Lever Position Sensor Offset Pivot Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lever position sensors in vehicles, particularly those connected coaxially with throttle levers, suffer from premature wear and inaccurate readings due to transmitted forces and moments, leading to reduced sensor accuracy and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A lever position sensor assembly where the lever and sensor pivot about different axes, with a main housing, a lever pivotally connected to the housing about a first axis, and a lever position sensor having a fixed and pivoting portion connected about a second axis parallel to the first, allowing the lever to pivot independently and reducing the transfer of unnecessary forces to the sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the lever and sensor pivot about the same axis (coaxial arrangement), then the arrangement is compact, but forces and moments other than those necessary to pivot the sensor are transmitted from the lever to the sensor, resulting in premature wear and failure
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor arm acts as an intermediary element between the lever and the sensor. The lever pivots about a first axis and is connected to the sensor arm, which pivots about a second axis that is offset from the first axis. This intermediary arrangement allows the lever's position to be sensed while preventing the transmission of harmful forces and moments that would otherwise directly affect the sensor, thereby reducing wear and failure while maintaining a relatively compact structure.
2Volume of moving object
If the lever and sensor pivot about the same axis (coaxial arrangement), then the arrangement is compact, but the position of the pivoting portion relative to the fixed portion changes, resulting in less accurate readings
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor arm serves as a mediator that maintains a stable geometric relationship between the lever and the sensor. As the lever pivots about the first axis, the sensor arm translates this motion to the sensor pivoting about the offset second axis, ensuring that the relative position between the sensor's fixed and pivoting portions remains consistent. This eliminates positional drift and maintains reading accuracy while achieving a compact overall arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an offset between the first axis (lever pivot) and the second axis (sensor pivot), creating a two-axis system instead of a single coaxial axis. This dimensional change allows the lever and sensor to pivot independently about different axes, preventing the transmission of unwanted forces and moments while maintaining accurate position sensing. The offset arrangement enables compact packaging while preserving measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A lever position sensor assembly (90) has a main housing (92), a lever (48) pivotally connected to the housing about a first axis (100), and a lever position sensor (84). The lever has at least a portion thereof extending outside the housing. The lever position sensor has a fixed portion (120) and a pivoting portion (122). The fixed portion is connected to the housing. The pivoting portion is pivotally connected to the fixed portion about a second axis (124). The second axis is generally parallel to the first axis. The second axis is spaced from the first axis. The lever is operatively connected to the pivoting portion of the lever position sensor such that pivoting the lever about the first axis pivots the pivoting portion of the lever position sensor about the second axis. A vehicle having a lever position sensor assembly is also disclosed.