Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Foot operated
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-11
2003-12-09
Kim, Chong H. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Foot operated
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658964
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acceleration pedal of an automobile, and more particularly to an acceleration pedal of an automobile constructed to prompt an acceleration pedal to be moved to a direction distancing from a driver when the automobile collides, thereby preventing injuries in the shin of the driver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an acceleration pedal device in the known art, as illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a mounting bracket
11
is fixed to a dash panel
10
comprising a body of the automobile via fastening means such as bolts and the like, an acceleration pedal arm
12
is rotatively mounted at a predetermined portion thereof to an approximate lengthwise central protruding portion of the mounting bracket
11
via a hinge. The acceleration pedal arm
12
is integrally attached at a lower end thereof with a pedal pad
13
and connected at an upper end thereof with an end of an acceleration cable
14
.
Furthermore, the acceleration cable
14
is connected at the other end thereof to a throttle valve (not shown) through the dash panel
10
.
When a driver manipulates the acceleration pad
13
to accelerate the automobile, the acceleration pedal arm
12
is pivoted clockwise via the hinge while the acceleration cable
14
connected to the acceleration pedal arm
12
is pulled by the pivot motion of the acceleration pedal arm
12
to rotate the throttle valve connected to the acceleration cable
14
such that much more mixed air is introduced into an engine through the throttle valve to accelerate the automobile.
However, there is a problem in the acceleration pedal device thus described according to the prior art in that, when an automobile collides while running, shock thereof is transmitted to a body of the automobile, which in turn is applied to dash board, to cause a dash panel to protrude toward a driver, as illustrated in
FIG. 2
, and an acceleration pedal arm mounted at the dash panel to protrude toward the driver as well, thereby colliding with a shin part of the driver to his or her injury.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is presented to solve the aforementioned problem and it is an object of the present invention to provide an acceleration pedal device of automobile constructed to prompt an acceleration pedal to be moved back to a direction distancing from a driver when the automobile collides, thereby preventing injuries in the shin of the driver.
In accordance with the object of the present invention, there is provided an acceleration pedal device of an automobile, the device comprising:
an acceleration pedal arm movably mounted by manipulating power of a driver;
an acceleration cable connected to the acceleration pedal arm for being strained or relaxed according to movement of the acceleration pedal arm; and
forcibly moving means of acceleration pedal arm for utilizing a shock generated in the course of collision to reduce a protruding height of the acceleration pedal arm toward a driver when the shock is transmitted to the acceleration cable.
It is preferred that the acceleration cable is supported by the dash panel such that the shock can be transmitted to the acceleration cable through the dash panel comprising the body of the automobile.
It is also preferred that the acceleration cable includes an external tube mounted at the dash panel for moving toward the driver along with the dash panel when the shock is applied to the dash panel; and an inner cable so installed as to be strained or relaxed according to movement of the acceleration pedal arm inside the external tube.
It is further preferred that the forcibly moving means of acceleration pedal arm includes a rack bar connected to the inner cable so as to be moved forward and backward by the inner cable according straining and relaxing movement of the inner cable and formed with a gear unit at one side thereof, a pinion rotatively meshed to the gear unit of the rack bar, and a gear unit formed at the acceleration pedal arm so as to be meshed to the pinion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4273211 (1981-06-01), Sarmiento
patent: 5214979 (1993-06-01), Crack
patent: 5632184 (1997-05-01), Callicutt et al.
patent: 6182525 (2001-02-01), Bowers et al.
patent: 6186025 (2001-02-01), Engelgau et al.
patent: 6361074 (2002-03-01), Nonaka et al.
patent: 1096355 (2001-05-01), None
patent: 2000198368 (2000-07-01), None
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Hyundai Motor Company
Kim Chong H.
LandOfFree
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