Speed control for wheeled vehicles

Claim 2

A vehicle speed control for a wheeled vehicle of the type that has a brake, and drive means which includes a pedal-driven crank drive system including a crank which is drivingly couplable to a wheel of said vehicle, the rotational velocity of said crank when drivingly coupled to one of said wheels being directly proportional to the linear velocity of the vehicle, and which vehicle is propellable by power motive means, said motive means when driving said vehicle has a speed that is directly proportional to the vehicle speed, said power motive means including a power output control, said control being selectively adjustable to vary the power output of said power motive means, said vehicle speed control comprising: actuator means for adjusting said power output control; first signal generator means driven by said crank drive system for generating a first signal proportional to a desired vehicle speed; second signal generator means for generating a second signal proportional to the actual vehicle speed; comparator means for comparing said first and second signals and, as a consequence of an observed difference between them, causing said acutator means to adjust said power output control, whereby to adjust the power output of said power motive means to a level which tends to eliminate said difference in speeds and causes the vehicle to approach said desired vehicle speed; brake operation detecting means for generating a signal as a consequence of actuating said brake; and storage means in said comparator means for containing the actual linear velocity of the vehicle, said comparator means, upon the cessation of a first signal from said first signal generator means and in the absence of a signal from said brake operation detecting means, controlling said actuator to maintain said actual velocity at the value it had at the time when said first signal generator means ceased supplying said first signal.

Claim 3

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said crank drive system, and thereby the first signal generator means, are actuated by an occupant of said vehicle, by turning said crank at a rate of rotation proportional to said desired vehicle speed when said occupant desires to maintain continuous direct control over the linear velocity of the vehicle.

Claim 4

A vehicle speed control according to claim 2 in which said first signal generator is a rotary device.

Claim 5

A vehicle speed control according to claim 3 in which said first signal generator includes discontinuities which are sensed by a sensor to provide said first signal.

Claim 6

A vehicle speed control according to claim 4 in which said crank includes foot pedals.

Claim 7

A vehicle speed control according to claim 5 in which said discontinuities comprise teeth on a sprocket gear connected to said crank.

Claim 8

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said power motive means is an internal combustion engine having a carburetor and a throttle, said actuator means adjusting the setting of said throttle in order to vary the said power output.

Claim 9

A vehicle speed control according to claim 7 in which said actuator means comprises a bi-directional stepper motor.

Claim 10

A vehicle speed control according to claim 8 in which said throttle is a plunger type which is threadedly connected to said stepper motor, whereby to vary the cross-section of a portion of the induction passage to said engine.

Claim 11

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said second signal generator means comprises a sensor responsive to cycles of said power motive means.

Claim 12

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said second signal generator comprises a sensor responsive to ignition means in said power motive means.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said storage means comprises a memory which stores the most-recent value of said first signal, and continues to supply to said comparator means said most-recent value should said first signal generator cease providing a first signal, and no brake has been applied to the vehicle.

Claim 14

A vehicle speed control according to claim 12 in which said crank drive system, and thereby the first signal generator means, are actuated by an occupant of said vehicle, by turning said crank at a rate of rotation proportional to said desired vehicle speed when said occupant desires to maintain continuous direct control over the linear velocity of the vehicle.

Claim 15

A vehicle speed control according to claim 13 in which said first signal generator is a rotary device.

Claim 16

A vehicle speed control according to claim 14 in which said crank includes foot pedals.

Claim 17

A vehicle speed control according to claim 12 in which said power motive means is an internal combustion engine having a carburetor and a throttle, said actuator means adjusting the setting of said throttle in order to vary the said power output.

Claim 18

A vehicle speed control according to claim 16 in which said comparator means includes means for causing said actuator, after the release of an immediately previously-applied brake control, to maintain the actual speed of the vehicle at the velocity it had at the time the brake was released.

Claim 19

A vehicle speed control according to claim 17 in which said vehicle includes a centrifugal clutch and in which said comparator means includes means for maintaining the speed of said power motive means at or below a stall rotating speed while the vehicle is halted, pending the generation of a first signal representative of a power motive means speed greater than that of said stall rotating speed.

Claim 20

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said comparator means includes means for causing said actuator, after the release of an immediately previously-applied brake control, to maintain the linear velocity of the vehicle at the velocity it had at the time the brake was released.

Claim 21

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said comparator means includes means for causing said actuator to set the power output control to an engine starting condition at the time said power motive means is started.

Claim 22

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said vehicle includes a centrifugal clutch, and in which said comparator means includes means for maintaining the speed of said power motive means at or below a stall rotating speed while the vehicle is halted, pending the generation of a first signal representative of a power motive means speed greater than that of said stall rotating speed.

Claim 23

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said second signal generator means comprises a sensor responsive to revolution of a wheel of said vehicle.

Claim 24

A vehicle speed control according to claim 22 in which said sensor is responsive to magnetic means carried by said wheel.

Claim 25

A vehicle speed control according to claim 23 in which said magnetic means comprises spokes of said wheel.

Claim 26

A vehicle speed control according to claim 1 in which said crank drive system includes a drive chain, and in which said first signal generator includes a chain tension responsive element, whereby tension on the drive chain is sensed and used to determine the value of said first signal.

Claim 29

The method of claim 26 in which said first signal is generated by an occupant of the vehicle as the consequence of rotating said crank.

Claim 30

The method of claim 26 which further includes resetting the power output control to a starting condition prior to the starting of the motive means.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 in which said method includes maintaining the power output at or below a stall rotating speed when the motive means is operating but the vehicle is not moving as the consequence of a first signal proportional to a speed less than said stall rotating speed.

Claim 32

In combination: a wheeled vehicle including a frame, a brake, and at least one wheel mounted to said frame and drive means including a pedal driven crank drive system including a crank which is drivingly couplable to a wheel of said vehicle, the rotational velocity of said crank when drivingly coupled to one of said wheels being directly proportional to the linear velocity of the vehicle, and which vehicle is propellable by power motive means, said motive means when driving said vehicle having a speed which is directly proportional to the vehicle speed, said power motive means including a power output control, said control being selectively adjustable to vary the power output of said power motive means, and a vehicle speed control said vehicle speed control comprising: actuator means for adjusting said power output control, first signal generator means driven by said crank drive system for generating a first signal proportional to a desired vehicle speed, second signal generator means for generating a second signal proportional to the actual vehicle speed; comparator means for comparing said first and second signals and, as a consequence of an observed difference between them, causing said actuator means to adjust said power output control, whereby to adjust the power output of said power motive means to a level which tends to eliminate said difference in speeds and causes the vehicle to approach said desired vehicle speed; brake operation detecting means for generating a signal as a consequence of actuating said brake; and storage means in said comparator means for containing the actual linear velocity of the vehicle, said comparator means, upon the cessation of a first signal from said first signal generator means and in the absence of a signal from said brake operation detecting means, controlling said actuator to maintain said actual velocity at the value it had at the time when said first signal generator means ceased supplying said first signal.

Claim 33

In combination: a wheeled vehicle including a frame, a brake, and at least one wheel mounted to said frame and drive means including a pedal driven crank drive system including a crank which is drivingly couplable to a wheel of said vehicle, the rotational velocity of said crank when drivingly coupled to one of said wheels being directly proportional to the linear velocity of the vehicle, and which vehicle is propellable by power motive means, said motive means when driving said vehicle having a speed which is directly proportional to the vehicle speed, said power motive means including a power output control, said control being selectively adjustable to vary the power output of said power motive means, and a vehicle speed control said vehicle speed control comprising: actuator means for adjusting said power output control, first signal generator means driven by said crank drive system for generating a first signal proportional to a desired vehicle speed, second signal generator means for generating a second signal proportional to the actual vehicle speed; comparator means for comparing said first and second signals and, as a consequence of an observed difference between them, causing said actuator means to adjust said power output control, whereby to adjust the power output of said power motive means to a level which tends to eliminate said difference in speeds and causes the vehicle to approach said desired vehicle speed; brake operation detecting means for generating a signal as a consequence of actuating said brake; and storage means in said comparator means for containing the actual linear velocity of the vehicle, said comparator means, upon the cessation of a first signal from said first signal generator means and in the absence of a signal from said brake operation detecting means, controlling said actuator to maintain said actual velocity at the value it had at the time when said first signal generator means ceased supplying said first signal.

Claim 34

A combination according to claim 30 in which said first signal generator is powered by an occupant of said vehicle, at a rate of movement proportional to said desired vehicle speed.

Claim 35

A combination according to claim 31 in which said first signal generator is a rotary device.

Claim 36

A combination according to claim 30 in which said crank drive system, and thereby the first signal generator means, are actuated by an occupant of said vehicle, by turning said crank at a rate of rotation proportional to said desired vehicle speed when said occupant desired to maintain continuous direct control over the linear velocity of the vehicle.

Claim 37

A combination according to claim 30 in which said second signal generator means is responsive to engine cycles.

Claim 38

A combination according to claim 30 in which said second signal generator means is responsive to revolution of said wheel.

Claim 39

A combination according to claim 30 in which said vehicle includes a drive chain, and in which said first signal generator includes a chain tension responsive element, whereby tension on the drive chain is sensed and used to determine the value of said first signal.