Electronically controlled pedal assembly having a hysteresis generating structure

• US 20020174738A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wabash Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated
• Inventors: Menzies, Bradley C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,575,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/513
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/42 non-pivoting, e.g. sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A pedal assembly (10) having a housing (12) and a pedal arm (14) pivotally connected to the housing (12) for movement between a rest position and an operative position. A pair of springs (38, 40) are mounted within the housing (12). The springs (38, 40) have first distal ends (42, 46) seated against the housing (12) and second distal ends (44, 48) engaging a second end (20) of the pedal arm (14) to provide resistance during the movement of the pedal arm (14). A cap (60) is disposed over the second end (20) of the pedal arm (14). The pedal assembly (10) is characterized by the cap (60) including a first portion (62) and a second portion (64) with the second distal ends (44, 48) of the springs (38, 40) engaging the cap (60). The second portion (64) of the cap (60) is movable relative to the first portion (62) of the cap (60) when the pedal arm (14) moves between the rest and operative positions such that the first (62) and second (64) portions engage an inner surface (28) of the housing (12) to provide increased resistance during the movement of the pedal arm (14).

Claims

1. A pedal assembly (10) comprising:

a housing (12) having at least one inner surface (28);

a pedal arm (14) pivotally connected to said housing (12) for movement between a rest position and an operative position, said pedal arm (14) having a first end (16) and a second end (20);

a resilient member (38) partially received within said housing (12), said resilient member (38) having a first distal end (42) and a second distal end (44) with said first distal end (42) seated against said housing (12) and said second distal end (44) engaging said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14) to provide resistance during said movement of said pedal arm (14); and

a cap (60) at least partially disposed over said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14);

said assembly characterized by said cap (60) including a first portion (62) and a second portion (64) with said second distal end (44) of said resilient member (38) engaging at least one of said first (62) and second (64) portions of said cap (60), said second portion (64) being movable relative to said first portion (62) when said pedal arm (14) moves between said rest and operative positions such that at least one of said first (62) and second (64) portions engages said inner surface (28) of said housing (12) to provide increased resistance during said movement of said pedal arm (14).

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first (62) and second (64) portions of said cap (60) include a bearing wall (66) with at least one of said bearing walls (66) engaging said inner surface (28) of said housing (12) during said movement of said pedal arm (14).

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said inner surface (28) of said housing (12) includes an integral channel (30) with said at least one of said bearing walls (66) sliding within said channel (30) during said movement of said pedal arm (14).

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further including a movement device disposed between said bearing walls (66) of said first (62) and second (64) portions for selectively moving said bearing walls (66) inwardly and outwardly relative to each other as said pedal arm (14) moves between said rest and operative positions.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said movement device is further defined as a ramped section (68) extending from each of said bearing walls (66) of said portions such that said second portion (64) can slide relative to said first portion (62) to move said bearing walls (66) inwardly and outwardly relative to each other.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said movement device is further defined as a wedge (70) extending from each of said bearing walls (66) of said portions, said wedges (70) having interengaging ramped sections (68) such that said wedge (70) of said second portion (64) can slide relative to said wedge (70) of said first portion (62) to move said bearing walls (66) inwardly and outwardly relative to each other.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ramped sections (68) of said wedges (70) extends outwardly at 45°

from said bearing walls (66).

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14) includes a notch (72) and said wedge (70) of said second portion (64) seats within said notch (72) when said first (62) and second (64) portions are mounted to said pedal arm (14).

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said wedge (70) of said second portion (64) includes a rib (74) at each end thereof for providing a press fit between said wedge (70) and said notch (72).

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first portion (62) includes at least one cam lobe (76) having an integral groove with said second distal end (44) of said resilient member (38) being retained within said groove of said cam lobe (76).

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first portion (62) includes a first connector (80) and said second portion (64) includes a second connector (82) engaging said first connector (80), said first (80) and second (82) connectors are slideably interconnected to secure said first portion (62) to said second portion (64).

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first connector (80) is further defined as a male projection (80) and said second connector (82) is further defined as a female slot (82) for accepting said male projection (80) when said first (62) and second (64) portions are mounted onto said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14).

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14) includes a distal portion and wherein said bearing walls (66) of said first (62) and second (64) portions extend outwardly and substantially encompass said distal portion of said second end (20) of said pedal arm (14).

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said distal portion of said second end (20) is enclosed within said housing (12).

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 further including a partition (32) mounted within said housing (12) with one of said bearing walls (66) engaging said partition (32) and the other of said bearing walls (66) engaging said inner surface (28) of said housing (12) to provide said increased resistance.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member (38) is further defined as a first resilient member (38) and further including a second resilient member (40) partially received within said housing (12).

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second resilient member (40) includes a first distal end (46) and a second distal end (48) with said first distal end (46) seated against said housing (12) and said second distal end (48) of said second resilient member (40) engaging at least one of said first (62) and second (64) portions of said cap (60) to provide additional resistance during said movement of said pedal arm (14).

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said housing (12) includes a first curved recess (50) and said first resilient member (38) includes an outer surface, said first resilient member (38) being partially received within said first curved recess (50) such that said outer surface is forced into frictional contact with a portion of said first curved recess (50) during said movement of said pedal arm (14) between said rest and operative positions thereby reducing a biasing force of said first resilient member (38) on said pedal arm (14).

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said housing (12) includes a second curved recess (52) and said second resilient member (40) includes an outer surface, said second resilient member (40) being partially received within said second curved recess (52) such that said outer surface is forced into frictional contact with a portion of said second curved recess (52) during said movement of said pedal arm (14) between said rest and operative positions thereby reducing a biasing force of said second resilient member (40) on said pedal arm (14).

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said first portion (62) includes a first cam lobe (76) having a first integral groove with said second distal end (44) of said first resilient member (38) retained within said first integral groove of said first cam lobe (76).

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first portion (62) includes a second cam lobe (78) having a second integral groove with said second distal end (48) of said second resilient member (40) retained within said second integral groove of said second cam lobe (78).

22. An assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said second cam lobe (78) is positioned in an upward stepped relation to said first cam lobe (76).

23. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including an electronic control sensor (54) supported by said housing (12) for generating an electric control signal that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extent of movement of said pedal arm (14) relative to said housing (12).

24. An assembly as set forth in claim 23 further including a shaft (22) mounted to said housing (12) with said pedal arm (14) mounted to said shaft (22) to define a pivot axis of said pedal arm (14).

25. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said pedal arm (14) is further defined as an accelerator pedal arm (14) with said accelerator pedal arm (14) and said control sensor (54) being pivotally mounted on said shaft (22) for concurrent movement about said pivot axis to generate an electronic control signal that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extent of movement of said accelerator pedal arm (14).

26. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said control sensor (54) includes a sensor arm (56) mounted to said shaft (22) for pivotal movement with said pedal arm (14) about said common pivot axis.

27. An assembly as set forth in claim 26 further including a sensing plate (58) mounted within said housing (12) for interacting with said sensor arm (56).

28. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a pedal pad (18) mounted to said first end (16) of said pedal arm (14).