Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlled elements
Patent
1997-03-18
1999-10-12
Wright, Dirk
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlled elements
477 71, 477170, 745625, 7447315, G05G 114
Patent
active
059641223
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a dual control device for driving school vehicles.
BACKGROUND ART
The currently known devices are each constituted by a double toe board comprising an assembly of rods with activating pedals which make it possible to double the functions of the pedals for driving the vehicle. Thus, with the pedals of this additional toe board, it is possible to brake the vehicle, act on the clutch and on the accelerator. These devices require a long installation period and are specific to each type of vehicle. In addition, they have numerous disadvantages, including the following: vehicle; the passenger/instructor area; for resale is made difficult; each model, deformation).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes a device which provides a solution to the aforementioned disadvantages. In addition, the present invention is a device that has the advantage of being assembled, disassembled, and reassembled at will, even on vehicles of different models and makes.
To this end, the dual control device, object of the present invention, which selectively actuates the brake and/or clutch and/or accelerator of a driving school vehicle, is essentially characterized in that it comprises at least one mechanical sensor, i.e., a sensor that can be activated by mechanical load, generating an electrical signal representing the action or stress of the feet of a user, such as the instructor, one electrical control circuit receiving, via an electrical connection, the signal representing said action, and at least one electric motive member, electrically connected to the electrical control circuit and activated by the circuit when the latter receives the signal representing the foot action applied by the instructor on the sensor, the electric motive member comprising an output mechanical element affixed to the end of an actuating flexible mechanical element, fixed through its other end to the brake pedal or to the clutch pedal, or to the accelerator pedal, the output member applying an axial stress on the actuating flexible element when the motive member is actuated, the axial stress exerted on the flexible element being applied by this same element on the pedal, which actuates the latter toward the floor of the vehicle.
The dual control device is especially adapted to equip a driving school automobile in order to efficiently double the braking, engaging, and accelerating functions. Thus, the invention, according to another aspect thereof, provides three mechanical sensors adapted to actuating the functions of braking, engaging and accelerating the vehicle, respectively, electrically connected to the electrical control circuit and providing signals representing the actions of the user's feet to the electrical control circuit, which is electrically connected to three electric motive members, which are actuated by the control circuit, from the action on the three sensors, respectively, the three motive members being mechanically associated, via the three actuating flexible elements, with the three pedals of the vehicle, respectively, which pedals are each actuated toward the floor of the vehicle by the associated flexible element, when the corresponding motive member is actuated by the electrical control circuit.
The actuating flexible elements can be each constituted by a cable slidably mounted in a steel spiral flexible sleeve. Such a flexible element is known as the BOWDEN.TM. wire. The cable of this flexible element will be fixed, through one of its ends, to the corresponding pedal, for example, and the latter will be actuated by this cable in traction toward the floor of the vehicle.
According to this embodiment, a sleeve stop-box pivotally mounted on a base for attachment to the floor of the vehicle is associated with each of the actuating flexible elements, across from and in front of the corresponding pedal, so as to follow the movement of the latter and allow for the self-orientation of the cable along the direction of the tensile force on the pedal, which reduces the
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Bonnard Henri
Rivas Francisco
Santalucia Michel
Kwon Peter T.
Wright Dirk
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