Pedal reaction force device

• US 7,228,758 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Iron Works Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Iron Works Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, VINH
• Application Number:
  US10/777,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 745/12, 745/16, 745/18, 745/60, 745/67, 745/69, 192/99.S, 913/692
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/05 Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2101 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2107 Follower

Abstract

In a pedal reaction force device, a pedaling reaction force is applied to an operating pedal on the basis of a displacement magnitude and a variation speed of the displacement magnitude by a damper device and a spring member which are mechanically displaced in accordance with a pedaling operation of the operating pedal. The variation pattern of the displacement magnitude, that is, variation characteristics of the pedaling reaction force, are mechanically set by a cam.

Claims

1. A pedal reaction force device for applying a prescribed reaction force to an operating pedal to be depressed by pedaling, comprising:

a reaction force generating unit for applying a pedaling reaction force to said operating pedal on the basis of displacement due to said operating pedal being mechanically displaced in accordance with a pedaling operation;

a displacement characteristics regulating mechanism disposed between said reaction force generating unit and said operating pedal, which transmits said reaction force to said operating pedal, and simultaneously mechanically non-linearly sets a variation pattern of displacement magnitude of said reaction force generating unit with respect to a pedaling stroke of said operating pedal;

said reaction force generating unit comprising;

(i) a damper device for applying the pedaling reaction force to said operating pedal on the basis of circulation resistance of a fluid sealed in said damper device by being mechanically compressed or tensioned in accordance with the pedaling operation of the operating pedal;

(ii) a spring member for applying the pedaling reaction force to said operating pedal on the basis of resilient deformation by being mechanically and resiliently deformed in accordance with the pedaling operation of said operating pedal,

the pedaling reaction force of the damper device differing according to the pedaling; and

the spring member being a coil spring substantially concentrically disposed radially outward of the damper device so as to surround the damper device and being compressed and tensioned integral with the damper device in accordance with the pedaling operation of the operating pedal.

2. A pedal reaction force device according to claim 1, wherein said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism intervenes between said damper device and said spring member and said operating pedal.

3. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 2, wherein a variation pattern of displacement magnitude of said spring member and said damper device is defined by a single displacement characteristics regulating mechanism.

4. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 3, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by the pedaling operation, said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism is a cam whose dimension from said support shaft is continuously varied and which is turned around said support shaft in an integrated manner with said operating pedal, and said reaction force generating unit is engaged with said cam and is displaced in accordance with the variation pattern corresponding to a profile of a cam surface.

5. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 3, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by a pedaling operation, and

said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism comprises

a rocking lever which is pivotally disposed around a rocking shaft parallel to said support shaft and is connected to said reaction force generating unit;

and

an interlocking mechanism which is disposed over both said rocking lever and said operating pedal and mechanically displaces said reaction force generating unit in a prescribed variation pattern by rocking said rocking lever in response to the pedaling stroke of said operating pedal.

6. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 2, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by the pedaling operation, said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism is a cam whose dimension from said support shaft is continuously varied and which is turned around said support shaft in an integrated manner with said operating pedal, and said reaction force generating unit is engaged with said cam and is displaced in accordance with a variation pattern corresponding to a profile of a cam surface.

7. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 2, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by a pedaling operation, and

said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism comprises

a rocking lever which is pivotally disposed around a rocking shaft parallel to said support shaft and is connected to said reaction force generating unit;

and

an interlocking mechanism which is disposed over both said rocking lever and said operating pedal and mechanically displaces said reaction force generating unit in a prescribed variation pattern by rocking said rocking lever in response to the pedaling stroke of said operating pedal.

8. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 1, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by the pedaling operation, said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism is a cam whose dimension from said support shaft is continuously varied and which is turned around said support shaft in an integrated manner with said operating pedal, and said reaction force generating unit is engaged with said cam and is displaced in accordance with a variation pattern corresponding to a profile of a cam surface.

9. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 1, wherein said operating pedal is turned around a substantially horizontal support shaft by a pedaling operation, and

said displacement characteristics regulating mechanism comprises

a rocking lever which is pivotally disposed around a rocking shaft parallel to said support shaft and is connected to said reaction force generating unit;

and

an interlocking mechanism which is disposed over both said rocking lever and said operating pedal and mechanically displaces said reaction force generating unit in a prescribed variation pattern by rocking said rocking lever in response to the pedaling stroke of said operating pedal.

10. The pedal reaction force device according to claim 1, wherein the pedal reaction force device is applied to an electric pedal device.