Electric adjustable pedal assembly

• US 5,964,125 A
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KSR IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated
• Inventors: Bortolon, Christopher, Rixon, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREEN, MARY ANN
• Application Number:
  US09/057,956
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 74/514, 74/560, 74/512, 74/513, 180/335, 123/399
• US Class Current: 74/514
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/586 the retarders being of the electric type
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/06 Disposition of pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/3255 Systems in which the braking action is dependent on brake pedal data
• 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 74/2054 Signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

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, and a pedal structure including a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier and 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.

Claims

1. An adjustable pedal assembly adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and operative to generate an engine throttle system of the vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a carrier;

a support structure mounting said carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure;

a drive assembly for providing said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said support structure;

a pedal operatively connected to said carrier for movement relative to said carrier and independent of said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said support structure;

said assembly characterized by generator means having an input associated with said pedal and an output adapted to be associated with the engine throttle, said generator means operative in response to said movement of said pedal relative to said carrier to generate an electric control signal from said output which varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by the extent of movement of said pedal relative to said carrier whereby the control signal is proportioned to and indicative of the position of the pedal relative to the carrier.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pedal is mounted on the carrier for pivotal movement relative to the carrier;

and the generator means operates in response to said pivotal movement of said pedal to generate said electric control signal proportional to the extent of said pivotal movement of said pedal relative to said carrier.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said generator means includes a potentiometer mounted on said carrier and said output of said potentiometer varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by said pivotal movement of said pedal relative to said carrier.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said carrier includes a housing having a smooth bore and a threaded bore;

the support structure includes a guide rod adapted to be mounted to the vehicle body structure and slideably received in said smooth bore and through said housing; and

said drive assembly includes a screw shaft threadably received in said threaded bore for providing said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said guide rod.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said potentiometer is mounted in said housing with said pedal pivotally connected to said input of said potentiometer and supported by said carrier housing and said output is adapted to be connected to the engine throttle.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said drive assembly includes a motor for driving said screw shaft and providing said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said guide rod independent of said pivotal movement of said pedal relative to said carrier and independent of said electric control signal generated by said potentiometer.