Vehicle accessory pedal and method

• US 7,516,811 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Kolpasky, Kevin G., Embach, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Application Number:
  US11/063,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060185925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 180/333, 180/315, 745/12, 701/49
• US Class Current: 180/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated

Abstract

The present invention includes a foot-operated accessory pedal located on the floor area of a vehicle interior. The accessory pedal is depressible to activate one of a plurality of vehicle functions. Further included with the present invention is a hand-operated input device operative to assign which of the plurality of vehicle functions the accessory pedal will influence upon selective depressions. Moreover, a display unit is included operative to indicate which of the plurality of vehicle functions the accessory pedal is operative to influence.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior having a floor area;

a gas pedal;

a brake pedal;

an accessory pedal mounted with respect to said floor area of said vehicle interior;

a control unit operable for controlling a plurality of vehicular accessories;

wherein said accessory pedal is selectively depressible independently of said gas pedal and said brake pedal to thereby send a first signal from said accessory pedal to said control unit, wherein said first signal activates a preselected accessory of said plurality of vehicular accessories; and

an input device mounted with respect to said vehicle interior and operable for sending a second signal to said control unit, wherein said second signal instructs said control unit to assign one of said plurality of vehicular accessories to said first signal received from said accessory pedal to thereby select said preselected accessory;

wherein said accessory pedal is accessible to an operator of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said input device includes a ring-shaped member, said ring-shaped member being rotatable about an axis;

and

wherein said control unit is configured such that rotation of said ring-shaped member operates to send said second signal to said control unit.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to receive a third signal from said control unit, said third signal being operable for indicating said predetermined one of said plurality of vehicular accessories.

4. A multi-function control system use with a vehicle having a brake pedal and a gas pedal, the multi-function control system controlling a plurality of vehicle accessories, comprising:

a foot-operated accessory pedal for activating a preselected accessory of the plurality of vehicle accessories;

a hand-operated input device for selecting said pre-selected accessory from among the plurality of vehicle accessories, said hand-operated input device including a rotatable ring-shaped member; and

a control unit connectable to each of the plurality of vehicle accessories and operable for enabling said foot-operated accessory pedal to activate said pre-selected accessory in response to a depression of said foot-operated accessory pedal;

wherein the plurality of vehicle accessories includes at least one of;

a windshield wiper, a radio, a seat heater, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, head lights, a sunroof, power windows, and an alternator of the vehicle.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein said foot-operated accessory pedal is selectively depressible to thereby send a first signal from said foot-operated pedal to said control unit, wherein said first signal activate activates said pre-selected accessory.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein said hand-operated input device is operable for sending a second signal to said control unit, wherein said second signal instructs said control unit to assign as said pre-selected accessory one of said plurality of accessories to said first signal received from said foot-operated accessory pedal.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein said ring-shaped member is rotatable about an axis;

and

wherein said control unit is configured such that rotation of said ring-shaped member operates to send said second signal to said control unit.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a display unit configured to receive a third signal from said control unit, said third signal operable to indicate said pre-selected accessory as the assigned said one of said plurality of accessories.

9. A vehicle having a brake pedal for braking of the vehicle and a gas pedal for accelerating the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a first vehicular accessory characterized by a first variable characteristic;

a second vehicular accessory characterized by a second variable characteristic, said first and said second vehicular accessory being selected from the group consisting of;

a windshield wiper, a radio, a seat heater, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, head lights, a sunroof, power windows, and an alternator of the vehicle;

a control unit operable to control the first and second variable characteristics;

an accessory pedal that is selectively depressible independently of each of the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, said accessory pedal being configured to transmit a first signal to the control unit when said accessory pedal is depressed; and

an input device operatively connected to the control unit and operable for instructing the control unit to assign one of the first and second variable characteristics to the first signal received from the accessory pedal;

wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first variable characteristic to change in response to the first signal being assigned to the first variable characteristic; and

wherein the control unit is configured to cause the second variable characteristic to change in response to the first signal being assigned to the second variable characteristic.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said input device includes a ring-shaped member, said ring-shaped member being rotatable about an axis;

and

wherein said control unit is configured such that rotation of the ring-shaped member operates to send a second signal to said control unit.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising:

a display unit configured to receive a third signal from said control unit, said third signal being operative to indicate the assigned said one of said first variable characteristic and second variable characteristic.