Throttle valve control device for an automotive engine

Claim 1

A throttle valve control device for controlling a throttle valve of an engine of an automobile which adjusts an amount of a supply of an air-fuel mixture to the engine, said control device comprising: actuator means for driving said throttle valve to adjust an opening of the valve; actuator controller means for controlling and driving said actuator means; electromagnetic clutch means for disconnectably connecting said actuator means to said throttle valve; clutch driver circuit means for supplying a driving current to said electromagnetic clutch means, which, when supplied with the driving current, is thereby energized to connect said actuator means to said throttle valve; brake detector means for detecting operations of a brake of the automobile by an operator thereof, said brake detector means outputting a brake signal when an operation of the brake by the operator of the automobile is detected; speed detector means for detecting a speed of the automobile, said speed detector means outputting a speed signal when the detected speed of the automobile is not less than a predeterined value; and interrupter means, having inputs coupled to outputs of said brake detector and speed detector means, for interrupting a supply of the driving current from the clutch driver circuit to the electromagnetic clutch means when both said brake and speed signals are outputted from the brake detector and the speed detector means, the electromagnetic clutch thereby disconnecting the actuator means from the throttle valve.