Manual adjustable pedal assembly

• US 7,530,289 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KSR IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: KSR Technologies Co.
• Inventors: O'Neill, Daniel, Willemsen, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridley; Richard W L
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAZ, THOMAS C
• Application Number:
  US11/038,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20050160869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 74512-514, 745/60
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/015 Arrangements for indicating the position of a controlling member means for continuously detecting pedal position G05G1/38; means for detecting position through tactile feedback G05G5/03
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/405 infinitely adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/00 Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator

Abstract

A manual adjustable pedal assembly includes a throttle pedal assembly having a throttle pedal adjustment mechanism and a brake pedal assembly having a brake pedal adjustment mechanism. The manual adjustable pedal assembly also includes a manual adjusting means having a rotatable adjustment means, an outer ring gear disposed in a center portion of the rotatable adjustment means, and a first inner gear and a second inner gear operatively in communication with the outer ring gear. The manual adjustable pedal assembly further includes a throttle drive cable, wherein one end of the throttle drive cable is operatively secured to the first inner gear, and the other end of the drive cable is secured to the throttle adjustment mechanism. The manual adjustable pedal assembly still further includes a brake drive cable, wherein one end of the brake drive cable is operatively secured to the second inner gear, and the other end of the drive cable is secured to the brake adjustment mechanism, for simultaneous adjustment of both the brake pedal and the throttle pedal.

Claims

1. A manual adjustable pedal assembly comprising:

a throttle pedal assembly having a mounting bracket, a swing plate pivotally attached to said mounting bracket, a pedal arm pivotally secured to said swing plate at a second throttle pivot axis which is below said first throttle pivot axis, a pedal pad secured to a lower end of said pedal arm, and a throttle pedal adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said throttle pedal pad and operatively connected to said swing plate third throttle pivot axis;

a brake pedal assembly having a brake pedal mounting bracket, a brake pedal arm pivotally supported by said brake pedal mounting bracket at a first brake pedal pivot axis, a brake pedal pad operatively secured to a lower end of said brake pedal arm, and a brake pedal adjustment mechanism, for adjusting a position of said brake pedal pad;

a manual adjusting means having a support bracket, a rotatable adjustment means supported by said adjusting means support bracket, an outer ring gear disposed in a center portion of said rotatable adjustment means, a gear support member extending from said adjusting means support bracket, a first inner gear and a second inner gear operatively supported on said gear support member and operatively in communication with said outer ring gear, and an integrally formed stopping means to limit travel of said rotatable adjustment means;

wherein said rotatable adjustment means is a wheel;

said integrally formed stopping means including said wheel having a solid interior surface that includes an integrally formed track with a spiral shape, a groove in a sidewall of said support bracket, a follower pin extending radially through said groove in said side wall of said support bracket, said follower pin being initially located at an outermost edge of said spiral track and dimensioned to travel through said integrally formed track and said groove in said side wall of said support bracket as said wheel is rotated, until said pin is stopped at an inner end of said spiral track to limit rotational movement of said wheel;

a throttle drive cable, wherein one end of said throttle drive cable is operatively secured to said first inner gear, and the other end of said drive cable is secured to said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism, for transmitting the rotary motion of said rotatable adjustment means to said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism; and

a brake drive cable, wherein one end of said brake drive cable is operatively secured to said second inner gear, and the other end of said drive cable is secured to said brake pedal adjustment mechanism, for transmitting the rotary motion of said rotatable adjustment means to said brake pedal adjustment mechanism for simultaneous adjustment of said brake pedal and said throttle pedal.

2. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein said brake pedal adjustment mechanism includes a first support member pivotally supported by said brake support bracket at said first brake pivot axis and a second support member suspended on said first support member, such that said brake pedal arm is positioned within said first support member and said second support member, a screw rod operatively supported by said first brake support member at one end and said second brake support member at an other end, a nut slidingly disposed on said screw rod and operatively connected to said brake pedal arm.

3. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer gear is disposed between said first inner gear and said second inner gear, and said first inner gear and said second inner gear are bevel gears, and said first and said second gear have an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said rotatable adjustment means.

4. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an electronic position sensing means operatively mounted to said throttle pedal assembly at said second pivot axis, wherein movement of said pedal arm about said second pivot point produces an electronic signal proportional to a position of said pedal arm.

5. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a front face plate mounted to the vehicle, wherein said front face plate includes an aperture for receiving said rotatable adjustment means therethrough;

a side wall extending rearwardly from said front face plate, wherein said rotatable adjustment means is operatively supported between said side walls of said front face plate; and

a back face plate positioned adjacent each side wall of the front face plate and secured to the front face plate.

6. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein said rotatable adjustment means is a thumbwheel.

7. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 1 wherein said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism includes a trunnion pivotally supported on said throttle pedal mounting bracket, a screw rod operatively supported by said trunnion, and a guide nut slidingly disposed on said screw rod for pivotally adjusting said swing plate at a third non-fixed throttle pivot axis, which is below said first throttle pivot axis and said second throttle pivot axis.

8. A manual adjustable pedal assembly comprising:

a throttle pedal assembly having a mounting bracket with a pair of upper arms extending radially from an upper end of said mounting bracket, a swing plate pivotally supported between said upper arms at a first throttle pedal pivot axis, a pedal arm pivotally secured to said swing plate at a second throttle pivot axis which is below said first throttle pivot axis, a pedal pad secured to a lower end of said pedal arm, and a throttle pedal adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said throttle pedal pad, wherein said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism includes a trunnion pivotally supported on said throttle pedal mounting bracket, a screw rod operatively supported by said trunnion, and a guide nut slidingly disposed on said screw rod for pivotally adjusting said swing plate at a third non-fixed throttle pivot axis, which is below said first throttle pivot axis and said second throttle pivot axis;

a brake pedal assembly having a brake pedal mounting bracket, a brake pedal arm pivotally supported by said brake pedal mounting bracket at a first brake pedal pivot axis, a brake pedal pad operatively secured to a lower end of said brake pedal arm, and a brake pedal adjustment mechanism, wherein said brake pedal adjustment mechanism includes a first support member pivotally supported by said brake support bracket at said first brake pivot axis and a second support member suspended on said first support member, such that said brake pedal arm is positioned within said first support member and said second support member, a screw rod operatively supported by said first brake support member at one end and said second brake support member at an other end, a nut slidingly disposed on said screw rod and operatively connected to said brake pedal arm;

a manual adjusting means having a support bracket, a rotatable adjustment means supported by said adjusting means support bracket, an outer ring gear disposed in a center portion of said rotatable adjustment means, a gear support member extending from said adjusting means support bracket, a first inner gear and a second inner gear operatively supported on said support member and operatively in communication with said outer ring gear, and an integrally formed stopping means to limit travel of said rotatable adjustment means;

wherein said rotatable adjustment means is a wheel;

said integrally formed stopping means including said wheel having a solid interior surface that includes an integrally formed track with a spiral shape, a groove in a sidewall of said support bracket, a follower pin extending radially through said groove in said side wall of said support bracket, said follower pin being initially located at an outermost edge of said spiral track and dimensioned to travel through said integrally formed track and said groove in said side wall of said support bracket as said wheel is rotated, until said pin is stopped at an inner end of said spiral track to limit rotational movement of said wheel;

a throttle drive cable, wherein one end of said throttle drive cable is operatively secured to said first inner gear, and the other end of said drive cable is secured to said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism, for transmitting the rotary motion of said rotatable adjustment means to said throttle pedal adjustment mechanism; and

a brake drive cable, wherein one end of said brake drive cable is operatively secured to said second inner gear, and the other end of said drive cable is secured to said brake pedal adjustment mechanism, for transmitting the rotary motion of said rotatable adjustment means to said brake pedal adjustment mechanism for simultaneous adjustment of said brake pedal and said throttle pedal.

9. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 8 wherein said outer gear is disposed between said first inner gear and said second inner gear, and said first inner gear and said second inner gear are bevel gears, and said first and said second gear have an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said rotatable adjustment means.

10. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

an electronic position sensing means operatively mounted to said throttle pedal assembly at said second pivot axis, wherein movement of said pedal arm about said second pivot axis produces an electronic signal proportional to a position of said pedal arm.

11. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

a front face plate mounted to the vehicle, wherein said front face plate includes an aperture for receiving said rotatable adjustment means therethrough;

a side wall extending rearwardly from said front face plate, wherein said rotatable adjustment means is operatively supported between said side walls of said front face plate; and

a back face plate positioned adjacent each side wall of the front face plate and secured to the front face plate.

12. The manual adjustable pedal assembly of claim 8 wherein said rotatable adjustment means is a thumbwheel.