle being below the reduced maximum speed limit.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine control module automatically reduces a torque of the engine upon detection of the seatbelt in the disengaged position and upon a detected speed of the vehicle being above the reduced maximum speed limit.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes a speed key received in an ignition of vehicle, the speed key including a transmitter to send maximum vehicle speed limit information, and further comprising a receiver located on the vehicle and configured to receive the maximum speed limit information from the speed key.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes a selectable input permitting the user to manually enter the maximum speed limit.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
the throttle valve configured to regulate air intake into the engine, the engine control module being configured to control the throttle valve;
a drive mode selection device in communication with the engine control module for selecting one of a plurality of drive modes, the plurality of drive modes providing variable movement of the throttle valve in response to actuation of the user input device.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of drive modes include a plurality of a normal mode, a sport mode, a work mode, and a plow mode, each of the plurality of modes having a different throttle response map in response to actuation of the user input device.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a suspension sensor in communication with the engine control module, the suspension sensor being configured to detect at least one of a height of a component of the suspension, a load on the vehicle, and when the vehicle is airborne.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a yaw rate sensor coupled to the engine control module, the yaw rate sensor being configured to detect and communicate an angular velocity of the vehicle to the engine control module.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a brake mechanism for the plurality of wheels, and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) configured to provide automatic control of brake mechanism.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a traction control system (TCS) for reducing traction loss of the plurality of wheels.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion and further comprising a passenger seatbelt to secure a passenger within the passenger seat portion, and wherein the seatbelt sensor detects when the driver seatbelt and the passenger seatbelt are in an engaged position or a disengaged position, and the engine control module automatically limits the maximum speed of the vehicle to the reduced maximum speed limit upon detection of either the driver seatbelt or the passenger seatbelt in the disengaged position.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine control unit is operable to limit the maximum speed limit to a reduced maximum speed limit responsive to the communicated tracked location from the GPS module.

16. A recreational vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a plurality of wheels;
a suspension coupled between the plurality of wheels and the chassis to support the chassis;
an engine supported by the chassis;
a seat supported by the chassis;
a seatbelt to secure a driver within the seat;
a seatbelt sensor configured to detect when the seatbelt is in an engaged position or a disengaged position;
a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a speed of the vehicle;
a throttle valve configured to regulate engine power;
a throttle input device configured to control the throttle valve;
an engine control module in communication with the throttle valve, the seatbelt sensor, and the vehicle speed sensor, the engine control module automatically limiting a maximum speed of the vehicle to a reduced maximum speed limit upon detection of the seatbelt in the disengaged position, the engine control module automatically maintains a speed of the vehicle below the reduced maximum speed limit based on a detected engine speed and detecting an error in the vehicle speed sensor;
the throttle valve configured to regulate engine power and air intake into the engine, the engine control module being configured to control the throttle valve;
a user input device in communication with the engine control module for controlling a position of the throttle valve; and
a drive mode selection device in communication with the engine control module for selecting one of a plurality of drive modes, the plurality of drive modes each providing differing variable movement of the throttle valve in response to actuation of the user input device.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of drive modes include a plurality of a normal mode, a sport mode, a work mode, and a plow mode, each of the plurality of modes having a different throttle response map in response to actuation of the user input device.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a user input to permit a user to set a maximum speed limit for the vehicle, the user input including at least one of a speed key to automatically set the maximum speed limit and a selectable input permitting the

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Grajkowski Karl J
• Malone Amber P
• Nault Eric P
• Erickson Steven C
• Gillingham Brian R
• Carlson Ryan D

Classifications

• F02D41/2422

  Selective use of one or more tables · CPC title

• B60Y2200/124

  Buggies, Quads · CPC title

• F02D41/021

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title

• B60K2031/0091

  Speed limiters or speed cutters · CPC title

• F02D2200/604

  Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style · CPC title