The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 05, 1993
Filed:
Nov. 08, 1991
Kazuyori Katayama, Himeji, JP;
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A cruise control apparatus for a vehicle includes an automatic transmission with a predetermined gear shift characteristic for automatically shifting a gear ratio based on a relationship between the speed of the vehicle and the opening degree of a throttle valve. The apparatus is able to prevent an unwanted gear shift in the automatic transmission during cruise control without requiring a throttle sensor output indicative of the opening degree of a throttle valve. A vehicle speed sensor senses the actual speed of the vehicle and generates a corresponding output signal. A cruise control instructor generates an instruction signal for instructing a specific one among various cruise control modes. A cruise controller performs cruise control on the vehicle based on the actual vehicle speed as sensed by a vehicle speed sensor and the output signal from the cruise control instructor. An actuator is operatively connected with the throttle valve for driving it in accordance with the output signal from the cruise controller. An actuator-displacement detector is responsive to the output signals from the cruise control instructor and the cruise controller for successively detecting a displacement of the actuator. The detector compares the thus detected displacement of the actuator with a predetermined threshold value for the current gear ratio of the transmission, generate an output signal as a result of the comparison and supply it to the cruise controller, whereby the cruise controller controls the displacement of the actuator so as not to cause a gear shift in the transmission.