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:
Nov. 25, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 19, 1996
Shoji Tokushima, Saitama-ken, JP;
Kiyoshi Kimura, Saitama-ken, JP;
Hisahiro Ito, Saitama-ken, JP;
Tomoyuki Itoh, Saitama-ken, JP;
Kiyotaka Hayashi, Saitama-ken, JP;
Naofumi Hoshi, Saitama-ken, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo, Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A neutral apparatus for use on an electric vehicle is disclosed. The neutral apparatus comprises a control state detector and a neutral mechanism control circuit. The control state detector detects whether or not the motor control unit is in a predetermined control state. The neutral mechanism control unit can instruct the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train according to the output signal from the control state detector. If the motor control unit is not in the predetermined control state, this is detected by the control state detector. In response to the output signal from the control state detector, the neutral mechanism control circuit causes the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train. Thus, power flow from the motor to the drive wheels is interrupted. The control state detector is comprised of a voltage comparator circuit for comparing the output voltage from the motor driver circuit with a reference voltage and produces an output signal. As a result, it becomes possible to monitor the control state of the vehicle during movement thereof by means of an arrangement simple in construction.