Electronic adjustable pedal assembly
First Claim
1. An adjustable drive-by-wire pedal assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to be mounted on a body structure of the vehicle and operative to generate an electric control signal for controlling an associated device of the motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:
- a carrier;
guide means mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure;
drive means for moving the carrier along the guide means;
a pedal structure mounted on the carrier for movement relative to the carrier and including a pedal pad;
generator means operative in response to movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier to generate an electric control signal that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extent of movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier so that the control signal is proportioned to and indicative of the position of the pedal structure relative to the carrier;
a coil spring arranged to be torsionally tightened in response to a force applied to the pedal pad whereby to provide a spring resistance force opposing the pedal apply force and arranged to be torsionally relaxed in response to release of the pedal apply force whereby to provide a spring return force; and
means operative in response to torsional tightening of the spring to generate a frictional resistance force that is additive with respect to the spring resistance force and subtractive with respect to the spring return force.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle including a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier, a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the pedal arm, and a resistance assembly to provide feedback or "feel" to the operator. The resistance assembly includes an annular friction surface defined on the carrier, a sleeve positioned over the friction surface, and a coil spring encircling the sleeve and arranged to be tightened in response to pivotal movement of the pedal arm to squeeze the sleeve against the friction surface and generate a friction resistance force. The friction resistance force adds to the torsional resistance force of the spring during application of the pedal and subtracts from the torsional resistance force of the spring upon release of the pedal, whereby to create a hysteresis effect.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An adjustable drive-by-wire pedal assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to be mounted on a body structure of the vehicle and operative to generate an electric control signal for controlling an associated device of the motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:
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a carrier; guide means mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure; drive means for moving the carrier along the guide means; a pedal structure mounted on the carrier for movement relative to the carrier and including a pedal pad; generator means operative in response to movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier to generate an electric control signal that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extent of movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier so that the control signal is proportioned to and indicative of the position of the pedal structure relative to the carrier; a coil spring arranged to be torsionally tightened in response to a force applied to the pedal pad whereby to provide a spring resistance force opposing the pedal apply force and arranged to be torsionally relaxed in response to release of the pedal apply force whereby to provide a spring return force; and means operative in response to torsional tightening of the spring to generate a frictional resistance force that is additive with respect to the spring resistance force and subtractive with respect to the spring return force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An adjustable pedal assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to be mounted on a body structure of the vehicle and operative to generate a control signal for controlling an associated device of the motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:
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a carrier; guide means mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure; drive means for moving the carrier along the guide means; a pedal structure mounted on the carrier for movement relative to the carrier and including a pedal pad; generator means operative in response to movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier to generate an electric control signal proportioned to the extent of movement of the pedal structure relative to the carrier; a coil spring arranged to be torsionally tightened in response to a force applied to the pedal pad whereby to provide a spring resistance force opposing the pedal apply force and arranged to be torsionally relaxed in response to release of the pedal apply force whereby to provide a spring return force; and means operative in response to torsional tightening of the spring to generate a frictional resistance force that is additive with respect to the spring resistance force and subtractive with respect to the spring return force; the guide means comprising a hollow guide rod; the carrier including an upper portion mounted on the guide rod for sliding fore and aft movement along the guide rod; the pedal structure including a pedal arm having an upper end mounted on a lower portion of the carrier; the pedal arm being pivotally mounted on the lower carrier portion; the generator means including a potentiometer mounted on the lower portion of the carrier and means operative in response to pivotal movement of the pedal arm to vary the setting of the potentiometer; the carrier further including a nut slidably positioned within the hollow of the guide rod and means connecting the nut to the carrier so that sliding movement of the nut within the guide rod moves the carrier fore and aft along the guide rod; and the drive means including a screw shaft threadably received in the nut and means operative to rotate the screw shaft. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An accelerator pedal assembly for a motor vehicle adapted to be mounted on a body structure of the vehicle and operative to generate a control signal for controlling a throttle device of the motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:
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a hollow guide rod; a nut slidably positioned in the guide rod; a carrier slidably mounted on the guide rod; means drivingly connecting the nut to the carrier so that sliding movement of the nut within the guide rod moves the carrier slidably along the guide rod; a screw shaft within the guide rod threadably engaging the nut; a pedal structure including a pivot shaft mounted on the carrier, a pedal arm extending downwardly from the pivot shaft, and a pedal pad on the lower end of the pedal arm; a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative in response to pivotal movement of the pivot shaft to generate an electric control signal proportioned to the extent of movement of the pedal arm relative to the carrier; a coil spring positioned around the pivot shaft and having one end anchored to the pedal arm and another end anchored to the carrier, the spring being arranged to be torsionally tightened in response to a force applied to the pedal pad whereby to provide a spring resistance force opposing the pedal apply force and arranged to be torsionally relaxed in response to release of the pedal apply force whereby to provide a spring return force; and means operative in response to torsional tightening of the spring to generate a frictional resistance force that is additive with respect to the spring resistance force and subtractive with respect to the spring return force. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification