Adjustable control pedal apparatus

• US 5,460,061 A
• Filed: 09/17/1993
• Issued: 10/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Drivesol Worldwide Holding Corporation (Sun Capital Partners Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Comfort Pedals, Inc.
• Inventors: Redding, Harry L., Bortolon, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENSEN, NATHAN
• Application Number:
  US08/123,336
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 74/512, 74/513, 74/560, 180/334, 180/326
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/006 Bandage fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/04 foot actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle including an accelerator control pedal assembly and a brake control pedal assembly. A motor is positioned between the control pedal assemblies and includes a motor drive shaft driving first and second cables secured to the opposite ends of the drive shaft. The cables extend respectively to the brake and accelerator pedal assemblies so as to provide rotary cable movement at each pedal assembly. A transmission at each pedal assembly converts the rotary cable movement to rotary movement of a screw member which slidably adjusts a pedal arm along an adjuster member. As the pedal arm moves along the adjuster member, the pivot axis of the assembly is moved so as to maintain a substantially constant feel for the pedal irrespective of the adjusted position of the pedal arm. The pivot axis is moved by a cam pin driven by the pedal arm and received in a slot in a cam member carrying the pivot axis pin. A slack takeup device is provided at the intersection of the pedal arm and the adjuster member to preclude angular movement between the pedal arm and the adjuster member while not interfering with the sliding movement of the pedal arm along the adjuster member. A cover of inverted U configuration fits over the adjuster member to protect the sliding interface between the pedal arm and the adjuster member and is fixedly secured to outboard faces of the adjuster member to rigidify the adjuster member.

Claims

1. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising an adjuster member defining a mounting portion and a pedal arm member defining a mounting portion mounted for sliding movement along said adjuster member mounting portion and defining an intersection with said adjuster member portion, characterized in that the apparatus further includes a slack takeup assembly positioned at said intersection and operative to preclude relative angular movement between said members at said intersection, said slack takeup assembly including a block positioned at said intersection and a plurality of plug members mounted in said block and extending beyond said block to engage a face of said adjuster member portion.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said block includes a plurality of generally vertical through bores and said plugs are inserted upwardly into said bores to press the upper ends of the plugs against the face of the adjuster member portion.

3. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising an adjuster member defining a mounting portion and a pedal arm member defining a mounting portion mounted for sliding movement along said adjuster member mounting portion and defining an intersection with said adjuster member portion, characterized in that the apparatus further includes a slack takeup assembly positioned at said intersection and operative to preclude relative angular movement between said members at said intersection, said slack takeup assembly including a lever pivotally mounted on said pedal arm member portion proximate said intersection and including a portion engaging an adjacent face of said adjuster member portion, and means operative to maintain said lever portion in contact with said adjuster member portion face.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said means comprises a screw passing through a threaded bore in said lever and including a free end engaging a face of said pedal arm member portion.

5. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising an adjuster member, a pedal arm mounted for sliding movement on said adjuster member, and means operative in response to sliding movement of the pedal arm on the adjuster member to adjust the pivot axis of the control pedal apparatus, characterized in that said means includes a cam member, a pivot axis pin mounted on said cam member and defining the pivot axis of the control pedal apparatus, and an elongated link extending in the direction of sliding movement of the pedal arm, pivotally connected at one end to said pedal arm, and cammingly coacting at its other end with said cam member.

6. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for motor vehicle comprising:

a generally horizontally extending adjuster member;

a generally vertically extending pedal arm slidably mounted on the adjuster member and extending downwardly from the adjuster member;

a cam member pivoted on the adjuster member and including a slot totally bounded by said cam member and a pivot axis pin defining the pivot axis of the adjuster member and pedal arm; and

a cam pin mounted on said pedal arm beneath the adjuster member, received in said slot, and operative in response to sliding movement of said pedal arm on said adjuster member to pivot said cam member on said adjuster member and adjust the position of said pivot axis pin and thereby of said pivot of the adjuster member and pedal arm.

7. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising an adjuster member, a pedal arm mounted for sliding movement on said adjuster member, and means operative in response to sliding movement of the pedal arm on the adjuster member to adjust the pivot axis of the control pedal apparatus, characterized in that said means includes a cam member, a pivot axis pin mounted on said cam member and defining the pivot axis of the control pedal apparatus, and a link connected at one end to said pedal arm and cammingly coacting at its other end with said cam member, said cam member being pivotally mounted on the adjuster member, said one end of said link being pivotally mounted on said pedal arm, said other end of said link being received in a slot in said cam member, and said pivot axis pin being received in a slot in said adjuster member.

8. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:

an adjuster member;

a pedal arm slidably mounted on the adjuster member;

a cam member pivoted on the adjuster member and including a slot and a pivot axis pin defining the pivot axis of the adjuster member and pedal arm;

a cam pin received in said slot and operative in response to sliding movement of said pedal arm on said adjuster member to pivot said cam member on said adjuster member and adjust the position of said pivot axis pin and thereby of said pivot axis of the adjuster member and pedal arm; and

a link pivotally mounted at one end on said pedal arm, said cam pin being mounted on the other end of said link.

9. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:

an adjuster member adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle body structure and defining a pair of laterally spaced elongated generally horizontally extending side plates;

a pedal arm including a lower portion mounting a control pedal and an upper portion positioned between said adjuster member side plates and defining laterally spaced generally vertically extending side walls extending downwardly from said adjuster member;

a nut positioned between said laterally spaced side walls and including a threaded bore for threaded coaction with a screw drive member;

an upper pair of guide blocks positioned on opposite sides of said pedal arm upper portion and respectively slidably engaging the upper edges of said adjuster member side plates;

a lower pair of guide blocks positioned on opposite sides of said pedal arm upper portion and respectively slidably engaging the lower edges of said adjuster member side plates;

a cam member carrying a pivot axis pin defining a pivot axis of the apparatus and defining a cam slot; and

a cam pin extending between the side walls of the pedal arm beneath the nut and positioned slidably in said slot.

10. An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:

an adjuster member adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle body structure and defining a pair of laterally spaced elongated side plates;

a pedal arm including a lower portion mounting a control pedal and an upper portion positioned between said adjuster member side plates and defining laterally spaced side walls;

a nut positioned between said laterally spaced side walls and including a threaded bore for threaded coaction with a screw drive member;

an upper pair of guide blocks positioned on opposite sides of said pedal arm upper portion and respectively slidably engaging the upper edges of said adjuster member side plates;

a lower pair of guide blocks positioned on opposite sides of said pedal arm upper portion and respectively slidably engaging the lower edges of said adjuster member side plates; and

a cover of inverted U-configuration fitted over and straddling said adjuster member side plates, whereby to protect the sliding interface of said guide blocks and said side plates, and including portions fixedly secured to the respective outboard faces of said side plates, whereby to rigidify said adjuster member.