Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Foot operated
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-27
2003-06-03
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Foot operated
Reexamination Certificate
active
06571659
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority of Korea patent Application No. 99-64834, filed on Dec. 29, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a knee protection structure in an automobile for protection of leg injury of a driver, and more particularly to a driver leg safeguard structure in automobile adapted to prevent injury to shin of a driver when a collision occurs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, when a driver sits on a driver seat, steering wheel, accelerator, brake pedal, clutch pedal and the like come positioned near the driver In other words, the steering wheel, pedals and the like are frequently manipulated by the driver such that they should be situated close to the driver. Particularly, pedals should have to be continuously stepped to be positioned near driver's feet.
As illustrated in
FIG. 6
, a brake pedal mechanism consists of a booster
50
fixed to a dash panel (D) and a master cylinder
51
, and a brake pedal
54
connected to the booster
50
and the master cylinder
51
via a rod
52
and a rotary axle
53
.
When the brake pedal
54
(other pedals are also installed nearby) is mounted to the dash panel (D), driver's foot (L) is positioned close to the pedal
54
as illustrated in
FIG. 4
where a tip of the brake pedal
54
comes to a shin part of the driver's leg.
There is a problem in the brake pedal
54
positioned near the shin of the driver's leg in that the pedal hits the shin causing injury when the driver is pushed forward to the pedal direction by kinetic inertia and shock thereof in the event of a collision. In other words, the brake pedal maintains a predetermined angle to provide a convenience to the driver's easy manipulation, where a slight push of the driver to the pedal results in enables a contact with the shin to the pedal causing an injury thereto due to close approximation between the shin and the pedal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is provided to solve the aforementioned problem and it is an object of the present invention to provide a driver leg safeguard structure in automobile constructed and arranged to prevent a shin injury of a driver by distancing a pedal from the driver when the pedal is pushed to the driver in the event of a head-on collision or when the driver is pushed to the pedal in the event of a sudden stop or a collision of automobile.
In accordance with the object of the present invention, there is provided a driver leg safeguard structure in automobile, the structure comprising:
an upper pedal fixed to an interior at a driver's seat via a rotary axle;
a lower pedal rotatably connected to a master cylinder rod via a hinge pin and formed with a pedal part on which the driver steps; and
connecting means mounted between the upper pedal and the lower pedal for simultaneous rotation of the upper and lower pedals or for rotation of only the lower pedal when the lower pedal is trod.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3807253 (1974-04-01), Belzile et al.
patent: 5842364 (1998-12-01), Oliver
patent: 5916330 (1999-06-01), Jacobson
patent: 6089119 (2000-07-01), Leboisne et al.
patent: 6179081 (2001-01-01), Engelgau
patent: 6182525 (2001-02-01), Bowers et al.
patent: 6279417 (2001-08-01), Mizuma et al.
patent: 6286388 (2001-09-01), Brewer
patent: 6364046 (2002-04-01), Forssell et al.
Bucci David A.
Christie Parker & Hale LLP
Hyundai Motor Company
Johnson Vicky A.
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