Manual control arrangement for an adjustable motor vehicle control pedal system

• US 5,676,220 A
• Filed: 01/03/1996
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Dapsi, Joseph J., Palajac, Patrick M., Emerling, Sandy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US08/582,546
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 180/334, 74/512, 74/560, 74/513, 74/562, 74/522, 74/525, 74/518, 74/500.5, 74/501.6
• US Class Current: 180/334
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A manual control arrangement for an adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle provides for pivotal adjustment of the control pedals relative to the vehicle driver. The manual control arrangement allows optimal adjustment of each of the control pedals of the motor vehicle (e.g. the brake and accelerator pedals for motor vehicles with automatic transmissions, or the brake, accelerator and clutch pedals for motor vehicle with manual transmissions) relative to driver so as to suit the needs of a particular driver for maximum comfort and operability. The manual control arrangement is preferably operatively arranged with each of the control pedals for simultaneous and uniform adjustment and is preferably interconnected with a plurality of camming devices corresponding in number to the number of control pedals. The camming devices slidably abut the pedal arm of the respective control pedal such that rotation of the camming device causes pivotable movement of the pedal arm relative to the motor vehicle driver.

Claims

1. A manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle, the manually adjustable control pedal system comprising:

a plurality of control pedals, each control pedal having a pedal arm rotatable about an axis of arm rotation;

a corresponding plurality of camming members each having an axis of cam rotation, one of said camming members being juxtaposed with each of said pedal arms of said control pedals, each of said camming members including a gear portion;

a manually controlled drive arrangement for selectively rotating the camming members about their axes of cam rotation to produce a corresponding displacement of each of said control pedals, said manually controlled drive arrangement including;

(i) a housing defining a cavity;

(ii) a drive gear disposed in said cavity fixedly attached to a shaft, a first end of said shaft extending from said housing;

(iii) a control knob attached to said first end of said shaft;

(iv) a corresponding plurality of driven gears in meshing engagement with said drive gear; and

(v) a corresponding plurality of rotatable cables, each rotatable cable having a first end operatively arranged with one of said driven gears and a second end terminating in a lead screw, said lead screw being operatively arranged with said gear portion of one of said camming members;

whereby selective rotation of said control knob operates to adjust said pedal arms of each of said plurality of control pedals in one of a fore direction and an aft direction.

2. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein each said camming member includes a contour slot for maintaining positive engagement with one of said plurality of control pedals.

3. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a corresponding plurality of brackets, each of said brackets mounted to one of said plurality of control pedals and including an end engaging said contour slot of an associated one of said camming members.

4. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of said camming members includes a cam contour slidably disposed against an associated one of said plurality of control pedals.

5. A manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle, the manually adjustable control pedal system comprising:

a plurality of control pedals, each control pedal having a pedal arm rotatable about an axis of arm rotation;

a corresponding plurality of camming members each having an axis of cam rotation, each of said camming members being juxtaposed with said pedal arm of an associated one of said control pedals;

a manually controlled drive arrangement for selectively rotating the camming members about their axes of cam rotation to produce a corresponding displacement of each of said control pedals in response to a single input.

6. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein said manually controlled drive arrangement is operative for concurrently displacing each of said plurality of control pedals.

7. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein said manually controlled drive arrangement includes a rotatable element for selectively controlling displacement of said control pedals.

8. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein said manually controlled drive arrangement includes:

(i) a housing defining a cavity;

(ii) a drive gear disposed in said cavity fixedly attached to a shaft, a first end of said shaft extending from said housing;

(iii) a control knob attached to said first end of said shaft;

(iv) a corresponding plurality of driven gears in meshing engagement with said drive gear; and

(v) a corresponding plurality of rotatable cables, each rotatable cable having a first end operatively arranged with one of said driven gears and a second end operatively arranged with said gear portion of one of said camming members;

whereby selective manual rotation of said control knob operates to adjust said pedal arms of each of said plurality of control pedals in one of a fore direction and an aft direction.

9. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein each of said camming members includes a gear portion and further wherein said second end of each of said plurality of rotatable cables terminates in a lead screw, each of said lead screws operatively arranged with said gear portion of one of said camming members.

10. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein each camming member includes a contour slot for maintaining positive engagement with one of said plurality of control pedals.

11. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a corresponding plurality of brackets, each of said brackets mounted to an associated one of said plurality of control pedals and including an end engaging said contour slot of an associated one of said camming members.

12. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein each of said camming members includes a cam contour slidably disposed against an associated one of said plurality of control pedals.

13. A manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle operable from a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the manually adjustable control pedal system comprising:

a control pedal having a pedal arm rotatable about an axis of arm rotation;

a camming member having an axis of cam rotation, said camming member being juxtaposed with said pedal arm of said control pedal; and

a manually controlled drive arrangement operative from the passenger compartment for selectively rotating the camming member about its axis of cam rotation to produce a corresponding displacement of said control pedal, said drive arrangement including;

a control knob for selectively controlling displacement of said control pedal, said control knob extending into the passenger compartment;

a rotatable cable operatively interconnecting said control knob and said camming member;

a housing defining a cavity; and

a drive gear disposed in said cavity interconnected to said control knob;

whereby selective rotation of said control knob operates to adjust said pedal arm of said control pedal in one of a fore direction and an aft direction.

14. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein said camming member includes a gear portion and said rotatable cable includes a first end terminating in a lead screw, said lead screw being operatively arranged with said gear portion of said camming members.

15. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein said camming member includes a contour slot for maintaining positive engagement with said control pedal.

16. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a bracket mounted to said control pedal, said bracket including an end engaging said contour slot of said camming member.

17. The manually adjustable control pedal system for a motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein said camming member includes a cam contour slidably disposed against said control pedal.