Speed controller for an electric vehicle

Claim 2

In a control for an electric powered vehicle having a drive motor, a speed controller connecting a power source to the motor and arranged to adjust the motor speed, the controller including a solid state device operative to vary the quantity of power supplied to the motor, and an adjustable potentiometer controlling the solid state device, the improvement comprising: a. a series-parallel resistance circuit connected to the potentiometer to form in combination, a high and low speed control circuit, and b. a high and low speed control switch connected to said control circuit and operative to change one of the minimum and the maximum resistance ranges of said control circuit while leaving the other range substantially unchanged to permit said potentiometer to control said solid state device for faster operation of said motor in response to the changed resistance range of said control circuit, while leaving the low speed control range of said control circuit substantially unchanged.

Claim 3

The control of claim 1 further comprising: a. a maximum power by-pass circuit, operable when said high and low speed switch is actuated, to by-pass said solid state device and to apply full power to said motor, and b. a maximum power control switch to control said by-pass circuit.

Claim 4

The control of claim 2 wherein said high and low speed switch is operable by an operator only when riding upon the vehicle, to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle and to prevent said maximum power circuit from applying full power to said motor when the operator is not riding upon the vehicle.

Claim 5

The control of claim 1 wherein said control switch is operable by an operator only when riding upon the vehicle, to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle when the operator is not riding thereon.

Claim 6

The control of claim 4 wherein said high and low speed control circuit includes: a. a substantially fixed first resistance in parallel with the potentiometer, b. a substantially fixed second resistance in series with said parallel first resistance and potentiometer, and c. means responsive to said control switch to remove said first and second resistances from operative relation with the potentiometer.

Claim 7

In a control for an electric powered vehicle having a drive motor, a speed controller connecting a power source to the motor and arranged to adjust the motor speed, the controller including a solid state device operative to vary the quantity of power supplied to the motor, and an adjustable potentiometer controlling the solid state device, the improvement comprising: a. a series-parallel resistance circuit connected to the potentiometer to form in combination, a high and low speed control circuit, b. a substantially fixed first resistance in said series-parallel resistance circuit, said fixed first resistance being in parallel with the potentiometer, c. a substantially fixed second resistance in said series-parallel resistance circuit, said fixed second resistance being in series with said parallel first resistance and potentiometer, d. means to remove said first and second resistances from operative relation with the potentiometer, e. a high and low speed control switch operable by an operator only when riding upon the vehicle, said high and low speed control switch being connected to said control circuit and said removinG means to change the minimum resistance range of said control circuit while leaving the maximum range substantially unchanged, to permit said potentiometer to control said solid state device for faster operation of said motor in response to the changed resistance range of said control circuit, while leaving the low speed control range of said control circuit substantially unchanged, and to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle when the operator is not riding thereon, f. a maximum power by-pass circuit to by-pass said solid state device and to apply full power to said motor, said by-pass circuit being operable only when said high and low speed switch is actuated, to prevent said maximum power circuit from applying full power to said motor when the operator is not riding upon the vehicle, and g. a maximum power control switch to control said by-pass circuit.

Claim 8

In a control for an electric powered vehicle having a drive motor, a speed controller connecting a power source to the motor and arranged to adjust the motor speed, the controller including a solid state device operative to vary the quantity of power supplied to the motor, and an adjustable potentiometer controlling the solid state device, the improvement comprising: a. a series-parallel resistance circuit connected to the potentiometer to form in combination, a high and low speed control circuit, b. a substantially fixed first resistance in said series-parallel resistance circuit, said fixed first resistance being in parallel with the potentiometer, c. a substantially fixed second resistance in said series-parallel resistance circuit, said fixed second resistance being in series with said parallel first resistance and potentiometer, d. means to remove said first and second resistances from operative relation with the potentiometer, e. a high and low speed control switch operable by an operator only when riding upon the vehicle, said high and low speed control switch being connected to said control circuit and said removinG means to change the minimum resistance range of said control circuit while leaving the maximum range substantially unchanged, to permit said potentiometer to control said solid state device for faster operation of said motor in response to the changed resistance range of said control circuit, while leaving the low speed control range of said control circuit substantially unchanged, and to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle when the operator is not riding thereon, f. a maximum power by-pass circuit to by-pass said solid state device and to apply full power to said motor, said by-pass circuit being operable only when said high and low speed switch is actuated, to prevent said maximum power circuit from applying full power to said motor when the operator is not riding upon the vehicle, and g. a maximum power control switch to control said by-pass circuit.