Adjustable pedal controller with obstruction detection

• US 6,739,212 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dura Global Technologies Incorporated (Dura Automotive Systems)
• Original Assignee: Dura Global Technologies Incorporated (Dura Automotive Systems)
• Inventors: Flynn, Charles Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCANULTY, TIMOTHY P
• Application Number:
  US09/748,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 795/12, 795/13, 795/60
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes an upper arm, a lower arm supported by the upper arm and operatively connected to the upper arm for selected movement relative to the upper arm, and a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the upper arm. A hall-effect sensor is located adjacent a drive screw and cooperates with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw to detect motion information. A controller receives the motion information and activates an electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower pedal arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to move the lower pedal arm in the other direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position.

Claims

1. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

a carrier;

a lower arm supported by the carrier and operatively connected to the carrier for selected movement relative to the carrier;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the carrier, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the lower arm and the carrier, a drive nut connected to the other of the lower arm and the carrier and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw to move the lower arm, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor positioned to detect motion information indicating movement of the lower arm upon rotation of the drive screw; and

a controller connected to the motor to selectively activate and deactivate the motor and connected to the sensor to receive the motion information from the sensor, the controller having a processor programmed to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to reverse direction of the electric motor upon engaging the first mechanical stop to move the lower arm in the other direction opposite the first direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position, wherein the home stop position and the travel stop position represent the mechanical limits of travel for the lower arm.

2. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to determine electronic limits of travel for the lower arm based on the mechanical limits of travel to reduce engagement with the first and second mechanical stops during movement of the lower arm.

3. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 2, wherein the controller compares a distance between the electronic limits of travel with a predetermined distance to determine if an undesired obstacle was engaged when determining the home stop position and the travel stop position.

4. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motion information includes distance information.

5. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 4, wherein the motion information includes velocity information and the processor is programmed to determine a stall condition based on the velocity information during movement of the lower arm.

6. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a hall-effect switch, a potentiometer, a linear hall-effect device, a linear potentiometer, and a current shunt.

7. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is located adjacent the drive screw.

8. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is a hall-effect switch cooperating with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw.

9. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second carrier;

a second lower arm supported by the second carrier and operatively connected to the second carrier for selected movement relative to the second carrier;

wherein the drive assembly is operatively connected to the second lower arm to selectively move the second lower arm relative to the second carrier, the drive assembly comprises a second drive screw connected to one of the second lower arm and the second carrier, a second drive nut connected to the other of the second lower arm and the second carrier and cooperating with the second drive screw such that the second drive nut travels along the second drive screw upon rotation of the second drive screw to move the second lower arm, and the electric motor is operatively connected to the second drive screw to selectively rotate the second drive screw;

a second sensor positioned to detect motion information indicating movement of the second arm upon rotation of the second drive screw; and

wherein the controller is connected to the second sensor to receive the motion information from the second sensor and the processor is programmed to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move both the first and second lower arms.

10. The adjustable pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines a total travel length after determining the home stop position and the travel stop position.

11. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

an upper arm;

a lower arm supported by the upper arm and operatively connected to the upper arm for selected movement relative to the upper arm;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the upper arm, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the upper and lower arms, a drive nut connected to the other of the upper and lower arms and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw to move the lower arm, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor positioned to detect motion information indicating movement of the lower arm upon rotation of the drive screw, the motion information including distance information and velocity information; and

a controller connected to the motor to selectively activate and deactivate the motor and to the sensor to receive the motion information from the sensor, the controller having a processor programmed to activate the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to reverse direction of the electric motor upon engaging the first mechanical stop to move the lower arm in the other direction opposite the first direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position, wherein the home stop position and the travel stop position represent the mechanical limits of travel for the lower arm, and to determine electronic limits of travel for the lower arm based on the mechanical limits of travel, and wherein the processor is programmed to selectively activate the electric motor to move the lower arm to a desired position between the electronic limits of travel, to determine stall conditions of the lower arm based on the velocity information during movement of the lower arm between the electronic limits of travel, and to reverse direction of movement of the lower arm when a stall condition is detected between the electronic limits of travel.

12. An adjustable pedal assembly comprising, in combination:

a carrier;

a lower arm supported by the carrier and operatively connected to the carrier for selected movement relative to the carrier;

a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the carrier, the drive assembly comprising a drive screw connected to one of the lower arm and the carrier, a drive nut connected to the other of the lower arm and the carrier and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw to move the lower arm, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw;

a sensor positioned to detect motion information indicating movement of the lower arm upon rotation of the drive screw;

a controller connected to the motor to selectively activate and deactivate the motor and to the sensor to receive the motion information, the controller having a processor programmed to selectively activate the electric motor to move the lower arm, to receive the motion information, and to determine stall conditions of the lower arm based on the motion information during movement of the lower arm;

wherein the controller determines stall conditions of the lower arm during movement of the lower arm in both forward and rearward directions;

wherein the processor is programmed to reverse direction of movement of the lower arm when a stall condition is detected between limits of travel of the lower arm; and

wherein the controller stops movement of the lower arm when another stall condition is detected after reversing direction of movement of the lower arm upon detecting the stall condition.