Claims
- 1. A valve assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid passageway in said housing;
- a shaft member rotatably positioned in said housing and extending through said fluid passageway;
- a valve member positioned in said fluid passageway, said valve member attached to said shaft member and rotatable therewith;
- a gear mechanism for rotating said shaft member between a first position in which said valve member allows full passage of fluid through said fluid passageway and a second position in which said valve member prevents fluid from passing through said fluid passageway;
- driver means for operating said gear mechanisms and rotating said shaft member; and
- default means for rotating said shaft member to a third position in which said valve member allows a limited amount of fluid to pass through said fluid passageway; and
- adjustment means for adjusting the position of the valve member upon default.
- 2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said gear mechanism comprises a first gear member attached to said driver means and a second gear member operably attached to said shaft member; and
- said default means comprises a spring member positioned on said second gear member and a default lever member positioned on said second gear member;
- said second gear member, default lever member and spring member being connected together as a sub-assembly in said housing.
- 3. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring member has a first end connected to said default lever member and a second end connected to said second gear member.
- 4. The valve assembly of claim 3 wherein said spring member is a helical torsion spring member.
- 5. The valve assembly of claim 3 wherein said spring member is a clock-type spring member.
- 6. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said gear mechanism further comprises a third gear member operably positioned between said first gear member and said second gear member.
- 7. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said default lever member has at least one spring support arm thereon.
- 8. The valve assembly of claim 7 wherein said default lever member has two spring support arms thereon.
- 9. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said default lever member has a finger member thereon with a snap-fit connector means thereon for a snap-fit connection with said second gear member.
- 10. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said driver means comprises a motor positioned in said housing.
- 11. The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover member attached to said housing, said cover member enclosing said driver means and said gear mechanism.
- 12. The valve assembly of claim 11 further comprising electronic means in said cover member for operating said driver means.
- 13. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said default means comprises a spring member positioned on said gear mechanism and a default member positioned on said gear mechanism in operable association with said spring member.
- 14. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said adjustment means comprises an adjustable pin member positioned on said housing and located to contact said default member and prevent further rotation thereof.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is related to the following patent applications which are co-owned by the same assignee and filed on the same date herewith: "Electronic Throttle Control With Default Mechanism Subassembly," Ser. No. 09/239,695, filed Jan. 29, 1999 (DKT 198-0850); "Throttle Body Shaft Axial Play Control," Ser. No. 09/240,762, filed Jan. 29, 1999 (DKT 198-1158); and "Default Mechanism For Electronic Throttle Control System," Ser. No. 09/240,761, filed Jan. 29, 1999 (DKT 198-1531).
US Referenced Citations (40)
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 574 093 |
Jun 1991 |
EPX |
651147 |
Sep 1994 |
EPX |
1-239-533 |
Apr 1967 |
DEX |
40 39 937 |
Jun 1992 |
DEX |
41 41 104 |
Jun 1993 |
DEX |
1-24129 |
Jan 1989 |
JPX |
2-70932 |
Sep 1990 |
JPX |
2217 389 |
Oct 1989 |
GBX |
2 233 038 |
Jan 1991 |
GBX |