UTV Throttle Modification Assembly for Rider Fatigue Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing throttle systems in UTVs and related vehicles make it difficult to maintain constant engine speed over rough terrain due to the need for delicate foot positioning, leading to rider fatigue and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A throttle control modification assembly that includes an attachment assembly with a pivotally coupled foot plank extending from the throttle pedal to the vehicle floor, allowing for a more comfortable and stable foot interface, enabling easier throttle control and reduced fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional throttle pedal is used, then the throttle control is simple, but the rider experiences fatigue and discomfort when maintaining constant engine speed over rough terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a foot plank as an intermediary element between the rider's foot and the throttle pedal. The foot plank extends from the floor to the throttle pedal, providing a stable platform that mediates the interaction between the rider and the throttle control, thereby improving comfort while maintaining reliable engine speed control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a spatial dimension by extending the foot plank from the floor upward to the throttle pedal. This creates a new dimensional interface that allows the rider's foot to rest on a stable surface while maintaining proper throttle control positioning, resolving the contradiction between comfort and control reliability.
2Measurement precision
If delicate foot positioning is required on a traditional throttle pedal, then throttle control precision may be improved, but rider fatigue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the foot-throttle interface into two distinct components: the foot plank (providing stable support) and the throttle pedal (providing control function). This segmentation allows the foot to rest comfortably on the plank while maintaining precise control through the pedal, eliminating the need for continuous delicate positioning.
3Ease of operation
If the foot plank is made longer to provide more stable support, then rider comfort improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the support function from the throttle pedal itself and separates it into a dedicated foot plank component. This extraction allows the foot plank to be optimized for support stability independently, while the throttle pedal retains its control function, avoiding unnecessary complexity in the overall assembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modification assembly provides a more comfortable and accurate throttle control, reducing rider fatigue and improving engine speed management in rough terrain by allowing a more secure and gradual foot contact with the floor, decreasing the required calf muscle strength and enhancing drivability.
Implementation Method 1
the foot plank is engageable by a foot of a driver of the vehicle... actuating the existing throttle pedal of the vehicle by depressing the first portion of the driver's foot thereby causing the foot plank to pivot about the end of the foot plank
Data Source
AI summary
A throttle control modification assembly includes an attachment assembly configured to removably attach the modification assembly to an existing throttle pedal of a vehicle. A foot plank is coupled to the attachment assembly, the foot plank being configured to extend from the throttle pedal of the vehicle toward the floor of the vehicle.