System for adjusting the pedals of a vehicle

• US 20060086200A1
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Weldon, Craig Andrew, Ritchie, Jacob, Wiemer, Frank, Kunath, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/01 Arrangements of two or more controlling members with respect to one another double foot control, e.g. for instruction vehicles G05G1/34; mounting units comprising an assembly with two or more pedals G05G1/36
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/44 pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A system for adjustably positioning foot pedals with respect to a vehicle chassis, such as to improve ergonomics or to appropriately space a vehicle occupant with respect to a vehicle safety system. The system includes first and second electromagnetic actuators, first and second controllers, and a device, which may be a switch disposed on the vehicle chassis, provides a signal to change spacing between the vehicle chassis and the plurality of pedals. The first electromagnetic actuator displaces a first pedal with respect to the vehicle chassis, and the second electromagnetic actuator displaces a second pedal with respect to the vehicle chassis. The first controller operates the first electromagnetic actuator in response to the configuration of the device, and the second controller operates the second electromagnetic actuator in response to the first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator.

Claims

1. A system adjustably positioning with respect to a vehicle chassis a plurality of pedals including an engine throttle control pedal and a brake system pedal, the system comprising:

a first electromagnetic actuator displacing a first one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis;

a second electromagnetic actuator displacing a second one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis;

a device disposed on the vehicle chassis and being positioned between first and second configurations, the first configuration of the device providing a first signal to increase spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals, and the second configuration of the device providing a second signal to decrease spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals;

a first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator in response to the device being positioned in either of the first and second configurations; and

a second controller operating the second electromagnetic actuator in response to the first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a first electric motor, and the second electromagnetic actuator comprises a second electric motor.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first electric motor comprises one of a stepper motor and a brushless motor, and the second electric motor comprises one of a stepper motor and a brushless motor.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a first converter of rotary motion to linear motion, and the second electromagnetic actuator comprises a second converter of rotary motion to linear motion.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first converter of rotary motion to linear motion comprises a first threaded rod and a first nut cooperatively engaging the first threaded rod, and the second converter of rotary motion to linear motion comprises a second threaded rod and a second nut cooperatively engaging the second threaded rod.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the first electric motor rotates the first threaded rod with respect to the vehicle chassis and the first nut is fixed to the first one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals, and the second electric motor rotates the second threaded rod with respect to the vehicle chassis and the second nut is fixed to the second one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a third electromagnetic actuator displacing a clutch pedal with respect to the vehicle chassis.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the third electromagnetic actuator comprises a third electric motor, a third threaded rod and a third nut cooperatively engaging the third threaded rod, the third electric motor rotates the third threaded rod with respect to the vehicle chassis and the third nut is fixed to the clutch pedal.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a first electric motor including a first plurality of coils, and the second electromagnetic actuator comprises a second electric motor including a second plurality of coils.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first controller is electrically coupled to the first plurality of coils, and the second controller is electrically coupled to the second plurality of coils.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the first controller comprises a first motor driver providing a first drive signal to the first plurality of coils, and the second controller comprises a second motor driver providing a second drive signal to the second plurality of coils.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first plurality of coils provides a first feedback signal to the first controller, and the second plurality of coils provides a second feedback signal to the second controller.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first controller determines the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first pedal based on the first feedback signal, and the second controller determines the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the second pedal based on the second feedback signal.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first feedback signal comprises a first current generated by electromagnetic forces during operation of the first electric motor, and the second feedback signal comprises a second current generated by electromagnetic forces during operation of the second electric motor.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a third configuration providing neither the first nor second signal.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a switch.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a body control unit including memory storing spacing data.

18. A system adjustably positioning with respect to a vehicle chassis a plurality of pedals including an engine throttle control pedal and a brake system pedal, the system comprising:

a first electromagnetic actuator displacing a first one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis, the first electromagnetic actuator including a first housing;

a second electromagnetic actuator displacing a second one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis, the second electromagnetic actuator includes a second housing spaced from the first housing;

a device disposed on the vehicle chassis and being positioned between first and second configurations, the first configuration of the device providing a first signal to increase spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals, and the second configuration of the device providing a second signal to decrease spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals;

a first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator in response to the device being positioned in either of the first and second configurations; and

a second controller operating the second electromagnetic actuator in response to the first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the first housing comprises a first body portion and a first coupling portion, and the second housing comprises a second body portion and a second coupling portion.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a first electric motor disposed in the first body portion, and the second electromagnetic actuator comprises a second electric motor disposed in the second body portion.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the first controller is disposed in the first coupling portion, and the second controller is disposed in the second coupling portion.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the first coupling portion comprises a first interchangeable electrical connector, and the second coupling portion comprises a second interchangeable electrical connector.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the first and second interchangeable electrical connectors comprise a plurality of variously configured electrical contacts.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein the first interchangeable electrical connector comprises a first power electrical contact, a first ground electrical contact and a first communication contact, and the second interchangeable electrical connector comprises a second power electrical contact, a second ground electrical contact and a second communication contact.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the first interchangeable electrical connector consists essentially of a first power electrical contact, a first ground electrical contact and a first communication contact, and the second interchangeable electrical connector consists essentially of a second power electrical contact, a second ground electrical contact and a second communication contact.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein communication between the first and second controllers comprises a link between the first and second communication contacts.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the second controller operating the second electromagnetic actuator in response to the first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a positioning signal via the link from the first controller to the second controller.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein synchronizing the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first pedal with the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the second pedal comprises a reset signal via the link from the first controller to the second controller.

29. A system adjustably positioning with respect to a vehicle chassis a plurality of pedals including an engine throttle control pedal and a brake system pedal, the system comprising:

a first electromagnetic actuator displacing a first one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis, the first electromagnetic actuator including a first housing;

a second electromagnetic actuator displacing a second one of the engine throttle control and brake system pedals with respect to the vehicle chassis, the second electromagnetic actuator including a second housing spaced from the first housing;

a device disposed on the vehicle chassis and being positioned between first and second configurations, the first configuration of the device providing a first signal to increase spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals, and the second configuration of the device providing a second signal to decrease spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first and second pedals;

a first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator in response to the device being positioned in either of the first and second configurations, the first controller being disposed in the first housing; and

a second controller operating the second electromagnetic actuator in response to the first controller operating the first electromagnetic actuator, the second controller is disposed in the second housing.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the first controller comprises a first application specific integrated circuit, and the second controller comprises a second application specific integrated circuit.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the first controller comprises a first processor and a first motor drive circuit, and the second controller comprises a second processor and a second motor drive circuit.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the first electromagnetic actuator comprises a first electric motor operated by the first motor drive circuit, and the second electromagnetic actuator comprises a second electric motor operated by the second motor drive circuit.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein the first processor determines the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the first pedal based on a first feedback signal supplied from the first electric motor to the first controller, and the second processor determines the spacing between the vehicle chassis and the second pedal based on a second feedback signal supplied from the second electric motor to the second controller.