Adjustable pedal controller with obstruction detection

• US 20020078782A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dura Global Technologies Incorporated (Dura Automotive Systems)
• Original Assignee: Adjustable Pedal Controller With Obstruction Detection
• Inventors: Flynn, Charles Lee
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes an upper arm, a lower arm supported by the upper arm and operatively connected to the upper arm for selected movement relative to the upper arm, and a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the upper arm. The drive assembly includes a drive screw connected to one of the upper and lower pedal arms, a drive nut connected to the other of the upper and lower pedal arms and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw. A hall-effect sensor is located adjacent the drive screw and cooperates with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw to detect motion information, including distance and velocity information, upon rotation of the drive screw. A controller receives the motion information and activates the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower pedal arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to move the lower pedal arm in the other direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position. The controller then determines electronic limits of travel for the lower pedal arm based on the mechanical limits of travel to reduce engagement with the first and second mechanical stops during movement of the lower pedal arm. The controller also determines stall conditions of the lower pedal arm between the limits of travel based on the velocity information received during movement of the lower pedal arm to reduce injury or damage resulting from engagement with obstructions.

Claims

1. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

a carrier;

a lower arm supported by the carrier and operatively connected to the carrier for selected movement relative to the carrier;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the carrier, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the lower arm and the carrier, a drive nut connected to the other of the lower arm and the carrier and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor adapted to detect motion information upon rotation of the drive screw; and

a controller receiving the motion information from the sensor and adapted to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to move the lower arm in the other direction opposite the first direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position, wherein the home stop position and the travel stop position represent the mechanical limits of travel for the lower arm.

2. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine electronic limits of travel for the lower arm based on the mechanical limits of travel to reduce engagement with the first and second mechanical stops during movement of the lower arm.

3. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motion information includes distance information.

4. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 3, wherein the motion information includes velocity information and the controller is adapted to determine a stall condition based on the velocity information during movement of the lower arm.

5. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a hall-effect switch, a potentiometer, a linear hall-effect device, a linear potentiometer, and a current shunt.

6. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is located adjacent the drive screw.

7. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 6, wherein the sensor is a hall-effect switch cooperating with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw.

8. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a carrier;

a second lower arm supported by the second carrier and operatively connected to the second carrier for selected movement relative to the second carrier;

wherein the drive assembly is operatively connected to the second lower arm to selectively move the second lower arm relative to the second carrier, the drive assembly comprises a second drive screw connected to one of the second lower arm and the second carrier, a second drive nut connected to the other of the second lower arm and the second carrier and cooperating with the second drive screw such that the second drive nut travels along the second drive screw upon rotation of the second drive screw, and the electric motor is operatively connected to the second drive screw to selectively rotate the second drive screw;

a second sensor adapted to detect motion information upon rotation of the second drive screw; and

wherein the controller receives the motion information from the second sensor and is adapted to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move both the first and second lower arms.

9. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

a carrier;

a lower arm supported by the carrier and operatively connected to the carrier for selected movement relative to the carrier;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the carrier, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the lower arm and the carrier, a drive nut connected to the other of the lower arm and the carrier and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor adapted to detect motion information upon rotation of the drive screw; and

a controller adapted to selectively activate the electric motor to move the lower arm, to receive the motion information, and to determine stall conditions of the lower arm based on the motion information during movement of the lower arm.

10. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the motion information includes velocity information and stall conditions are determined based on the velocity information.

11. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 10, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a stall condition by comparing a current speed value with a stored full speed value.

12. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to store a new full speed value during each movement of the lower arm.

13. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a stall condition by comparing the current speed value with a sum of the stored full speed value and a constant value.

14. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 13, wherein the constant value is a predetermined percentage of the stored full speed value.

15. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is one of a hall-effect switch, a potentiometer, a linear hall-effect device, a linear potentiometer, and a current shunt.

16. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is located adjacent the drive screw.

17. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 16, wherein the sensor is a hall-effect switch cooperating with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw.

18. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to reverse direction of movement of the lower arm when a stall condition is detected between limits of travel of the lower arm.

19. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second carrier;

a second lower arm supported by the second carrier and operatively connected to the second carrier for selected movement relative to the second carrier;

wherein the drive assembly is operatively connected to the second lower arm to selectively move the second lower arm relative to the second carrier, the drive assembly comprises a second drive screw connected to one of the second lower arm and the second carrier, a second drive nut connected to the other of the second lower arm and second carrier and cooperating with the second drive screw such that the second drive nut travels along the second drive screw upon rotation of the second drive screw, and the electric motor is operatively connected to the second drive screw to selectively rotate the second drive screw;

a second sensor adapted to detect motion information upon rotation of the second drive screw; and

wherein the controller is adapted to selectively activate the electric motor to move the second lower arm, to receive the motion information from the second sensor, and to determine stall conditions of the second lower arm based on the motion information from the second sensor during movement of the second lower arm.

20. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

an upper arm;

a lower arm supported by the upper arm and operatively connected to the upper arm for selected movement relative to the upper arm;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the upper arm, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the upper and lower arms, a drive nut connected to the other of the upper and lower arms and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor adapted to detect motion information upon rotation of the drive screw, the motion information including distance information and velocity information; and

a controller adapted to receive the motion information from the sensor, to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to move the lower arm in the other direction opposite the first direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position, wherein the home stop position and the travel stop position represent the mechanical limits of travel for the lower arm, and to determine electronic limits of travel for the lower arm based on the mechanical limits of travel, and wherein the controller is also adapted to selectively activate the electric motor to move the lower arm to a desired position between the electronic limits of travel, to determine stall conditions of the lower arm based on the velocity information during movement of the lower arm between the electronic limits of travel, and to reverse direction of movement of the lower arm when a stall condition is detected between the electronic limits of travel.