Direct drive adjustable pedal system with step-over control

• US 20040244527A1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Drivesol Worldwide Holding Corporation (Sun Capital Partners Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Drivesol Worldwide Holding Corporation (Sun Capital Partners Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ouyang, Jiyuan, Rixon, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/457,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244527A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/560
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

An adjustable pedal assembly (10) for controlling step-over between adjacent pedal levers (18,32). A first pedal lever (18) is supported for rotation about an operational axis (A). A first adjustment mechanism (20) includes a first motor (26) to adjust the first pedal lever (18) between a first plurality of adjusted positions. A second pedal lever (32) is supported for rotation about a second operational axis (B). A second adjustment mechanism (40) includes a second motor (48) to adjust the second pedal lever (32) between a second plurality of adjusted positions. Each of the motors (26,48) is a brushless DC motor comprising a motor shaft (54,60), a plurality of sensors (H1,H1′,H2,H2′,H3,H3′) adjacent to the motor shaft (54,60), and a plurality of windings (W) surrounding the motor shaft (54,60). The plurality of sensors (H1,H1′,H2,H2′,H3,H3′)of each motor (26,48) generates a position signal indicating a position of each motor (26,48). When the position signals are unequal, step-over has occurred. In response, a coordinator (66) repositions at least one of the motor shafts (54,60) by holding an output signal sent to phases (A,B,C) of the windings (W) at a steady state until the position signals are equal.

Claims

1. An adjustable pedal assembly (10) comprising;

a first support portion (12),

a first pedal (18) lever supported by said first support portion (12) for rotation about an operational axis (A) relative to said first support portion (12),

a first adjustment mechanism (20) supported by said first support portion (12) and including a first motor (26) having a first motor shaft (54) for adjusting said first pedal lever (18) between a first plurality of adjusted positions relative to said first support portion (12),

a second support portion (14) near said first support portion (12),

a second pedal lever (32) supported by said second support portion (14) for rotation about a second operational axis (B) relative to said second support portion (14),

a second adjustment mechanism (40) supported by said second support portion (14) and including a second motor (48) having a second motor shaft (60) for adjusting said second pedal lever (32) between a second plurality of adjusted positions relative to said second support portion (14), and

a controller (64) programmed for operating said first (26) and second (48) motors to simultaneously move said first (18) and second (32) pedal levers between said adjusted positions and for detecting a stall of at least one of said motors (26,48), said controller (64) having a coordinator (66) for repositioning at least one of said motors (26,48) to a corrected position in response to the stall of at least one of said motors (26,48) thereby repositioning at least one of said pedal levers (18,32) relative to the other to maintain a predetermined relationship between said pedal levers (18,32),

said assembly characterized by said first motor (26) including at least one sensor (H1,H2,H3) adjacent said first motor shaft (54) for sensing rotation of said first motor shaft (54) and transmitting a first position signal that varies as said first motor shaft (54) rotates and said second motor (48) including at least one sensor (H1′

,H2′

,H3′

) adjacent said second motor shaft (60) for sensing rotation of said second motor shaft (60) and transmitting a second position signal that varies as said second motor shaft (60) rotates.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controller (64) includes a comparator (68) for receiving the first and second position signals and comparing the first and second position signals whereby said coordinator (66) repositions at least one of said motor shafts (54,60) to a corrected position in response to the first and second positions signals being unequal.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said motor shafts (54,60) include a permanent magnet (58,63) mounted thereto for rotation therewith and said at least one sensors (H1,H1′

,H2,H2′

,H3,H3′

) adjacent said first (54) and second (60) motor shafts are further defined as first (H1,H2,H3) and second (H1′

,H2′

,H3′

) pluralities of hall-effect sensors responsive to said permanent magnets (58,63).

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first motor (26) includes a first plurality of windings (W) surrounding said first motor shaft (54) whereby said coordinator (66) sends an output signal to phases (A,B,C) of said first plurality of windings (W) to incrementally rotate said first motor shaft (54).

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second motor (48) includes a second plurality of windings (W) surrounding said second motor shaft (60) whereby said coordinator (66) sends the output signal to phases (A,B,C) of said second plurality of windings (W) to incrementally rotate said second motor shaft (60).

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said controller (64) includes a timer (70) for measuring a time (t₂) that the position signals are unequal and for discontinuing the output signal sent to said windings (W) of both of said first (26) and second (48) motors in response to the time (t₂) exceeding a predetermined limit.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said adjustment mechanisms (20,40) includes a drive screw (24,46) for moving said pedal levers (18,32) between the adjusted positions.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein each of said motors (26,48) includes a motor housing (56,62) surrounding said motor shafts (54,60) and said drive screw (24,46) of each of said adjustment mechanisms (20,40) extend from said motor shafts (54,60).

9. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising;

a first support portion (12),

a first pedal lever (18) supported by said first support portion (12) for rotation about an operational axis (A) relative to said first support portion (12),

a first adjustment mechanism (20) supported by said first support portion (12) and including a first motor (26) and a first drive screw (24) extending from said first motor (26) wherein said first motor (26) includes a first motor shaft (54) with three hall-effect sensors (H1,H2,H3) adjacent said first motor shaft (54) and three windings (W) in a Y configuration surrounding said first motor shaft (54),

a second support (14) portion near said first support portion (12),

a second pedal lever (32) supported by said second support portion (14) for rotation about a second operational axis (B) relative to said second support portion (14),

a second adjustment mechanism (40) supported by said second support portion (14) and including a second motor (48) and a second drive screw (46) extending from said second motor (48) wherein said second motor (48) includes a second motor shaft (60) with three hall-effect sensors (H1′

,H2′

,H3′

) adjacent said second motor shaft (60) and three windings (W) in a Y configuration surrounding said second motor shaft (60),

a controller (64) having a comparator (68) for receiving a first position signal comprising three control signals from said hall-effect sensors (H1,H2,H3) of said first motor (26) and a second position signal comprising three control signals from said hall-effect sensors (H1′

,H2′

,H3′

) of said second motor (48) and for comparing the first and second position signals, and

said controller having a coordinator (66) for repositioning at least one of said motor shafts (54,60) to a corrected position in response to the first and second position signals being unequal thereby repositioning at least one of said pedal levers (18,32) relative to the other to control step-over between said pedal levers (18,32) and maintain a predetermined relationship between said pedal levers (18,32).

10. A method of operating an adjustable pedal assembly (10) comprising first (18) and second (32) pedal levers and first (26) and second (48) motors operatively connected to a controller (64) for moving the pedal levers (18,32) through a first and second plurality of adjusted positions, said method comprising the steps of;

transmitting an output signal to commutate the first (26) and second (48) motors and move the first (18) and second (32) pedal levers through the first and second plurality of adjusted positions,

transmitting a first position signal during transmission of the output signal whereby the first position signal varies as the first motor (26) commutates,

transmitting a second position signal during transmission of the output signal and the first position signal whereby the second position signal varies as the second motor (48) commutates, and

comparing the first and second position signals,

said method characterized by repositioning at least one of the motors (26,48) to a corrected position in response to the position signals being unequal thereby maintaining a predetermined relationship between the pedal levers (18,32) as the pedal levers (18,32) move between the adjusted positions.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of transmitting the output signal further includes sequentially energizing phases (A,B,C) of a plurality of windings (W) of each of the first (26) and second (48) motors in a plurality of steps.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of repositioning at least one of the motors (26,48) to the corrected position further includes holding the output signal at a steady state when the first and second position signals are unequal at least until the first and second position signals are equal.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 further including changing the output signal in response to the first and second position signals being equal after holding the output signal at the steady state when the first and second position signals are unequal thereby continuing to move the first (18) and second (32) pedal levers while maintaining the predetermined relationship between the pedal levers (18,32).