THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR INCLUDING SEPARATE VALVE DRIVING DEVICES

Abstract: In a throttle valve actuator (100), there are provided a first spline gear (115) driven by a motor (122) in a sliding operation, a second spline gear (118) meshed with the first spline gear (115) for rotating a shaft (119) of a throttle valve device (16), a housing (121) for rotatably supporting the second spline gear (118). An accelerator pedal (9) is connected via an accelerator wire (125) and the housing (121) to second spline gear (118) so as to rotate the shaft (119) of the throttle valve device (16). The sliding operation of the first spline gear (115) does not give any force to the accelerator pedal (9) via the housing (121) and second spline gear (118).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a throttle valve actuator used for controlling engine power of an automobile. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a throttle valve actuator mutually controlled by an accelerator pedal and also an electric motor. Description of the Related Art Various attempts have been made in a throttle valve actuator to control a throttle valve of an automobile. One of the conventional throttle valve actuators is disclosed in Japanese KOKAI (Disclosure) patent application No. 61-215436 (1986) filed by Mitsubishi Denki K.K. in Japan. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the above-described conventional throttle valve actuator. Referring to Fig. 1 reference numeral 1 designates differential gears including a pair of opposed gears 2 and 3 and a pair of opposed gears 5 and 6 meshed with the gears 2 and 3. The gears 2 and 3 are rotatably supported to a shaft 4. A motor 7 is provided to rotate the gear 2 of the differential gears 1 through a gear 8. An accelerator pedal 9 is provided to rotate the gear 3 of the differential gears 1 through an accelerator wire 10, a pulley 11 and a gear 12 by depression force to be applied to the accelerator pedal 9. A gear 13 is mounted on a shaft 14 supporting the gears 5 and 6, and is meshed with a gear 15. A throttle valve 16 is operated through the gear 15 by the rotation of the gear 13. When the accelerator pedal 9 is depressed, the accelerator wire 10 is drawn to rotate the pulley 11 and the gear 12 and thereby rotate the gear 3. At this time, when the motor 7 is in an inoperative condition, the gear 3 is rotated to rotate the gear 13 and the gear 15 and, thereby open and close the throttle valve 16. When the motor 7 and the accelerator pedal 9 are simultaneously operated, both driving force thereof are output, or transported to the gear 13. Accordingly, the driving force of the gear 13 is the sum or difference between both the driving force of the motor 7 and the accelerator pedal 9. However, as the driving force of the motor 7 and the accelerator pedal 9 are applied in parallel to the same gear 13, a reaction of the torque of the motor 7 is transmitted to the accelerator pedal 9. As a result, when a car driver's foot is put on the accelerator pedal 9, a change in the depression force applied to the accelerator pedal 9 is felt through his foot on the pedal 9 by the driver because of the rotation of the motor 7, resulting in deterioration of drive feeling, i.e., drivability. Further, in the event that the motor 7 fails to operate, the throttle valve 16 cannot be returned from a controlled position upon occurrence of such motor malfunction to a valve closing position. Thus, the conventional actuator has a problem in fail-safe structure. The present invention has been achieved to solve the above-described conventional problems. A primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide a throttle valve actuator which may eliminate the interference between the driving force of the motor and the depression force of the accelerator pedal. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a throttle valve actuator which may ensure fail-safe construction against motor malfunction by quickly interrupting the valve driving by the motor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-described objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a throttle valve actuator as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are claimed in the further claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above purpose and other useful and novel features of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the conventional throttle valve actuator; Fig. 2 illustrates a construction of a throttle valve actuator 100 according to a first basic idea of the invention; Fig. 3 schematically shows an overall arrangement of the first throttle valve actuator 100 and a throttle valve device; Figs. 4 through 6 schematically illustrate modified constructions of the spline gears employed in the first throttle valve actuator 100 shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 illustrates a construction of a throttle valve actuator 200 according to a second basic idea of the invention; Fig. 8 schematically shows an overall arrangement of the second throttle valve actuator 200 and a throttle valve device; and Figs. 9 to 11 schematically represent modified constructions of the spline gears employed in the second throttle valve actuator 200 shown in Fig. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS BASIC IDEA OF FIRST THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR A basic idea of the first throttle valve actuator achieving the first object of the present invention as mentioned above is as follows: The first throttle valve actuator comprises a first slidable spline gear, and a second rotatable spline gear meshing with the first spline gear and also connected to a throttle valve. The first and second spline gears are driven by a motor and an accelerator pedal, respectively. More specifically, the first spline gear is operated to slide by the driving force of the motor. The sliding operation of the first spline gear enables the second spline gear to be rotated, thereby opening/closing the throttle valve. On the other hand, the second spline gear is rotated in conjunction with an actuator housing by depressing the accelerator pedal to thereby open/close the throttle valve. Thus, no reaction against rotation of both the spline gears is generated. CONSTRUCTION OF FIRST THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Fig. 2 shows a construction of a throttle valve actuator 100 according to a first preferred embodiment, and Fig. 3 shows a general arrangement of the throttle valve actuator 100 adapted to a throttle valve system. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, reference numeral 115 designates a first spline gear formed on its one side surface with a rack 116. The first spline gear 115 is slidable along a guide 117 in an axial direction of a second spline gear 118 (i.e., in the horizontal direction as viewed in Fig. 2). The second spline gear 118 is meshed with the first spline gear 115, and is rotated thereby. As shown in Fig. 3, an output shaft 119 of the second spline gear 118 is connected to a throttle valve 16. The second spline gear 118 is supported to an actuator housing 121, and is housed with the first spline gear 115 in the housing 121. Reference numeral 122 designates a motor having an output shaft formed with a worm 123 meshing with the rack 116 of the first spline gear 115. A pulley 124 is mounted to the housing 121 coaxially with the second spline gear 118. As shown in Fig. 3, an accelerator wire 125 is wound around the pulley 124 at one end, and it is connected at the other end to an accelerator pedal 9. A return spring 127 is provided to return the pulley 124 to its neutral position when depression force applied to the accelerator pedal 9 is removed. OPERATION OF FIRST THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Operation of the throttle valve actuator 100 according to the first basic idea of the present invention will now be described. When the accelerator pedal 9 is depressed, the accelerator wire 125 is drawn to rotate the pulley 124 together with the actuator housing 121. Simultaneously, the second spline gear 118 is rotated to thereby rotate the output shaft 119 and open the throttle valve 16. On the other hand, while the motor 122 is driven to slide the first spline gear 115 through the worm 123 and the rack 116, the second spline gear 118 meshing with the first spline gear 115 is rotated to thereby rotate the output shaft 119 and open or close the throttle valve 16. Thus, the driving force of the accelerator wire 125 and the motor 122 are mutually synthesized to be applied to the output shaft 119. Accordingly, when the motor 122 is normally rotated, the driving force of the motor 122 is added to the driving force of the accelerator wire 125. As a result, an opening/closing speed of the throttle valve 16 is accelerated, and a final opening angle of the throttle valve 16 is also increased. To the contrary, when the rotation of the motor 122 is reversed to the rotation of the pulley 124 to be driven by the accelerator wire 125, the opening/closing speed of the throttle valve 16 is retarded, and the final opening angle of the throttle valve 16 is also decreased. The feature of the first throttle valve actuator is that the driving force of the motor 122 is converted into only force for sliding the first spline gear 115 and simultaneously rotating the second spline gear 118, but this force does not act to rotate the actuator housing 121. Therefore, the driving force of the motor 122 does not interfere with the driving force of the accelerator wire 125. In other words, a car driver does not feel any reaction force through the accelerator pedal 9 while the motor 122 drives the first throttle valve. MODIFICATIONS OF FIRST THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Although a sliding mechanism for sliding the first spline gear 115 is constructed by the combination of the worm 123 and the rack 116 in the first preferred embodiment, any other known sliding mechanism may be employed such as a combination of a rack and a pinion, a hydraulic or pneumatic piston, or an electromagnetic solenoid. Further, another mechanism for converting the sliding operation of the first spline gear 115 into the rotary operation of the second spline gear 118 is shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, for example. Referring to Figs. 4A and 4B, the second spline gear 118 is formed at its outer circumference with an outwardly projecting pin 118A, and the first spline gear 115 is formed at its inner circumference with a screw-shaped groove 115A to be engaged with the pin 118A of the second spline gear 118. With this arrangement, frictional force between the first and second spline gears 115 and 118 is reduced as compared with the first preferred embodiment, thereby effecting the conversion from the sliding operation into the rotary operation with the reduced torque of the motor. Figs. 5 and 6 show other exemplary converting mechanisms. Referring to Fig. 5, the second saline gear 118 is formed at its outer circumference with an outwardly projecting pin 118A, and the first spline gear 115 is formed at its cylindrical portion with a screw-shaped slot 115B to be engaged with the pin 118A of the second spline gear 118. This arrangement will exhibit substantially the same effect as the above modification. Referring to Fig. 6, the second spline gear 118 is formed at its outer circumference with a screw-shaped groove 118B, and the first spline gear 115 is formed at its cylindrical portion with a straight axial slot 115D, while the rack portion 116 of the first spline gear 115 is formed with a pin 115C passing through the slot 115D and engaged with the groove 118B of the second spline gear 118. Further, although the sliding operation of the first spline gear 115 is effected by the motor 122, and the rotary operation of the housing 121 and the second spline gear 118 is effected by the accelerator wire 125 in the first preferred embodiment, the sliding operation of the first spline gear 115 may be effected by the accelerator wire 125, and the rotary operation of the housing 121 and the second spline gear 118 may be effected by the motor 122. Alternatively, both the sliding operation and the rotary operation may be effected by the motor 122. According to the first throttle valve actuator 100 as mentioned above, the torque for operating the throttle valve is obtained by synthetic force of the first torque converted from the sliding force of the first spline gear and the second torque of the housing and the second spline gear stored therein. Accordingly, the torque of the output shaft for rotating the throttle valve may be controlled as the sum or difference between the first torque and the second torque. Furthermore, since both the driving force of the motor and the accelerator pedal do not interfere with each other, the first driving force of the motor is not transmitted through the accelerator wire to the accelerator pedal, thereby improving the drive feeling, i.e., drivability. BASIC IDEA OF SECOND THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR A basic idea of the second throttle valve actuator achieving the second object of the present invention as mentioned above is as follows: The second throttle valve actuator comprises a first slidable spline gear, a second rotatable spline gear meshing with the first spline gear, a housing for housing the first and second spline gears, a motor with a clutch for driving the first spline gear, and a return mechanism for returning the first spline gear to its neutral position when driving force of the motor is cut off. The second spline gear is rotated in conjunction with the housing by operating an accelerator pedal. More specifically, the first spline gear is operated to slide by driving force of the motor. The sliding operation of the first spline gear gives the second spline gear the torque to thereby open or close the throttle valve. On the other hand, the second spline gear is rotated together with a housing by depressing the accelerator pedal to thereby open or close the throttle valve. Thus, no reaction against rotation of the housing is generated. Further, in the event that the motor fails to operate, the transmission of the driving force of the motor to the first spline gear is cut off by disengaging the clutch, and the first spline gear is returned to the neutral position by the return mechanism. Then, the accelerator pedal is operated to rotate the second spline gear together with the housing and thereby open or close the throttle valve. CONSTRUCTION OF SECOND THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, a construction of a throttle valve actuator 200 according to a second basic idea of the invention will now be described. Fig. 7 shows a construction of a throttle valve actuator 200 according to a second preferred embodiment, and Fig. 8 shows a general arrangement of the throttle valve actuator 200 adapted to a throttle valve device. It should be noted that the same reference numerals shown in Fig. 2 will be employed as those for denoting the same or similar construction in the following figures. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, reference numeral 215 designates a first spline gear formed on its one side surface with a rack 216. The first spline gear 215 is slidable along a guide 117 in an axial direction of a second spline gear 218 (i.e. , in the horizontal direction as viewed in Fig. 7). The second spline gear 218 is meshed with the first spline gear 215, and is rotated thereby. As shown in Fig. 8, an output shaft 219 of the second spline gear 218 is connected to a throttle valve 16. The second spline gear 218 is supported to a housing 221, and is housed with the first spline gear 215 in the housing 221. Reference numerals 222A and 222B designate return spring halves as the return mechanism of the second preferred embodiment for oppositely drawing the first spline gear 215 in the sliding direction (i.e., in the horizontal direction as viewed in Fig. 7) by the same spring force. Reference numeral 223 designates a motor with a clutch 224 having an output shaft provided with a pinion 225 meshing with the rack 216 of the first spline gear 215. A pulley 124 is mounted to the housing 221 coaxially with the second spline gear 218. As shown in Fig. 8, an accelerator wire 125 is wound around the pulley 124 at one end, and it is connected at the other end to an accelerator pedal 9. A return spring 127 is provided to return the pulley 124 to its neutral position when depression force applied to the accelerator pedal 9 is removed. In summary, the featured construction of the second throttle valve actuator 200 is that the torque of the motor 223 is intermittently transmitted through the clutch 224 to the first spline gear 215, and that the return springs 222A and 222B for returning the first spline gear 215 to the neutral position during the malfunction of the motor are connected to the first spline gear 215. OPERATION OF SECOND THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Operation of the throttle valve actuator 200 according to the second basic idea of the invention will now be described. When the accelerator pedal 9 is depressed, the accelerator wire 125 is drawn to rotate the pulley 124 together with the housing 221. Simultaneously, the second spline gear 218 is rotated to thereby rotate the output shaft 219 and open/close the throttle valve 16. On the other hand, when the motor 223 is driven to slide the first spline gear 215 through the clutch 224, the pinion 225 and the rack 216, the second spline gear 218 meshing with the first spline gear 215 is rotated to thereby rotate the output shaft 219 and open/close the throttle valve 16. Thus, the driving forces of the accelerator wire 125 and the motor 223 are mutually synthesized to be applied to the output shaft 219. Accordingly, when the motor 223 is normally rotated, the driving force of the motor 223 is positively added to the driving force of the accelerator wire 125. As a result, an opening speed of the throttle valve 16 is accelerated, and a final opening degree of the throttle valve 16 is also increased. To the contrary, when the rotation of the motor 223 is reversed to the rotation of the pulley 124 to be driven by the accelerator wire 125, the opening speed of the throttle valve 16 is retarded, and the final opening degree of the throttle valve 16 is also decreased. The driving force of the motor 223 is converted into only force for sliding the first spline gear 215 and simultaneously rotating the second spline gear 218, but this force does not act to rotate the housing 221. Therefore, the driving force of the motor 223 does not interfere with the driving force of the accelerator wire 125. This operation is substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 6. MALFUNCTION OF MOTOR FOR DRIVING FIRST SPLINE GEAR In the event that the motor 223 fails to operate, the clutch 224 is deenergized to mechanically cut off the connection between the motor 223 and the pinion 225. As a result, the first spline gear 215 is returned to the neutral position by the opposite spring force of the return springs 222A and 2229. As a result, the throttle valve 16 is rotated in the valve closing direction to thereby reduce a vehicle speed, thus effecting fail-safe operation. Thereafter, the throttle valve 16 can be controlled to be operated by the accelerator pedal 9 only. That is, the normal mechanical operating drive of the vehicle may be carried out by the operation of the accelerator pedal 9 only. Further, runaway of the vehicle may be prevented. MODIFICATIONS OF SECOND THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR Although a sliding mechanism for sliding the first spline gear 215 is constructed by the combination of the rack 216 and the pinion 225 in the second preferred embodiment, any other known sliding mechanism may be employed such as a hydraulic or pneumatic piston, or an electromagnetic solenoid. Further, another mechanism for converting the sliding operation of the first spline gear 215 into the rotary operation of the second spline gear 218 is shown in Figs. 9A and 99, for example. Referring to Figs. 9A and 9B, the second spline gear 218 is formed at its outer circumference with an outwardly projecting pin 218A, and the first spline gear 215 is formed at its inner circumference with a screw-shaped groove 215A to be engaged with the pin 118A of the second spline gear 218. With this arrangement, frictional force between the first and second spline gears 215 and 218 is furthermore reduced as compared with the second preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8, thereby effecting the conversion from the sliding operation into the rotary operation with a reduced torque of the motor. Figs. 10 and 11 show other exemplary converting mechanisms. Referring to Fig. 10, the second spline gear 218 is formed at its outer circumference with an outwardly projecting pin 218A, and the first spline gear 215 is formed at its cylindrical portion with a screw-shaped slot 215B to be engaged with the pin 218A of the second spline gear 218. This arrangement will exhibit substantially the same effect as the above modification. Referring to Fig. 11, the second spline gear 218 is formed at its outer circumference with a screw-shaped groove 218B and the first spline gear 215 is formed at its cylindrical portion with a straight axial slot 215D, while the rack portion 216 of the first spline gear 215 is formed with a pin 215C passing through the slot 215D and engaged with the groove 218B of the second spline gear 218. According to the second throttle valve actuator 200 as mentioned above, the torque for operating the throttle valve is obtained by synthetic force of the first torque converted from the sliding force of the first spline gear, and the second torque of the housing and the second spline gear stored therein. Accordingly, the torque of the output shaft for rotating the throttle valve may be controlled as the sum or difference between the first torque and the second torque. Furthermore, since both the driving forces of the motor and the accelerator pedal do not interfere with each other, the driving force of the motor is not transmitted through the accelerator wire to the accelerator pedal, thereby improving the drive feeling, i.e., drivability. Further, in the event that the motor is brought into malfunction, the driving force of the motor is cut off by the clutch, thereby allowing the throttle valve to be controlled by the operation of the accelerator pedal only. Accordingly, the runaway of the vehicle and the engine stall may be prevented.

Claims: A throttle valve actuator (100; 200), having: motor means (122; 223); first spline gear means (115; 215) driven by said motor means (122; 223) to effect a sliding operation thereof along a longitudinal axis of said first spline gear means (115; 215); second spline gear means (118; 218) operatively connected to throttle valve means (16) and meshed with said first spline gear means (115; 215) so as to convert the sliding operation of said frist spline gear means (115, 215) into a first rotating operation of said second spline gear means (118; 218); housing means (121; 221) for rotatbly supporting said second spline gear means (118; 218); and accelerator pedal means (9) for driving both said second spline gear means (118; 218) and housing means (121; 221) by a second rotating operation, whereby said throttle valve means (16) is driven by both said first and second rotating operations, and said first rotating operation converted from said sliding operation which is produced by said motor means (122; 223) does not give any force to said accelerator pedal means (9) via said housing means (121; 221). A throttle valve actuator (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means (223) is provided with a clutch means (224) therein such that the motor disengages from said first spline gear means (215) when said motor fails to operate; and said first spline gear means (215) is urged by a first return spring means (222A; 222B) to return to a neutral position thereof when said motor disengages from said first spline gear means. A throttle valve actuator (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first return spring means is constructed of a first coil spring half (222A) and a second coil spring half (222B), spring force exerted by said first coil spring half (222A) being substantially equal to that exerted by said second coil spring half (222B); a pulley means (124) is mounted on said housing means (221) in a coaxial relationship with said second spline gear means (218) and is operatively connected to said accelerator pedal means (9) via an accelerator wire (125); and a second return spring means (127) is connected to said pulley means (124), for returning said pulley means (124) when said accelerator pedal means (9) is released. A throttle valve actuator (100; 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means (122; 223) includes a screw gear (123; 225) and said first spline gear means (115; 215) includes a rack (116; 216) meshed with said screw gear means (123; 225). A throttle valve actuator (100; 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a screw-shaped groove (115A; 215A) is formed on an inner surface of said first spline gear means (115; 215), and a pin (118A; 218A) is formed on an outer surface of said second spline gear means (118; 218), whereby said pin (118A; 218A) is engaged with said screw-shaped groove (115A; 215A) so as to perform said sliding operation of said first spline gear means (115; 215) and said first rotating operation of said second spline gear means (118; 218). A throttle valve actuator (100; 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a screw-shaped slot (115B; 215B) is formed in said first spline gear means (115; 215), and a pin (118A; 218A) is formed on an outer surface of said second spline gear means (118; 218), whereby said pin (118A; 218A) is engaged with said screw-shaped slot (115B; 215B) so as to perform said sliding operation of said first spline gear means (115; 215) and said first rotating operation of said second spline gear means (118; 218). A throttle valve actuator (100; 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pin (115C; 215C) is formed on a rack (116; 216) of said first spline gear means (115; 215) and projected through a slot (115D; 215D) formed in said frist spline gear means (115; 215), and a screw-shaped groove (118B; 218B) is formed on said second spline gear means (118; 218), whereby said pin (115C; 215C) is engaged with said screw-shaped groove (118B; 218B) so as to perform said sliding operation of said first spline gear means (115; 215) and said first rotating operation of said second spline gear means (118; 218).

Inventors: KAJIWARA, YASUYA C/O MITSUBISHI DENKI K.K.
Applicants: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F02D11
IPC codes: F02D11