Integrated lever assembly

• US 6,513,407 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quasar Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lattimore & Tessmer, Inc.
• Inventors: Higgins, Kenneth Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG HWA
• Application Number:
  US09/668,619
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 745/12--14, 745/60--62, 745/941, 72/55, 723/67
• US Class Current: 74/560
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A lever assembly is disclosed which is formed from a one piece, longitudinally oriented, hollow metal tubular member integrally formed with a first end, a second end, and a central section in between. A clevis is integrally formed in the first end. The clevis portion has a pair of spaced apart walls and an integral projection extending from each of the spaced apart walls. Additionally, the assembly has an integrally formed foot engaging portion extending from the second end.

Claims

1. A lever assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a one-piece, longitudinally extending, metal tubular member having an outerwall, an integrally formed first end, an integrally formed opposite second end, and an integrally formed center section between said first and second ends, said first end having a pair of spaced apart walls;

an integral projection extending from the surface of at least one of said pair of spaced apart walls; and

said second end comprising a top surface and a structural support portion located below said top surface, said structural support portion further comprising a pair of spaced apart sections and an intermediate section in between said pair of spaced apart sections, said pair of spaced apart sections disposed between said top surface and said intermediate section.

2. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

at least one surface on said center section, said at least one surface being adapted to provide at least one mounting device.

3. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pair of spaced apart sections are coplanar.

4. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said integral projection has an inner surface formed by pressurized fluid.

5. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one-piece metal longitudinally extending tubular member is formed by a metal process selected from a group consisting of hydroforming and Thixomolding®

.

6. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metal member is selected from a group consisting of steel, aluminum, magnesium and stainless steel alloy.

7. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one-piece metal tube is formed by pressure exceeding 0.5 MPa pressure.

8. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein said integral projection has a flat portion on said inner surface.

9. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metal tubular member is formed into an outer shape selected from a group consisting of rectangular, triangular, I-beam, box square, oval, round and polygonal.

10. A lever assembly adapted for use in vehicles, said lever assembly comprising:

a one-piece metal longitudinally extending tubular member having an integrally formed clevis portion disposed at a first end of said member, an integrally formed foot engaging portion disposed at a second end of said member and an integrally formed center portion disposed between said first end and said second end of said tubular member; and

an integral projection extending traversely of the surface of said longitudinally extending tubular member, said integral projection having a portion forming an aperture and an inner surface;

wherein said second end being formed into a generally Y-shaped member, said Y-shaped member having a first portion, a second portion spaced apart from said first portion, a planar portion between said first portion and said second portion, and an intermediate portion opposite to said planar portion to provide structural support to said first and second spaced apart portions.

11. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a pedal pad connected by engagement means to said Y-shaped member.

12. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said planar portion having a surface selected from a group consisting of a plurality of regular ridges and a plurality of irregular surface ridges.

13. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said center portion having an actuator aperture and contact surfaces for the actuation of a switch.

14. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said center portion having a portion forming an actuator aperture, said aperture having an inner surface being selected from a group consisting of round, oval, elliptical, triangular, square, rectangular, polygonal and a flat on an inner diameter.

15. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said tubular member is formed into an outer shape selected from a group consisting of rectangular, elliptical, triangular, I-beam, box square, oval, round and polygonal.

16. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pressurized fluid process exceeds 0.5 MPa pressure.

17. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said integral projection having an irregular shaped inner surface formed by pressurized fluid.

18. A lever assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pressurized fluid process is selected from a group consisting of hydroforming and Thixomolding®

.