MODULAR PEDAL ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLES

• US 20110023652A1
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Club Car Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Club Car Incorporated
• Inventors: Morgan, Paul E., Hardy, David R., Crow, Douglas T., Newman, Duane E., Welsh, Michael L., Cosby, Christopher D., Stewart, Geoff D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,296,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/513
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/00 Arrangements or mounting of propulsion unit control devices in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/441 Electric switches operable by the driver's pedals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/36 Mounting units comprising an assembly of two or more pedals, e.g. for facilitating mounting
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/38 comprising means to continuously detect pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/46 Means, e.g. links, for connecting the pedal to the controlled unit
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/005 for preventing unintentional use of a control mechanism G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/12 for holding members in an indefinite number of positions, e.g. by a toothed quadrant G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator

Abstract

A modular pedal assembly for use with a vehicle that includes a prime mover, a control circuit, and a brake assembly. The modular pedal assembly including a base that is removably connectable with the vehicle, a brake pedal, an accelerator pedal that is displaceable between a first position and a second position, and a control output regulator that includes a first sensor and a second sensor. In a vehicle having an electric motor prime mover, the first sensor is a limit switch electrically connected to the control circuit, and the second sensor is a variable resistor. In a vehicle having an internal combustion engine prime mover, the first sensor is a limit switch operable to control a starter motor, and the second sensor is a limit switch operable to control a spark plug ignition.

Claims

1. A modular pedal assembly for use with a vehicle, the vehicle including a prime mover, a control circuit operatively connected with the prime mover, and a brake assembly, the pedal assembly comprising:

a base removably connectable with the vehicle;

a brake pedal movably coupled with the base and operatively coupleable with the brake assembly;

an accelerator pedal movably coupled with the base so as to be displaceable between a first position and a second position and operatively coupleable with one of the prime mover and the control circuit; and

a control output regulator including a first sensor and a second sensor, and electrically connectable with the control circuit such that the control circuit at least one of regulates the motor and operates the motor,

wherein in a vehicle having an electric motor prime mover, the first sensor is a limit switch electrically connected to the control circuit to selectively turn on the control circuit, and the second sensor is a variable resistor that generates a signal proportional to a displacement of the accelerator pedal between the first position and the second position, and

wherein in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine prime mover, the first sensor is a limit switch operable to control a starter motor of the internal combustion engine, and the second sensor is a limit switch operable to control a spark plug ignition of the internal combustion engine.

2. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners;

wherein the entire modular pedal assembly is mounted to the vehicle by mounting the base to the vehicle with the fasteners, and wherein the entire modular pedal assembly is removed from the vehicle by removal of the fasteners from the base.

3. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the brake pedal is displaceable between a first position at which the brake assembly is unactivated and a second position at which the brake assembly is activated, the brake pedal being releasably lockable at the second position; and

the accelerator pedal is operatively coupled with the brake pedal such that when the brake pedal is locked at the second position, displacement of the accelerator pedal releases the brake pedal from the second position.

4. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the control output regulator is disposed within a housing removably connected with the base so as to position the control output regulator generally proximal to the accelerator pedal.

5. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the prime mover is an electric motor, the vehicle includes a battery, and the control circuit is configured to regulate one voltage and current between the battery and the motor; and

the control circuit adjusts the one of the voltage and current to the electric motor in response to the signal generated by the variable resistor.

6. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein:

in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine prime mover the control circuit includes a solenoid operatively coupled with the starter motor; and

the first sensor is electrically connected with the solenoid such that the solenoid is electrically connected with the starter motor when the accelerator pedal displaces from the first position and towards the second position.

7. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein:

in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine prime mover, the control circuit includes a magneto electrically coupled with the spark plug ignition; and

the second sensor is electrically connected with the magneto such that the magneto is electrically coupled with the spark plug ignition when the accelerator pedal displaces from the first position and towards the second position.

8. A modular pedal assembly mountable as a module upon a vehicle having a brake assembly and adaptable for use on a vehicle having either a gas engine or an electric motor drive, the modular pedal assembly having a mounted state in which the modular pedal assembly is mounted in the vehicle and an unmounted state, the modular pedal assembly comprising:

a base adapted to be mounted in a vehicle in the mounted state;

a first pedal pivotally coupled to the base in the unmounted state of the modular pedal assembly and having a portion coupled to the brake assembly in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly;

a second pedal pivotally coupled to the base in the unmounted state of the modular pedal assembly and having a portion coupled to the drive in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly, the second pedal having an unactuated state and an actuated state, the actuated state defined by pivotal movement of the second pedal with respect to the base; and

a control output regulator coupled to the second pedal in the unmounted state of the modular pedal assembly and also electrically coupled to the drive assembly in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly, the control output regulator adaptable to be used with vehicles driven by gas engines and electrical motors, the control output regulator having a sensor configured to detect the pivotal position of the second pedal and to communicate the position to the drive in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly.

9. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor is a first sensor and the control output regulator further includes a second sensor positioned to detect the pivotal position of the second pedal and able to communicate the position to the drive in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly.

10. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the first sensor is a limit switch and the second sensor is a potentiometer, the limit switch senses the state of the second pedal in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly and communicates the state to the electrical motor drive, the potentiometer senses the state of the second pedal in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly and communicates the state to the electrical motor drive by sending a voltage that varies with the position of the second pedal.

11. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the first sensor is a first limit switch and the second sensor is a second limit switch, the first and second limit switches having an open and closed state, the first limit switch senses the state of the second pedal in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly and communicates the state to the gas engine drive via a first circuit, the second limit switch senses the state of the second pedal in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly and communicates the state to the gas engine drive via a second circuit, the gas engine drive operable with the first limit switch closed and the second limit switch open and inoperable with the first limit switch open and the second limit switch closed.

12. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 8, further comprising a third pedal pivotally coupled to the base in the unmounted state of the modular pedal assembly and having a portion coupled to the brake assembly in the mounted state of the modular pedal assembly.

13. The modular pedal assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor of the control output regulator is a first sensor and the control output regulator further comprises a second sensor;

wherein in a vehicle driven by an electric motor, a control circuit communicates with the electric motor, the first sensor is a limit switch electrically connected to the control circuit to selectively turn on the control circuit, and the second sensor is a variable resistor that generates a signal proportional to a displacement of the second pedal between the unactuated state and the actuated state, and

wherein in a vehicle driven by a gas engine, the first sensor is a limit switch operable to control a starter motor of the gas engine, and the second sensor is a limit switch operable to control a spark plug ignition of the gas engine.