Variable Force Electronic Vehicle Clutch Pedal

• US 20180052483A1
• Filed: 08/20/2017
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CTS Corporation
• Original Assignee: CTS Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Steven, McCafferty, Gerard, Belshaw, Rory
• Granted Patent: US 10,359,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/04 foot actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0225 Clutch actuator position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/14 Clutch pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/022 Clutch actuator position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31413 Clutch pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/44 pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015

Abstract

An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising a pedal housing and a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to the housing and including a distal drum rotatable relative to the pedal housing and defining a contact surface including at plurality of surface segments with different slopes. A force lever is pivotable about the pedal housing and has a first end abutted against the contact surface on the drum of the pedal arm. A compressible member has a first end abutted against a lower surface of the pedal arm and a second end abutted against a second end of the force lever. The pedal arm is rotatable about the pedal housing to cause the pivoting of the force lever relative to the pedal housing and cause the first end of the compressible member to exert a variable force against the pedal arm.

Claims

1. An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising:

a housing;

a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to the housing and including a distal drum rotatable relative to the housing and defining a contact surface including a plurality of surface segments with different slopes;

a force lever pivotable about the housing and having a first end abutted against the contact surface on the drum of the pedal arm; and

a compressible member having a first end abutted against the pedal arm and a second end abutted against a second end of the force lever;

whereby the rotation of the pedal arm results in the pivoting of the force lever and the exertion of a force of varying magnitude on the pedal arm by the compressible member.

2. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 1 further comprising a contact member mounted on the first end of the force lever and abutted against the contact surface of the drum of the pedal arm.

3. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 2 wherein the contact member includes a head terminating in a distal tip abutted against the contact surface of the drum of the pedal arm.

4. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 3 further comprising a receptacle defined in the first end of the force lever, the contact member being located and mounted in the receptacle defined in the first end of the force lever.

5. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 1 wherein one of the housing or the force lever includes a pair of slots and the other of the pedal housing or the force lever includes a pair of ears extending into the pair of slots respectively for mounting the force lever for pivoting movement about and relative to the housing.

6. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 2 wherein the contact surface on the drum includes a first rounded surface segment, a second rounded surface segment spaced from the first rounded surface segment, and an elongate straight surface segment therebetween, the contact member on the force lever being adapted to slide along and against the first, second, and third surface segments for generating a variable force on the pedal arm.

7. An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising:

a housing including a base and a pair of spaced apart side walls together defining an interior cavity;

a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to the housing and including a distal drum extending into the cavity of the pedal housing and between the spaced apart side walls, the drum including a nose having an exterior contact surface including a plurality of surface segments with different lengths and slopes;

a force lever pivotable about the housing and including a contact member at a first end adapted for sliding contact against the plurality of the surface segments of the contact surface on the nose of the drum; and

a compressible member having a first end abutted against an underside of the pedal arm and a second end abutted against a second end of the force lever;

whereby the pedal arm is rotatable about the pedal housing to cause the pivoting of the force lever relative to the housing and cause the compressible member to exert a variable force against the pedal arm.

8. An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising:

a housing including a base having a pair of spaced apart ledges defining respective spaced apart and co-linear slots;

a force lever including a pair of spaced apart ears, the force lever being seated on the base of the housing in a relationship with the respective pair of ears seated In the respective slots defined in the respective ledges for mounting the force lever for pivoting movement about the base of the housing;

a pedal arm extending into and rotatable about the housing and including a nose in abutting contact with one end of the force lever;

a compressible member including one end abutted against the other end of the force lever and another end abutted against an underside of the pedal arm;

whereby the rotation of the pedal arm relative to the housing results in the rotation of the nose of the pedal arm which results in the movement of the one end of the force lever which results in the pivoting of the force lever which results in the compression of the compressible member and the application of a force of varying magnitude on the pedal arm.

9. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 8 wherein the force lever includes a contact member mounted in the one end of the force lever, the contact member abutting against the nose of the pedal arm.

10. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 9, wherein the contact member includes a head terminating in a distal tip in abutting contact against the nose of the pedal arm.

12. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 10 wherein the contact member includes a neck extending into a receptable defined in the one end of the force level for mounting the head to the force lever.

13. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 8 wherein the nose includes an exterior surface having a plurality of surface segments of varying slopes and length for generating the force of varying magnitude on the pedal arm.

14. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 13 wherein the exterior surface of the nose includes first and second spaced apart rounded surface segments and a straight surface segment therebetween.

11. The electronic vehicle clutch pedal of claim 11, wherein the head includes a pair of angled surfaces terminating in the distal tip.