Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02197760 2000-11-16
1
Adjustable Automobile Pedal System
The present invention generally relates to automobile
control pedals, such as brake, clutch and accelerator pedals.
More specifically, this invention relates to an adjustable automobile
control pedal system whose pedals can be selectively adjusted to
allow optimal positioning of the pedals relative to the driver of
the automobile.
Automobiles are conventionally provided with foot-
operated control pedals, such as an accelerator, brake and clutch
pedal, which are used to control the motion and speed of the
automobile. Typically, these control pedals are permanently fixed
to the vehicle chassis and rotate away from the driver when foot
pressure is applied, and are not adjustable relative to the driver
or their respective attachment points. Consequently, the control
pedals must generally be attached so as to be positioned relative to
the floor of the passenger compartment to afford operation which is
adequately comfortable for the "average" driver. However, some
adjustment of the driver relative to the control pedals is clearly
desirable.
Though the driver's seat is usually mounted so as
to be slidable in a fore and aft direction to accommodate drivers
of different physiques, such an arrangement is only partially
effective in positioning the driver relative to the control pedals.
Seat adjustment allows the driver to position himself or herself
relative to the automobile's steering wheel and the control pedals,
to some degree improving the driver's comfort and facilitating the
driver's ability to operate the vehicle's primary controls.
However, it is nearly impossible for such a solution to
accommodate all possible variations in the human frame. In
particular, proportional differences between the lengths of a
driver's arms, legs and feet in relation to the driver's overall
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physique cannot be readily accommodated by merely adjusting the
seat fore and aft with respect to the control pedals.
Accordingly, it has b$en recognized that same form of control
pedal adjustment is desirable to provide optimal comfort to the
driver while also ensuring that the driver cnn fully operate the
control pedals at all times.
Lever mechanisms, of course, are known in the prior art.
The adjustment of one lever with respect to another concentrically
mounted lever can also be found in wear or slack adjuster
30 mechanisms. For example, Tack, U.S. Patent 2,550,731 and Taok et
al, U.S. Patent 2,550,732, teach a manually operated screw
meoharaam threaded into one lever and operatively connected to
associated hangers for adjusting the slack conditions in the brake
rigging by adjusting with respect to the hangers and
simultaneously modifying the position of the. brake Iever where it
is connected to the associated brake rigging.
Many approaches to providing adjustable control pedals
have been suggested in the prior art. One approach is to provide
some form of ratchet device which allows the entire control pedal
assembly to rotate about a primary pivot point. This approach
rotates a frame to which the control pedals are each rotatably
attached, thus providing rotation of the control pedals in unison
relative to the driver. Examples of this approach are illustrated
in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,282,125 to Dully; 3,400,607 to Smith; and
3,563,111 to Zeigler. A similar approach is to mount one or mare
control pedals to a frame which is slidable fore and aft as a. unit
relative to the driver, as illustrated. in U.S. Patent Nos.
2,860,720 to Huff et al, 4,683,977 to Salmon, 5,01.0,782 to Asano
et al, and British Patent No. 952,831 to Mussell. As taught by
Asano et a1, the entire frame and pedal assembly rotates about a
single pivot point during actuation of the pedal. A disadvantage
with pedal systems such as that of Asano et al is that a spring is
required to return the pedal and frame assembly to its initial
position, necessitating that the driver also overcome the force
generated by the spring in order to actuate the pedal.
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Yet another suggested approach is a variation on the two
previously mentioned, emgloying a screw-actuated device to
displace a frame to which one or more control pedals are rotatably
mounted. The screw-actuated device can be used to either rotate
the entire frame about a pivot point, as shown in U.S. Patent Nos.
3,151,499 to Roe, or the screw-actuated device can displace the
frame fore and aft, as illustrated by U.S. Patent Nos. 3,301,088
to White; 3,643,525 to Gibes; 3,765,264 to Bruhn, Jr.; 4,870,871
to Ivan; 4,875,385 to Sitrin; and 4,989,474 as well as 5,078,024
to Cicotte et al. Typically, the screw-actuated device is
disclosed to be driven by an eccentric motor which allows the
control pedals to be selectively adjusted by the driver from an
appropriate control switch mounted an the dashboard of the vehicle
within the driver's reach.
As can be readily appreciated by those skilled in the
art, the above examples all require substantial hardware and space
beneath the automobile's instrument panel to accommodate the
device providing the adjustment feature. Much of the necessary
additional hardware can be attributed to the need to avoid
effecting the operation of the brake and/or clutch pedals, during
adjust, with their respective hydraulic cylinders. Specifically,
the approach chosen must avoid causing the pushrods which actuate
the respective cylinder pistons to be displaced relative to their
cylinders so as to ensure non-engagement of the brakes and/or the
clutch.
In addition, it is generally preferable that the
approach chosen have no affect on the mechanical advantage of the
control pedal as determined by the control pedal's orientation
relative to the pushrod. Generally, the mechanical advantage of a
control pedal can be described as the relative effort required to
apply the control pedal as compared to the actual force required
to actuate the device controlled by the control pedal. For
instance, mechanical advantage can be improved by moving the
contact point between the contral pedal and the cyl.inder's pushrod
toward the pivot paint of the control pedal.
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To avoid changing the mechanical advantage, the
adjustable control pedal assemblies of the prior art generally
teach a device in which the control pedals are independently
adjusted so as to produce no adverse effect with respect to
repositioning of the pedal pivot point relative to the pushrads of
the respective operating cylinders, as can be seen with the
teachings of Cicotte et al. Alternatively, the adjustment device
must be provided with a mechanism which simultan~ously adjusts the
length of the pushrod to accommodate the displacement of the
control pedal assembly, as seen with the teachings of Hruhn, Jr.
Though regarding an unrelated and son-analogous problem
associated with optimizing the mechanical advantage of a control
pedal, U.S. Patent No. 3,798,995 to Schroter teaches the use of a
variable-ratio control pedal utilizing a ramming contour for
amplifying the mechanical advantage of the central pedal in the
latter stages of the control pedal stroke. The intent with such a
device is to maximize the driver's braking capability without
the need for excessive forces applied to the control pedal.
However, the teachings of Schroter are directed entirely toward
achieving an optimal mechanical advantage and do not provide any
-adjustment of the control pedals With respect to the driver.
Further, Schroter does not teach or suggest a solution to the
problem of adjusting the positions of the control pedals,
nor does Schroter even recognize the problem to which the above
prior art i.s directed.
From the above discussion, it can be readily appreciated
that the prior art does not disclose an automobile control pedal
arrangement which can be adjusted to adapt to the particular
physiological requirements of a driver, while simultaneously
3U avoiding the requirement of mounting the entire control pedal
assemhly to a frame which is either givotable or displaceable
relative to the driver. Nor does the prior art teach or suggest
an apparatus which entails minimal additional hardware to achieve
suitable adjustment of one or more control or accelerator pedals
to the effect that no repositioning of the prior art pivot point
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locations is required and, therefore, no significant structural
changes need be made to a conventional control pedal arrangement.
Accordingly, what is needed is a cost-efficient
adjustment device for adjusting one or more automobile control
and/or accelerator pedals, the adjustment device being capable of
spatially adjusting the control pedals without repositioning the
pivot attachment of the conventional control pedal arrangement to
adapt to the physiological demands of a driver, while
simultaneously requiring minimal structural reinforcements and
modifications to achieve the desired results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an
adjustment device for one or more automobile control and/or
accelerator pedals. The adjustment device is capable of causing
pivotable adjustment, utilizing the conventional pivot point
position of the control pedal to adjust one or more control pedals
independently or in unison relative to a predetermined datum
point. The datum point is preferably defined by a reaction member
upon which the control pedal operates, such as the pivot eyelet of
a master cylinder pushrod for a clutch or brake pedal, due to the
need tc leave the operation of the clutch and brake master
cylinders unaltered during adjustment of the respective control
pedals. For an accelerator pedal, the reaction member is
typically a flexible cable by which the fuel system is operated.
Because the accelerator pedal is typically pivotably mounted to
the firewall for purposes of actuating the cable, the datum point
may be any suitable reference point which allows conventional
operation of the acceleratar pedal with respect to the cable.
Being adjustably pivotable in this manner, the control pedals can
be optimally positioned to suit the needs of a particular driver.
Conventionally, each control pedal includes an arm which
is pivotably attached to a frame member beneath the automobile's
instrument panel by means of a pivot pin and bushing or the Like.
Where the control pedal is the hrake or clutch pedal, the
adjustment device of the present invention is mounted alongside
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the conventional control pedal arm and pivotallyattached at the
eyelet of the cylinder pushrod, without the need of any additional
support hardware other than a device for maintaining a
predetermined distance between the pushrod eyelet and the pivot
attachment of the control pedal arm. Consequently, the adjustment
device can be readily adapted to fit conventional control pedal
assemblies without significant modification.
In one embodiment, the adjustment device includes a
caroming device. such as a disc-shaped cam having a predetermined
camming contour. The automobile pedal arm slidahly abuts the
caroming device such that rotation of the caroming device about its
axis of rotation causes pivotable movement of the automobile pedal
arm relative to the pushrod eyelet. By example, where the control
pedal is the brake pedal, the brake pedal arm is displaced
relative to the brake master cylinder's pushrod eyelet by the
caroming device.
The caroming device preferably has its axis of rotatLOn
substantially parallel to the control pedal arm's axis of rotation
about its corresponding pivot. Furthermore, its axis of rotation
may be coincident with or spaced from the axis of the pushrod
eyelet. The axis of rotation of the caroming device is maintained
a predetermined distance from the pivot of the control pedal arm
by a spacing device. such as a link. By maintaining this
predetermined distance, the axes of the caroming device and the
pushrod eyelet are properly maintained relative to the control
pedal arm to maintain a preferred constant mechanical advantage
far the control pedal arm.
The adjuster device also includes a cam driving device
for rotating the caroming device about Lts axis of rotation. When
the driving device causes the caroming device to rotate, the
caroming contour of the caroming device produces a corresponding
displacement of the control pedal arm relative to the gushrod
eyelet. Thus, the control pedal arm is rotated about its pivot
pointy and thereby can be selectively adjusted relative to the
driver of the automobile. As noted above, the link prevents any
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change in the spatial positioning of the pushrod eyelet to the
pivot point of the control pedal arm, preventing any change in the
mechanical advantage of the control pedal. Further; there is no
change in the position of the pushrod relative to the pushrod's
corresponding cylinder to produce a partial application of the
device which the control pedal operates.
According to a further embodiment of this invention, one
end of the link is mounted directly to the eyelet of the pushrod,
while the opposite end of the link is mounted to the control pedal
arm's pivot point so as to be alongside the control pedal arm. In
addition, the cam driving device and the caroming device are
mounted directly to the link or the control pedal arm. With this
construction and arrangement, minimal additional hardware is
necessary to implement the adjustment device of the present
invention on conventional automobile control pedal assemblies.
Consequently, little additional space is required to fit the
hardware associated with the adjustment device in the conventional
mounting space of the vehicle.
In addition, no independent adjustment is necessary to
maintain the position of the cylinder pushrod relative to its
cylinder in that the adjustment device of the present invention
provides control pedal adjustment With respect to the cylinder
pushrod and does net require any relocation or cause any~movement
of the cylinder pushrod itself. The cylinder pushrod provides a
stationary datum point throughout the adjustment of the control
pedal, with mechanical contact between the caroming device and the
control pedal arm being maintained such that the control pedal is
displaced with respect to the cylinder pushrod. Accordingly, the
operation of the pushrod with its cylinder is not affected by the
adjustment device of the present invention. Moreover, no change
in the mechanical advantage of the control pedal arm results.
Similarly, the operation of the accelerator cable is not affected
by the adjustment device of the present invention, in that, the
invention as disclosed displaces the pedal arm of the accelerator
with respect to the attachment point of the accelerator cable.
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In addition, a significant advantage of the present invention is
that the cam driving device can be electrically driven by a suitable
motor to allow control pedal positioning with one or more controls made
accessible on the automobiles instrument pane. With suitable control
circuitry, several positions can be placed into a memory device such
that a driver can present an optimal control pedal position for his or
her particular frame, allowing automatic recall of the memorized
position.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the functions of the cam
1~ rotation device may be obtained by a power screw which can be rotated by
a manual adjuster mechanism or electrical driven actuator in order to
displace the control pedal arm with respect to the cylinder pushrod
without any movement of the cylinder pushrod itself.
An adjustment device in accordance with the invention is capable
of optimally positioning the control pedals and/or accelerator pedal
relative to the driver, and it can provide pivotable adjustment of the
automobile control or accelerator pedal relative to a predetermined
fixed datum, such as the pushrod eyelet of the hydraulic cylinder
operated by the control pedal or an accelerator cable operated by an
accelerator pedal.
In one embodiment the adjustment device includes a caroming device
which pivotably rotates the control pedal relative to the predetermined
datum to achieve the desired adjustement. The caroming device can be
positionally maintained relative to the control pedal arm during
adjustment so as to maintain a preferred mechanical advantage.
It is possible for the caroming device to be electrically driven so
as to allow the control pedal to be adjusted from a control device which
is readily accessible to the driver.
In yet another embodiment a power screw is utilized that may be
rotated by a manual or electrically driven actuator mechanism in order
i
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to displace the control pedal arm or accelerator pedal arm with respect
to the cylinder pushrod or accelerator cable without any movement of
either the cylinder pushrod and/or the accelerator cable.
The adjustment device generally requires minimal additional
hardware so as to minimize the structural modifications required to
adapt the adjustment device to a conventional automobile control pedal
arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figures 1A and 1B are side and frontal views, respectively, of an
automobile control pedal unit provided an adjustment device in
accordance with a first embodiment of this invention;
Figures 2A and 2B are side and frontal views, respectively, of an
automobile control pedal unit provided with an adjustment device in
accordance with a second embodiment of this invention;
Figures 3A and 3B are side and cross-sectional views, respectively
of an automobile control pedal unit provided with an adjustment device
in accordance with a third embodiment of this invention;
Figures 4A and 4B are side and frontal views, respectively, of an
automobile control pedal unit provided with an adjustment device in
accordance with a fourth embodiment of this invention;
Figures 5A and SB are side and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of an automobile accelerator pedal unit provided with an
adjustment device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of this
invention;
Figures 6A and 6B are side and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of an automobile accelerator pedal unit provided
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with an adjustment device in accordance with a sixth embodiment of
this invention; Figures 7 and 8 are detailed cross-sectional views
of the automobile control pedal units of Figures 1 and 4 and
Figures 2 and 3, respectively, in accordance with this invention;
and
Figures 9A and 98 are side and frontal views,
respectively, of an automobile control pedal unit provided with an
adjustment device in accordance with a seventh preferred
embodiment of this invention.
DR'~'srr.rxn nFCr~RrpTION OF TEIE pRBF'ERl°FD EMBODIMENT
With reference to Figures 1A and 1B, there is shown an
automobile control pedal assembly 10 in accordance with a first
embodiment of this invention. As illustrated, the automobile
control. pedal assembly IO represents a brake or clutch control
pedal fox actuating a master cylinder (not shown) located within
the engine compartment of an automobile. The following
descriptions pertaining to Figures 1A through 4S will each refer
to the use of the present invention within the environment of a
brake or clutch control pedal. Figures SA through 6B illustrate
the teachings of the present invention as adapted for use with an
automobile's accelerator control pedal 60.
Conventionally, the control pedal assembly 10
illustrated in Figures lA and 1B is suspended just above the
compartment floor on the driver's side of the automobile. The
control pedal assembly 10 is initially spaced a nominal distance
from the driver's seat so as to be operable by a driver having an
"average" physique. Typically, a driver's seat is adjustable fore
and aft so as to bring the driver closer to the control pedal
assembly 10, or to displace the driver further from the control
pedal assembly 10, respectively, depending upon the driver's
particular physique and preference. To supplement the adjustable
feature of the driver's seat, an adjustment unit according to the
present invention is secured to the control pedal assembly 10.
As illustrated in Figures lA and 18, the control pedal
assembly 10 generally includes a pedal arm 20 and a pedal foot pad
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22. The pedal arm 20 is typically attached to a frame member 14
located beneath the instrument panel (not shown) of the automobile
such that the pedal arm ZO is rotatable in a direction away from
the driver. The pedal arm 20 is secured to the frame member 14 by
a pivot pin 24 which is shown as being retained by a cotter key-26
to prevent the pivot pin 24 from becoming loosened from the frame
member 14. It may also be preferable to provide a pivot bushing
(not shown) in conjunction with the pivot pin 24 to reduce
friction between the pedal arm 20 and the frame member 14.
The pedal arm 20 is typically maintained in a forward
position by the biasing effect of a master cylinder pushrod 34
which is conventionally biased toward the automobile's passenger
compartment by a spring (not shown) within the master cylinder.
The pedal arm 20 may also be biased toward the master cylinder
pushrod 34 by a suitable helical spring (not shown) so as to
maintain positive engagement between the pedal arm 20 and the
master cylinder pushrod 34. The master cylinder pushrod 34
reciprocates in ita axial direction to actuate a piston (not
shown) within the master cylinder for purposes of selectively
engaging or disengaging the automobile's brakes or clutch,
respectively. Conventionally, the master cylinder pushrod 34 would
be rotatably attached directly to the pedal arm 20 with a pivot
pin which passes through both the gedal arm 20 and an eyelet 36
located on the end of the master cylinder pushrod 34.
However, as can be seen in Figures 1A and 1B, which
illustrate the first embodiment of this invention, the pedal arm
20 of the present invention is indirectly actuated by the master
cylinder pushrod 34 through a cam 28. The cam 28 is pivotably
attached to a pivot link 40 which rotatably interconnects the
eyelet 36 of the master cylinder pushrod 34 with the pivot pin 24
of the pedal arm 20. The cam 28 is preferably disc-shaped with a
cam contour 30 disposed on an outer surface spaced radially
outward from the cam's axis of rotation. As shown in Figure 1A,
the cam contour 34 may constitute essentially the entire perimeter
of the cam 28, such that the cam 28 can be rotated as much as 360
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degrees while still operatingwithin the range of the cam contour
30. The cam contour 30 is slidably disposed against a caroming
surface 38 provided on the forward surface of the pedal arm 20.
As a result, rotation of the cam 28 causes fore or aft pivoting o~
the pedal arm 20, depending upon the cam's direction of rotation.
The rate of rotation of the pedal arm 20 is determined
in part by the cam contour 30. Depending upon the preferred
control parameters with which the pedal arm 20 is to be adjusted
relative to the driver's seat, the cam contour 30 can be radially
spaced from the cam's axis of rotation so as to cause a constant
rate of rotation of the pedal arm 20 given a constant rate of
rotatioa of the cam 28. Alternatively, the eam contour 30 can be
shaped to provide a rate of rotation which varies as the pedal arm
rotates, providing finer adjustment of the pedal arm 20 where
15 the pedal arm's rate of rotation is lowest.
As noted above, the position of the cam 28 relative to
the pedal arm 20 i.s maintained by being rotatably mounted to the
pivot link 40. Preferably, the pivot link 40 is pivotably
attached at its upper end to the frame member 14 with the pivot
20 pin 24 so as to extend alongside the pedal arm 20. The lower end
of the pivot link 40 is secured to the eyelet 36 of the master
cylinder pushrod 34 with a pin 42. As such, the pivot link 40
ensures that the cam 28 will remain positioned to cam against the
caroming surface 38 0~ the pedal arm 20. With the biasing effect
of tha master cylinder pushrod 34, positive contact can be
maintained at all times between the cam surface 30 of the cam 28
and the caroming sur~ace 38 of the pedal arm 20 to ensure piisitive
mechanical action therebetween. As previously noted, a helical
spring (not shown) can also be provided to either act upon the
pedal arm 20 to bias the pedal arm 20 against the cam 28, or act
through the pivot link 40 to bias the cam 28 against the pedal arm
20. In addition, the pivot link 40 prevents the rotation of the
cam 28 from altering the position of the pushrod eyelet 36, and
thereby the master cylinder pushrod 34, relative to the master
cylinder. Accordingly, any articulation of the pushrod 34 is
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avoided during the adjustment made to the pedal arm 20 by the cam
28.
The rotation of the cam 28 is preferably achieved with a
drive motor 44 which rotates the cam 28 through a gear box 48 and
shaft 46 assembly. Though any suitable type of drive motor 44 can
be used, it is preferable in the environment of an automobile's
passenger compartment to use an electric drive motor which
generates minimal noise. A suitable output speed for the drive
motor 44 through the gear box 48 is on the order of about 10 to 12
ZO rpms, though it is foreseeable that different motors could be
matched with different gear boxes to produce higher or lower
output speeds. As illustrated in Figure 1A, the drive motor 44
and gear box 48 are attached directly to the pivot link 40 by a
pair of threaded fasteners 50. The shaft 46 extends from the gear
box 48 through an aperture 32 in the pivot link 40 to the cam 28.
A detailed view of this arrangement is illustrated in Figure 7,
which more clearly illustrates the manner in which the cam 28 is
pivotably mounted to the link 40, and secured with a clip 54.
Consequently, when the shaft 46 is rotated by the drive motor 44,
the cam 28 is also rotated about its axis of rotation, causing a
corresponding movement of the pedal arm 20 relative to the cam's
axis of rotation arid the pushrod eyelet 36.
Figures 1A and 2B illustrate a control pedal assembly
110 in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention, with
the same reference numerals representing identical or similar
components of Figures 1A and 1B, but interconnected in a different
manner. Primarily, the embodiment of Figures 2A and 2B differs
from that of Figures 1A and 1B, in that the axis of rotation of
the cam 28 coincides with the eyelet 36 of the master cylinder
3U pushrod 34, and the drive motor 44 rotates the cam 28 through a
gear 58 mounted to the shaft 46 and in mesh with a gear tooth form
56 grovided on the cam 28. A detailed view of this arrangement is
illustrated in Figure 8. Otherwise, the basic characteristics of
the control pedal assembly 10 of Figures 1A and 1B still apply,
with rotation of the cam 28 causing the pedal arm 20 to be rotated
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toward or away from the eyelet 36 of the master cylinder pushrod
34.
Figures 3A and 3B illustrate a control pedal assembly
210 in accordance with a third embodiment of this invention, again
S with the same reference numerals representing the identical or
similar components of Figures !A through 2B, but interconnected in
a different manner. Primarily, the embodiment of Figures 3A and
38 differs from that of Figures 1A and 1B, in that both the cam 28
and the drive motor 44 are mounted to the pedal arm 20, instead of
the pivot link 40, with the cam 28 being supported on a pivot pin
52. Also, in. a manner essentially identical to that of Figures 2A
and 2B, the drive motor 44 rotates the cam 28 through the gear 58
mounted to the shaft 46, as represented by Figure 8.
A further variation of the control pedal assembly of
Figures !A and 1B is illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B,
representing a control pedal assembly 310 in accordance with a
fourth embodiment of this invention. Again, the same reference
numerals are used to represent identical or similar components,
which are interconnected in a different manner. This
embodiment differs from that of Figures !A and 1B by the shape of
the pivot link 40, and the position of the drive motor 44 and the
cam 28 on the pivot link 40. Shifting the position of the drive
motor 44 toward the center oP the pivot link 40 allows the pivot
link 40 to be aligned substantially parallel with the pedal arm
20, as can be seen in Figure 4A, such that the control pedal
assembly 310 is more compact. In a manner essentially identical
to that of Figures !A and 1B, the cam 28 is secured to the shaft
46 as shown in Figure 7.
With reference to Figures 5A through 6B, there is shown
an automobile accelerator pedal assembly 60 in accordance with
fifth and sixth embodiments of this invention. As illustrated,
the accelerator pedal assembly 60 is conventional to the extent
that it serves to actuate a cable 84 connected to the fuel
metering system of an automobile. Similar to the pedal systems of
Figures !A through 4B, the accelerator pedal assembly 60 is
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suspended just above the compartment floor on the driver's side of
the automobile. However, an adjustment unit according to the
present invention is secured to the accelerator pedal assembly 6D
to supplement the adjustable feature of the driver's seat.
As illustrated in Figure 5A, the accelerator pedal
assembly 60 generally includes a pedal arm 70 and a foot pad 12.
The pedal arm 70 is pivotably attached with a pin 74 to the upper
end of a link 62, to which the accelerator cable 84 is directly
attached. The link 62 has a U-shaped cross section, as shown in
Figure 5B, such that the pedal arm 70 can nest within the link 62.
The pedal arm 70 also has a U-shaped cross section for added
stiffness and strength. The lower end of the link 62 is pivotably
attached with a pin 66 to a frame member 68 located beneath the
instrument panel of the automobile, such that the link 62 can be
pivoted about the pin 66 in order to pull the accelerator cable 84
in a direction toward the driver. As shown in Figure 5A, the
pedal arm 70 is maintained in forward position with a cam 78
pivotably mounted within the link 62 on the pin 66. Bushings 76
allow the pin 66 to rotate relative to the link 62. The pin 66 is
press fit onto the cam 78, such that the cam 78 can be rotated by
a drive motor, such as that illustrated in Figures !A through 4B,
through a coupling 86. consequently, the accelerator pedal system
60 can be operated off a drive motor which is simultaneously used
to adjust the brake and/or clutch pedals. As before, the cam 78
is preferably disc-shaped with a cam contour 80 disposed on an
outer surface spaced radially outward from the cam's axis of
rotation. The cam contour 80 may constitute essentially the
entire perimeter of the cam 78, such that the cam 78 can be
rotated as much as 360 degrees while still operating within the
range of the cam contour 80. The cam contour 80 is slidably
disposed. against a caroming surface 88 provided on the forward
surface of the pedal arm 70, which is biased against the camming
contour 80 by any suitable spring or the like (not shownj. As a
result, rotation of the cam 78 causes fore or aft rotation of the
pedal arm 70 about the pin 74, depending upon the cam's direction
of rotation.
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As -a result of the above, the cam 78 also serves as a
fulcrum, such that the act of the driver depressing the pedal arm
70 causes the pedal arm 70 and the link 62 to rotate together
about the pin 66. As noted before, rotation of the link 62 serves
to pull the accelerator cable 84 for the purpose of actuating the
automobile's fuel metering system. However, as can be seen 'in
Figures 5A and 5B, the position of the pedal arm 70 can be altered
by rotating the cam 78 about the pin 74 in a manner similar to
that described in the previous embodiments of this invention.
A final version of the accelerator pedal assembly 60 of
this invention is 111ustrated in Figures 6A and 68. The same
reference numerals are used to represent identical or similar
components which are interconnected in a different manner. This
embodiment differs from that of Figures 5A and SB by the shape of
the link 62 and the pasitian of the cam 78 on the link 62. As
shown, in lieu of using the same gin 66 on which the cam 78 is
supported, a second pin 82 is used to rotatably secure the lower
end of the link 62 to the frame member 68. As a result, the
forces imposed an the pin 66 are significantly reduced. In
addition, the link 62 is modified to more fully enclose the cam
78.
Figures 9A and 9B represent a control pedal assembly 410
in accordance with a further greferred embodiment of this
invention, again with the same reference numerals representing the
identical or similar components of Figures 1A through 4B.
However, in this embodiment, the function of the cams 28 and
shafts 4b of Figures 1A through 4B are performed by a power screw
90. As shown, the power screw 90 is threadably received in an
internally threaded boss 92 formed on or secured to the pivot link
40. One end 94 of the power screw abuts the ramming surface 38
provided on the forward surface of the pedal arm 20. As a result,
rotation of the power screw 90 causes fore or aft pivoting of the
pedal arm 20, depending upon the power screw's direction of
rotation. The power screw 90 non be driven in any suitable
manner, such as a drive motor (not shown} connected to the end of
W0 96105547 PLTlUS95/09820
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the power screw 90 through a coupling (not shown) or a manually
actuated cable. R gear driver reduction insert is also
contemplated. As is apparent from the above description, an
advantage of the embodiment shown in Figures 9A and 9B is the
S simplification of the mechanism which pivots the pedal arm 20.
From the above, it can be seen that a significant
advantage of the adjustment devices of this invention is that by
selectively energizing a drive motor, a cam can be used to select
an optimal fore or aft position of one or more automobile control
pedal arms relative to the needs of the driver. Consequently, not
only can the driver adjust the driver's seat to position himself
or herself relative to the automobile's control pedals, but the
driver can also adjust the position of the control pedals such
that they are positioned to provide optimal comfort to the driver.
The use of this invention may result in significant simplification
of the seat adjuster mechanisms or telescoping steering wheel
mechanism since the function of providing adjustment of the seat
to enable reaching of the pedals need no longer be considered.
In addition, where all of the automobile's control
pedals - namely, the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals - are
provided with the adjustment device of the present invention, each
control pedal can be adjusted individually or collectively so as
to provide optimal positioning of the control pedals for the
particular physique of the driver. The control pedals can be
independently adjusted with individual drive motors, or a single
drive motor can be coupled with each pedal, such that all of the
pedals are simultaneously adjusted according to a single command
initiated by the driver. With either approach, the controls for
the drive motor, and thus the adjustment of each control pedal
assembly, can be located to be accessible to the driver. such as
on the automobile's instrument panel.
Another advantage is that the adjustment devices of this
invention require minimal additional hardware and can be readily
adapted to a conventional control pedal without the need to
relocate the brake cylinder pushrod or accelerator cable from its
WO 96/05547 ~ ~ PC17US95d09820
18
current position. Accordingly, excessive space beneath the
instrument panel is not required to accommodate the adjustment
devices, nor is there a significant penalty in terms of added
weight.
While the invention has been described in terms of
certain preferred embadiments, it is apparent that other forms
could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, other
means for rotating the cams 28 and 78 could be readily adopted by
those skilled in the art to achieve the adjustment of the control
pedals as described, and various other components or structures
could be employed in lieu of the links 40 and 62. Accordingly,
the scope of the invention. is to be limited only by the following
claims.
What is claimed is:
