Supporting structure of a pedal device for a vehicle

• US 5,996,440 A
• Filed: 10/15/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Isono, Hiroshi, Chiba, Masakazu, Nawata, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, VINH
• Application Number:
  US09/173,180
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 74/512, 74/513, 74/514, 74/560, 74/562, 280/274, 280/275, 280/335
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/09 Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. pedals, switch knobs, window cranks specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/065 with means to prevent injuries in case of collision for vehicle pedals in general by moving them from an operative to an out-of-the way position B60R21/09
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/32 with means to prevent injury
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A supporting structure of a pedal device for a vehicle includes a pedal bracket and a displacement controlling device. The pedal bracket is fixed to a vehicle body and supports a rotating shaft portion of a suspended-type pedal device for a vehicle. The displacement controlling device transmits an external force of a predetermined value or greater to the rotating shaft portion supported by the pedal bracket at a time when the external force is applied to a front portion of a vehicle, and controls displacement of a stepping surface of the pedal device such that the rotating shaft portion is moved substantially toward a rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A supporting structure of a pedal device for a vehicle comprising:

a pedal bracket fixed to a vehicle body and supporting a rotating shaft portion of the pedal device, the rotating shaft portion being a center of rotation of the pedal device;

a swinging link supported at said pedal bracket so as to be swingable around the rotating shaft portion, one end portion of said swinging link being connected to an operational force transmitting means which transmits, to a stepping force augmenting means, a stepping force applied to a stepping surface of the pedal device;

linking means for transmitting, to the operational force transmitting means, rotational force toward a front of the vehicle around the center of rotation of the pedal device by linking another end portion of said swinging link with an end portion of the pedal device at a side opposite the stepping surface of the pedal device; and

displacement controlling means for transmitting to a rotating shaft portion of said swinging link external force of a predetermined value or greater at the time when the external force is applied to a front portion of the vehicle, and controlling displacement of the stepping surface of the pedal device via said linking means such that the rotating shaft portion of said swinging link is moved toward a rear of the vehicle.

2. A supporting structure of a pedal device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said displacement controlling means has:

connecting means for connecting the rotating shaft portion and a load receiving portion which is disposed further toward a front of the vehicle than the pedal device and which is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle by receiving external force of a predetermined value or greater applied to the front portion of the vehicle, a rigidity of said connecting means in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle being set higher than a rigidity of said pedal bracket in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and

guiding means, provided at said pedal bracket, for guiding movement of the rotating shaft portion toward the rear of the vehicle.