Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Foot rests
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-21
2001-11-06
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Foot rests
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312039
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is in the field of ergonomic devices, and has particular application in providing an improved ergonomic environment for a user driving a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention provided is designed to alleviate problems related to the incorrect positioning of the leg and foot of a user while driving a recreational vehicle or similar vehicle. A recreational vehicle, commonly referred to as motor home or by its acronym RV, is a van or utility vehicle used for recreational purposes, such as camping, and such vehicles are often equipped with living facilities.
The type of recreational vehicle described above is typically much larger in overall dimensions and weight and provides a greater clearance between the bottom of the chassis of the vehicle and the ground than that of a typical passenger vehicle. The larger dimensions of the recreational vehicle are necessary to accommodate the many features and facilities that are often present, and to allow persons within to freely move about the cabin area in a more upright standing position. The increased ground clearance is caused by greater resistance provided by a stiffer suspension system providing for travel in off-road areas, for example, that contain obstacles on or protruding from the ground that may otherwise prohibit a vehicle with lower ground clearance to safely pass. The stiffer suspension system is also necessary for bearing the additional weight of a large vehicle of the type described above.
The type of vehicle described above also typically has an accelerator pedal and brake pedal mounted pivotally to the floor in front of the driver's seat and in a forward position close to the firewall. The pedals are connected by various means to apparatus extending beyond the firewall and connected to other apparatus for the purpose of manually operating the accelerator and braking functions of the vehicle. The vehicle described also typically has a seat mounted to the floor of the vehicle in a position that allows the driver, when seated forward, to obtain forward and side views of the areas inside and outside the vehicle, and to actuate the steering wheel and accelerator and brake pedals as well as other controls necessary for operating the vehicle.
The seat upon which the driver sits when in such a vehicle is typically higher in dimensions, and often mounted to the floor in a position closer to the front firewall and accelerator and brake pedals of the vehicle than might be expected in a regular passenger vehicle. The forward mounting position of the seat is necessary to provide the seated driver a position close enough to the windshield to allow an adequate view over the dashboard, through the windshield and down to the ground or pavement outside the vehicle. A forward mounting position of the seat as described above is typical in such a vehicle with greater ground clearance and overall dimensions.
One problem with a forward mounting position of a driver's seat as described above is that the position the foot must assume when placed and held upon the accelerator or brake pedal by the seated driver of the vehicle. For example, the close proximity of the seat to the pedals in such a vehicle causes the seated driver, while driving the vehicle, to hold the foot at an acute angle in order to properly place it on the accelerator pedal and maintain best leverage. Holding the foot at such an angle for an extended period of time causes difficult strain on certain muscles of the foot and leg, resulting in fatigue and adversely effecting the safe operation of the vehicle. Also, the heel of the driver's foot, being held at such an acute angle for an extended time, will tend to slide back along the floor away from the pedal as a natural way of relieving the acute angle and fatigue, resulting in the foot being in a position that does not allow the optimum leverage point when resting on the pedal, therefore causing a potentially hazardous condition.
What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus that prevents the heel from sliding back, and also relieves the acute angle at which the foot is held, and the resulting muscle fatigue, when a driver while driving a recreational or similar large vehicle as previously described places the heel of the foot on the floor and the ball of the foot on a pedal as in the conventional manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an accelerator block for supporting a driver's foot in application to an accelerator pedal of a vehicle to provide an ergonomically desirable position is provided, comprising a body having a height for supporting the driver's foot above a floor of the vehicle immediately before the accelerator pedal; an interface for fastening the body to the floor, and a shoulder facing toward the accelerator for restraining the driver's foot from moving away from the accelerator. In some embodiments the shoulder is radiused concave toward the accelerator for restraining the driver's foot from moving laterally relative to the accelerator pedal.
In various embodiments the accelerator block may be a hollow unit fashioned of relatively thin-walled material, and may further comprise lines or grooves substantially parallel with a floor line, for aid in trimming a block to a desired height. The body may be rectangular or substantially cylindrical with a central cylindrical axis parallel with the height of the body. The block may be a hollow cylinder formed of a relatively thin-walled material.
In various embodiments the interface for fastening may take several different forms, such as screw holes for fastening screws. There may be, for example, one vertically-oriented hole for a sheet metal screw of sufficient length to pass through the body and fasten the body to the floor of the vehicle.
In an alternative embodiment, in a vehicle having an accelerator pedal and a floor before the accelerator pedal, a method is provided for providing an ergonomically advantageous position for a driver's foot and leg, comprising steps of (a) supporting the driver's foot in front of the accelerator pedal by placing a heel of the foot on an accelerator block fastened to the floor; and (b) cradling the heel against a shoulder on an upper surface of the accelerator block.
In still another embodiment a method for providing an ergonomically-advantageous position for a vehicle driver's foot and leg is disclosed, comprising steps of (a) fashioning an accelerator block with a body having a height for supporting the driver's foot above a floor of the vehicle immediately before an accelerator pedal; (b) fastening the body to the floor of the vehicle before the accelerator pedal; and (c) positioning a heel of the driver's foot on the accelerator block, thereby providing a larger angle between the driver's foot and leg than would attain without the presence of the block.
In this method there may be a step for retaining the driver's heel in a radiused shoulder, concave toward the accelerator, restraining the driver's foot from moving laterally relative to the accelerator pedal. The accelerator block in this method may be a hollow unit fashioned of relatively thin-walled material, and may have lines or grooves substantially parallel with a floor line, for aid in trimming a block to a desired height.
In some cases the body may be substantially cylindrical with a central cylindrical axis parallel with the height of the body. The cylindrical block may be a hollow cylinder formed of a relatively thin-walled material. The interface for fastening may comprise at least one vertically-oriented hole for a sheet metal screw of sufficient length to pass through the body and fasten the body to the floor of the vehicle.
In various embodiments of the invention, taught in enabling detail below, for the first time an apparatus and method is provided wherein a driver of a vehicle may have his or her foot supported relative to an accelerator pedal, such that the angle of the foot to the le
Carpenter Scott
Donald R. Boys Central Coast Patent Agency Inc.
Gordon Stephen T.
LandOfFree
Ergonomic accelerator block does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ergonomic accelerator block, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ergonomic accelerator block will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2574957