Moveable control pedal assembly

• US 7,370,554 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Closures Company Limited (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Closures Company Limited (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Olichwier, Richard, Djordjevic, Nebojsa
• Primary Examiner(s): Fenstermacher; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson; Matthew A.
• Application Number:
  US10/578,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20070039404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 745/12, 745/13, 745/14, 745/60, 745/42
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/06 Disposition of pedal
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A moveable control pedal assembly includes a pedal carriage to which a pedal arm is mounted. The pedal carriage can be moved forward and backward via threaded extender rods which engage the pedal carriage to move it along the extender rods when they are rotated. A threaded control rod, extending between the pedal arm and a control device, such as a hydraulic cylinder or control cable, rotates with the extender rods and allows movement of the pedal carriage and pedal arm without altering the mechanical advantage provided by the pedal arm and without altering the lateral positioning of the control rod.

Claims

1. A control pedal assembly moveable toward and away from a vehicle operator, comprising:

a mounting bracket;

at least one pedal arm;

a pedal carriage to which the pedal arm is pivotally attached;

an extender mechanism connected to the mounting bracket and including;

at least one extender rod having a threaded portion and a portion engaged to a first driven gear, the threaded portion of the extender rod engaging a complementary threaded bore in a bushing attached to the pedal carriage, the extender rod being substantially prevented from lateral movement;

a control rod having a threaded portion and a portion to engage a second driven gear, the threaded portion of the control rod engaging a complementary threaded bore in a bushing directly attached to the pedal arm, the portion engaging the second driven gear being laterally movable through the second driven gear and the end distal the threaded portion actuating a mechanism to be controlled; and

a driver gear engaging the first and second driven gears such that, when the driver gear is rotated in a first direction by a driving means, the pedal carriage is moved toward the mounting bracket and when the driver gear is rotated in a second direction by the driving means, the pedal carriage is moved away from the mounting bracket.

2. The control pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein said extender mechanism includes two extender rods and the pedal carriage includes two bushings, each bushing having a threaded bore and engaging a different one of the two extender rods.

3. The control pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein the driving means includes a DC motor.

4. The control pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein the driving means includes a cable drive driven by a DC motor.

5. The control pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing directly attached to the pedal arm is rotatably mounted to the pedal arm.