Apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles

Claim 1

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) including an end flange (25), mounted on an extremity of and firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that said first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of said control electronics occur.

Claim 2

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) including an end flange (25), mounted on an extremity of and firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that said first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of said control electronics occur.

Claim 9

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) disposed pivotably relative to the throttle drive shaft, permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means; when the electromagnet (26) is excited, the armature (29) rests on the check yoke (27) and a coupling spring (32) is supported at one end on the armature (29) and on the other end on the check yoke (27), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling element (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.

Claim 10

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) disposed pivotably relative to the throttle drive shaft, permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means; when the electromagnet (26) is excited, the armature (29) rests on the check yoke (27) and a coupling spring (32) is supported at one end on the armature (29) and on the other end on the check yoke (27), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling element (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.

Claim 16

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity of the throttle valve shaft (12) and a second coupling element (242) disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft, permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever facing said first coupling element (241), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means; when the electromagnet (26) is excited, the armature (29) rests on the check yoke (27) and a coupling spring (32) is supported at one end on the armature (29) and on the other end on the check yoke (27), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.

Claim 17

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity of the throttle valve shaft (12) and a second coupling element (242) disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft, permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever facing said first coupling element (241), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means; when the electromagnet (26) is excited, the armature (29) rests on the check yoke (27) and a coupling spring (32) is supported at one end on the armature (29) and on the other end on the check yoke (27), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.

Claim 23

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29) disposed in an axially spaced opposed relation to an end flange (25), and opposing surfaces (251, 311) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) have cams (33, 34) evenly radially distributed about such opposing surfaces, said cams (33, 34) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) mesh with play in a direction of rotation allowing for coupled rotation of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) when the coupling (24) is operative, the armature (29) is connected to the drive means under pressure from a coupling spring (32) whose spring force is directed counter to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet (26) and acting in an axial direction of the throttle valve shaft (12), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 24

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29) disposed in an axially spaced opposed relation to an end flange (25), and opposing surfaces (251, 311) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) have cams (33, 34) evenly radially distributed about such opposing surfaces, said cams (33, 34) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) mesh with play in a direction of rotation allowing for coupled rotation of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) when the coupling (24) is operative, the armature (29) is connected to the drive means under pressure from a coupling spring (32) whose spring force is directed counter to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet (26) and acting in an axial direction of the throttle valve shaft (12), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 25

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity thereof and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and held at an axial distance from the end flange (25) in a stationary bearing (50), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means under pressure from a coupling spring (32) whose spring force is directed counter to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet (26) and acting in an axial direction of the throttle valve shaft (12), said armature (29) is disposed in an axially spaced opposed relation to the end flange (25), and opposing surfaces (251, 311) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) have cams (33, 34) evenly radially distributed about such opposing surfaces, said cams (33, 34) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29 mesh with play in a direction of rotation thereof allowing for coupled rotation of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) when the coupling (24) is operative, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 26

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity thereof and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and held at an axial distance from the end flange (25) in a stationary bearing (50), said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), and the armature (29) is connected to the drive means under pressure from a coupling spring (32) whose spring force is directed counter to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet (26) and acting in an axial direction of the throttle valve shaft (12), said armature (29) is disposed in an axially spaced opposed relation to the end flange (25), and opposing surfaces (251, 311) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) have cams (33, 34) evenly radially distributed about such opposing surfaces, said cams (33, 34) of the end flange (25) and the armature (29 mesh with play in a direction of rotation thereof allowing for coupled rotation of the end flange (25) and the armature (29) when the coupling (24) is operative, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 27

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (265) disposed in a check yoke (27) an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), said armature (29) is connected to the drive lever means and the armature (29) comprises a pulley (30) connected to the drive lever by a Bowden cable (36) engaging said pulley substantially tangentially, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 28

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (265) disposed in a check yoke (27) an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29), said armature (29) is connected to the drive lever means and the armature (29) comprises a pulley (30) connected to the drive lever by a Bowden cable (36) engaging said pulley substantially tangentially, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 29

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft fixed to the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity thereof and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29) connected to the drive means and the armature (29) comprises a pulley (30) connected to the drive lever by a Bowden cable (36) engaging said pulley substantially tangentially, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 30

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft fixed to the throttle valve (10) by an end flange (25) mounted on an extremity thereof and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever, said second coupling element (242) contains an electromagnet (26) disposed in a check yoke (27), an excitation winding (28) and an armature (29) connected to the drive means and the armature (29) comprises a pulley (30) connected to the drive lever by a Bowden cable (36) engaging said pulley substantially tangentially, and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should said disruption of the control electronics occur.

Claim 31

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to the drive lever, said set point value transducer is disposed on said second coupling element (242), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that said first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of said control electronics occur.

Claim 32

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of said control electronics, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) which is fixed to a throttle drive shaft of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) rotatably mounted on and pivotably disposed relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to the drive lever, said set point value transducer is disposed on said second coupling element (242), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that said first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of said control electronics occur.

Claim 37

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) disposed pivotably relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), an electric actual value transducer (42) that electrically detects a position of the throttle valve (10 is connected to the first coupling element (241), and its output signal is supplied to the control electronics (21), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.

Claim 38

An apparatus to control an internal combustion engine in vehicles, having a set point value transducer adapted to be varied from an idling to a full-load position via a drive lever for generating electrical set point value signals corresponding to a position of the drive lever; a control element comprising an electric motor for driving a throttle valve disposed in an intake channel of the engine; control electronics for generating control signals for the control element in accordance with at least the electrical set point value signals received from said set point value transducer, further having an emergency operation system to couple the drive lever position to the throttle valve during a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element, said emergency operation system (23) having a coupling means (24) including a first coupling element (241) firmly fixed to a throttle drive shaft (12) of the throttle valve (10) and a second coupling element (242) disposed pivotably relative to the throttle drive shaft and permanently attached to a drive means connected to the drive lever and facing said first coupling element (241), an electric actual value transducer (42) that electrically detects a position of the throttle valve (10 is connected to the first coupling element (241), and its output signal is supplied to the control electronics (21), and the coupling means (24) is comprised such that the first and second coupling elements (241, 242) remain disengaged during normal operation and automatically engage one another should a disruption of the electric control signals for said control element occur.