Single cantilever spring pedal feel emulator
First Claim
1. A brake pedal assembly comprising:
- a housing;
a pedal arm having a first end and a second end;
a pad mounted on said first end of said pedal arm;
a pivot mount on said second end of said pedal arm for permitting said pedal arm to pivot about said pivot mount relative to said housing upon a brake application;
a shaped surface mounted on said housing;
a cantilever spring arm having a fixed end mounted on said housing and a free end opposite said fixed end, said spring arm extending along said pedal arm and continuously abutting said shaped surface;
a link extending between said spring arm and said pedal arm for operatively engaging said spring arm with said pedal arm such that said spring arm is deflected against said shaped surface by pivoting of the pedal arm about said pivot mount when the brake application is effected, and said spring arm diverges from said shaped surface to define a free length of said spring arm which varies as said pedal arm pivots, whereby said free length of said spring arm exerts a varying feedback force on said pedal arm which varies as a function of said free length of said spring arm.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A brake pedal assembly for a vehicle equipped with an electronic or “brake-by-wire” braking system includes a brake pedal feel emulator which mimics or emulates the pedal feel of a conventional hydraulic braking system. The brake pedal feel emulator includes a single cantilever spring which reacts against a shaped surface and is mounted such that the free end thereof applies a force to the brake pedal which varies as the point at which the spring diverges from the shaped surface changes in response to movement of the brake pedal. The free length of the spring is therefor varied as the pedal is depressed as a function of the shape of the shaped surface, so the force applied to the pedal may be designed to vary to emulate the feel of a conventional braking system.
37 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A brake pedal assembly comprising:
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a housing;
a pedal arm having a first end and a second end;
a pad mounted on said first end of said pedal arm;
a pivot mount on said second end of said pedal arm for permitting said pedal arm to pivot about said pivot mount relative to said housing upon a brake application;
a shaped surface mounted on said housing;
a cantilever spring arm having a fixed end mounted on said housing and a free end opposite said fixed end, said spring arm extending along said pedal arm and continuously abutting said shaped surface;
a link extending between said spring arm and said pedal arm for operatively engaging said spring arm with said pedal arm such that said spring arm is deflected against said shaped surface by pivoting of the pedal arm about said pivot mount when the brake application is effected, and said spring arm diverges from said shaped surface to define a free length of said spring arm which varies as said pedal arm pivots, whereby said free length of said spring arm exerts a varying feedback force on said pedal arm which varies as a function of said free length of said spring arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification