ACCELERATION AND BRAKING MECHANISM KIT FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20160161974A1
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bledsoe, Jeffry Michael, Billot, Darin R., KINNEY, JOSEPH, Duncan, Jack
• Granted Patent: US 9,823,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/54 Controlling members specially adapted for actuation by auxiliary operating members or extensions; Operating members or extensions therefor (pedal extensions)

Abstract

An acceleration and braking mechanism kit autonomously controls a vehicle brake pedal and a vehicle accelerator pedal. The kit includes a support bracket and bell crank supported on the support bracket for connection with an acceleration pedal or a brake pedal of the vehicle. An actuator is connected to the bell crank for moving the bell crank. A first base bracket is configured to mount to a first vehicle. A second base bracket is configured to mount to a second vehicle. The first base bracket and the second base bracket each include a mounting feature. The support bracket includes a mounting base alternately engageable with the mounting feature of the first base bracket and the mounting feature of the second base bracket such that the support bracket may be mounted to the first base bracket in the first vehicle or to the second base bracket in the second vehicle.

Claims

1. An acceleration and braking mechanism kit comprising:

a support bracket;

a bell crank supported on the support bracket for connection with one of a vehicle acceleration pedal and a vehicle brake pedal;

an actuator connected to the bell crank for moving the bell crank;

a first base bracket configured to mount to a first vehicle;

a second base bracket configured to mount to a second vehicle different than the first vehicle;

the first base bracket and the second base bracket each including a mounting feature, the support bracket including a mounting base alternately engageable with the mounting feature of the first base bracket and the mounting feature of the second base bracket.

2. The kit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a pusher connected to the bell crank for placement between the bell crank and the one of the acceleration pedal and the brake pedal.

3. The kit as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a pin removably connecting pusher to bell crank.

4. The kit as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pusher includes a cylinder and a rod extending from the cylinder along the axis and being adjustable relative to the cylinder along the axis.

5. The kit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a torsion spring between the bell crank and the support bracket.

6. The kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first base bracket includes a first vehicle mounting feature configured to mount to the first vehicle and the second base bracket includes a second vehicle mounting feature different than the first mounting feature and configured to mount to the second vehicle.

7. The kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first base bracket includes a flange configured to engage the first vehicle and the second bracket includes a second flange different than the flange of the first bracket and configured to engage the second vehicle.

8. The kit as set forth in claim 7 wherein the flanges of the first bracket and the second bracket each include a hole for receiving a fastener to engage the vehicle.

9. The kit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a control system in communication with actuator for controlling the actuator.

10. The kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mounting base of the support bracket includes holes and the mounting features of the first bracket and the second bracket include corresponding holes for receiving fasteners to engage the mounting base to alternately engage the support bracket to the first bracket and the second bracket.

11. The kit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a spindle supported on the support bracket with the bell crank supported on the spindle.

12. The kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a linear actuator including a cable connected to the bell crank and a mechanism connected to the cable for extending and retracting the cable.

13. The kit as set forth in claim 12 wherein the mechanism is supported on the support bracket.

14. The kit as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second support bracket and a second bell crank supported on the second support bracket for connection with the other of the acceleration pedal and the brake pedal of the vehicle.

15. The kit as set forth in claim 14 wherein the first base bracket and the second base bracket each include a second mounting feature and wherein the second support bracket includes a mounting base alternately engageable with the second mounting feature of the first base bracket and the second mounting feature of the second base bracket.

16. The kit as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a second actuator connected to the second bell crank for moving the second bell crank.