Throttle modulation mechanism

Claim 2

A mechanism adapted to be interposed between an engine throttle pedal and an engine fuel control device for varying fuel delivery to an engine during shifting modes of a transmission driven by the engine, the mechanism comprising: a first member mounted for pivotal movement about an axis and adapted for slaved movement with the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said first member, substantially about said axis, and adapted to be connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; and resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined positional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is unactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means.

Claim 3

The mechanism of claim 1, further including transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 4

The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a torsion spring having its arms preloaded toward each other and embracing opposite sides of portions of said members.

Claim 5

The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first member is fixed to a shaft supported by bearing means and further including a transducer responsive to rotation of said shaft for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 6

The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first member is moveable between idle throttle, wide-open throttle, and over-throttle positions, said actuator means operative in an unactuated position to allow free movement of said second member between corresponding idle throttle and wide-open throttle positions by said resilient means for varying the fuel delivery, and resilient said means allowing movement of said first member between said wide-open throttle and over-throttle positions without corresponding movement of said second member.

Claim 7

The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said second member includes a portion radially spaced from said common axis, and said actuator means includes a throttle dip actuator and a throttle boost actuator disposed on opposite sides of said radially spaced portions and selectively operative contact to said radially spaced portion for moving said second member in opposite directions to decrease and increase said fuel delivery.

Claim 8

The mechanism of claim 6, wherein said actuators are fluid pressure responsive.

Claim 9

In a vehicle having ground-engaging wheels driven by a multiple, step ratio transmission connected to a combustion engine; an operator-controlled throttle pedal for varying fuel delivery to the engine by a fuel control device; and an improved mechanism for varying the fuel delivery independent of the throttle pedal position; the improvement comprising: a first member slaved for pivotal movement about an axis in response to movement of the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said first member, substantially about said axis, and connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; and resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined positional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is unactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means.

Claim 10

In a vehicle having ground-engaging wheels driven by a multiple, step ratio transmission connected to a combustion engine; an operator-controlled throttle pedal for varying fuel delivery to the engine by a fuel control device; and an improved mechanism for varying the fuel delivery independent of the throttle pedal position; the improvement comprising: a first member slaved for pivotal movement about an axis in response to movement of the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said first member, substantially about said axis, and connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; and resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined positional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is unactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means.

Claim 11

The mechanism of claim 8, further including transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 12

The mechanism of claim 8, wherein said resilient means comprises a torsion spring having its arms preloaded toward each other and embracing opposite sides of portions of said members.

Claim 13

The mechanism of claim 8, wherein said first member is fixed to a shaft supported by bearing means and further including a transducer responsive to rotation of said shaft for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 14

The mechanism of claim 8 wherein said first member is moveable between idle throttle, wide-open throttle, and over-throttle positions, said actuator means operative in an unactuated position to allow free movement of said second member between corresponding idle throttle and wide-open throttle positions by said resilient means for varying the fuel delivery, and resilient said means allowing movement of said first member between said wide-open throttle and over-throttle positions without corresponding movement of said second member.

Claim 15

The mechanism of claim 8, wherein said second member includes a portion radially spaced from said common axis, and said actuator means includes a throttle dip actuator and a throttle boost actuator disposed on opposite sides of said radially spaced portions and selectively to said radially spaced portion for moving said second member in opposite directions to decrease and increase said fuel delivery.

Claim 16

The mechanism of claim 13, wherein said actuators are fluid pressure responsive.

Claim 17

A mechanism adapted to be intersposed between an engine throttle pedal and an engine fuel control device for varying fuel delivery to an engine during shifting modes of a transmission driven by the engine, the mechanism comprising: a first member mounted for movement and adapted for slaved movement with the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for movement relative to said first member and adapted to be connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined positional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is inactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means; and transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 18

A mechanism adapted to be intersposed between an engine throttle pedal and an engine fuel control device for varying fuel delivery to an engine during shifting modes of a transmission driven by the engine, the mechanism comprising: a first member mounted for movement and adapted for slaved movement with the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for movement relative to said first member and adapted to be connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined positional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is inactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means; and transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 19

The mechanism of claim 15, wherein said first member is fixed to a shaft supported by bearing means and said shaft drives said transducer means.

Claim 20

In a vehicle having ground-engaging wheels driven by a multiple, step ratio transmission connected to a combustion engine; an operator-controlled throttle pedal for varying fuel delivery to the engine by a fuel control device; and an improved mechanism for varying the fuel delivery independent of the throttle pedal position; the improvement comprising: a first member slaved for movement with the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for movement relative to said first member and connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined poitional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is unactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means; and including transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 21

In a vehicle having ground-engaging wheels driven by a multiple, step ratio transmission connected to a combustion engine; an operator-controlled throttle pedal for varying fuel delivery to the engine by a fuel control device; and an improved mechanism for varying the fuel delivery independent of the throttle pedal position; the improvement comprising: a first member slaved for movement with the throttle pedal; a second member mounted for movement relative to said first member and connected with the fuel control device for slaved movement therewith; actuator means operative when actuated to move said second member independent of the first member to vary the fuel delivery; resilient means clamping said members into a predetermined poitional relationship with a preloaded, resilient force operative to maintain said predetermined relationship during throttle pedal movement while said actuator means is unactuated and operative to allow said relative movement independent of throttle pedal position in response to actuation of said actuator means; and including transducer means driven by said first member for producing a signal representative of the position of said first member.

Claim 22

The mechanism of claim 17, wherein said first member is fixed to a shaft supported by bearing means and said shaft drives said transducer means.