Structure for controlling displacement of vehicle pedal

• US 6,006,626 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamada, Hideki, Notake, Jirou, Kato, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, VINH
• Application Number:
  US08/857,253
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 74/512, 74/513, 74/560, 74/522, 74/561, 74/562, 180/274, 180/275
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/02 for main transmission clutches
• 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: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal includes: a pedal bracket supporting a rotating shaft portion of a suspended-type vehicle pedal, a front end portion of the pedal bracket being joined to a first vehicle structural member which deforms substantially toward a rear of a vehicle when an external force of a predetermined value or greater is applied to a front portion of the vehicle, and a rear end portion of the pedal bracket being joined to a second vehicle structural member which is disposed at a substantially vehicle rear side of the first vehicle structural member; a separating device for canceling a joined state of the rear end portion of the pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member by the pedal bracket being displaced substantially toward the rear of the vehicle, so as to separate the rear end portion of the pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member; and a displacement controlling device disposed in a vicinity of the rear end portion of the pedal bracket, for controlling displacement of a stepping surface of the vehicle pedal by regulating displacement, in a substantially vehicle transverse direction, of the rear end portion of the pedal bracket which rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a vehicle pedal including a rotating shaft portion and a stepping surface;

a pedal bracket supporting the rotating shaft portion of the vehicle pedal, a front end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a first vehicle structural member and a rear end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a second vehicle structural member which is disposed at a vehicle rear side of the first vehicle structural member;

separating means for disconnecting the connected rear end portion of said pedal bracket from the second vehicle structural member when an external force of a predetermined value or greater is applied to a front portion of the vehicle, which causes the first vehicle structural member to deform in a direction toward a rear portion of the vehicle such that said pedal bracket is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle, so as to separate and disconnect the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member; and

displacement controlling means, disposed at the rear end portion of said pedal bracket, for controlling displacement of the stepping surface of the vehicle pedal by regulating displacement, in a vehicle transverse direction, of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member.

2. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 1, wherein said displacement controlling means is a regulating means which is inclined outwardly in a vehicle transverse direction with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle, and which is positioned to interfere with movement of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member.

3. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 2, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined in a direction toward a bottom of the vehicle with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

4. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 1, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined toward a bottom of the vehicle with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

5. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 1, wherein said displacement controlling means is a guide means which guides the rear end portion of said pedal bracket, when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member, outwardly in a vehicle transverse direction with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

6. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 5, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined in a direction toward a bottom of the vehicle with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

7. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 1, wherein said displacement controlling means is a pushing means which bridges the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and a vehicle body, said pushing means applying pushing force in a direction toward a substantially vehicle transverse direction outer side to the rear end side of said pedal bracket by swinging around a region at which said pushing means is joined to the vehicle body.

8. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 7, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined substantially toward a bottom of the vehicle substantially along a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

9. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 1, wherein said displacement controlling means is a regulating means in which an angle of inclination, with respect to the substantially vehicle transverse direction, of a wall surface of a rear portion wall of said regulating means is set greater than an angle of inclination, with respect to the substantially vehicle transverse direction, of a wall surface of a front portion wall of said regulating means.

10. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 9, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined substantially toward a bottom of the vehicle substantially along a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

11. A structure comprising:

a vehicle pedal including a rotating shaft portion and a stepping surface;

a pedal bracket supporting the rotating shaft portion of the vehicle pedal, a front end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a first vehicle structural member and a rear end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a second vehicle structural member which is disposed at a vehicle rear side of the first vehicle structural member;

separating means for disconnecting the connected rear end portion of said pedal bracket from the second vehicle structural member when an external force of a predetermined value or greater is applied to a front portion of the vehicle, which causes the first vehicle structural member to deform in a direction toward a rear portion of the vehicle such that said pedal bracket is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle, so as to separate and disconnect the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member; and

regulating means, disposed at the rear end portion of said pedal bracket, for controlling displacement of the stepping surface of the vehicle pedal by regulating displacement, in a vehicle transverse direction, of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member, said regulating means being inclined outwardly toward a vehicle transverse direction with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle, and positioned to interfere with movement of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member.

12. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 11, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structure member are inclined in a direction toward a bottom of the vehicle with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

13. A structure comprising:

a vehicle pedal including a rotating shaft portion and a stepping surface;

a pedal bracket supporting the rotating shaft portion of the vehicle pedal, a front end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a first vehicle structural member and a rear end portion of said pedal bracket connected to a second vehicle structural member which is disposed at a vehicle rear side of the first vehicle structural member;

separating means for disconnecting the connected rear end portion of said pedal bracket from the second vehicle structural member when an external force of a predetermined value or greater is applied to a front portion of the vehicle which causes the first vehicle structural member to deform in a direction toward a rear portion of the vehicle such that said pedal bracket is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle, so as to separate and disconnect the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structure member; and

guide means, disposed at the rear end portion of said pedal bracket, for controlling displacement of the stepping surface of the vehicle pedal by regulating displacement, in a vehicle transverse direction, of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member, said guide means guiding the rear end portion of said pedal bracket, when the rear end portion has been separated from the second vehicle structural member, outwardly in a vehicle transverse direction with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.

14. A structure for controlling displacement of a vehicle pedal according to claim 13, wherein joined surfaces of the rear end portion of said pedal bracket and the second vehicle structural member are inclined toward a bottom of the vehicle with respect to a direction toward the rear of the vehicle.