Control system for adjustable pedal assembly

• US 20020078786A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DUS Operating, Inc. (Dura Automotive Topco Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Gordon Lloyd Smith, Michael William Depotter, Richard Scott Bigham, Rongjun Zhang, Steven Allen Toelke
• Inventors: Zhang, Rongjun, DePotter, Michael William, Bigham, Richard Scott, Toelke, Steven Allen, Smith, Gordon Lloyd
• Granted Patent: US 6,510,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated

Abstract

An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes an upper arm and a lower arm carrying a pedal. The lower arm is selectively moveable relative to the upper arm to adjust the position of the pedal relative to the upper arm. A drive screw is secured to the upper arm. A drive nut threadably engages the drive screw and is adapted to move axially along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw. A motor is operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw. The lower arm is operatively connected to the drive nut for fore-aft movement of the lower arm relative to the upper arm upon axial movement of the drive nut along the drive screw. A control system includes a sensor located at the drive screw and adapted to directly sense rotation of the drive screw and a controller in communication with the sensor to receive electrical signals from the sensor. The controller determines a position of the nut along the screw based on signals from the sensor and automatically stops the motor when the nut reaches a predetermined position along the screw such as a desired end of travel for the nut along the screw. The controller also automatically stops the motor when signals from the sensor indicate that the screw is not rotating. The controller is adapted to automatically move the lower arm in a forward direction relative to the upper arm to a predetermined position, such as a fall forward position, when predetermined conditions are met which indicate the driver may egress the vehicle. The predetermined conditions can be the ignition switch turning off and/or the driver'"'"'s door opening. The control assembly preferably includes a lock-out switch in communication with the controller to prevent movement of the lower arm relative to the upper arm when engaged so that the lower arm is not accidentally moved. The controller is preferably adapted to automatically stop the motor and prevent further pedal adjustment when sensors indicate that a predetermined fore/aft offset between an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, i.e. step over, is not maintained.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control pedal assembly comprising the steps of, in combination:

providing a pair of adjustable control pedals, each of the pair of the control pedals including a first support and a second support having a lower arm, the second support being moveable relative to the first support to adjust the fore-aft position of the lower arm upon operation of a motor;

providing a predetermined fore-aft relationship between the lower arms of each of the pair of control pedals;

maintaining the predetermined fore-aft relationships during operation of the motor to move the second supports relative to the first supports while adjusting the fore-aft position of the lower arms; and

stopping the motor during operation if the predetermined fore-aft relationships between the lower arms is not maintained.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the movement of one of the first supports relative to one of the second supports.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of sensing the rotation of the motor.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of moving each of the second supports to a forward position in response to a control signal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control signal is one of a vehicle ignition switch, vehicle open door, vehicle trunk lid open, a manual switch and a memory device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of preventing movement of one of the second supports relative to one of the first supports when a control device is engaged and allowing movement of one of the second supports relative to one of the first supports when the control device is disengaged.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing at least one sensor at least partially supported by one of the first support and the second support and determining the position of one of the second supports relative to one of the first supports with the sensor in order to identify whether the predetermined fore-aft relationship between the pair of pedals has been maintained.