Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2002-12-17
Luong, Vinh T. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S562500, C074S512000, C074S513000, C074S560000, C180S320000, C180S090600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494115
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to vehicles having accelerator pedals typically engaged by an operator's right foot. More specifically, the invention relates to a device that permits engagement of an accelerator pedal via an operator lacking functional use of their right foot. More specifically, the device is configured to permit easy removal from the vehicle such that the accelerator pedal is easily engaged by an operator's right foot.
BACKGROUND
The automotive industry has long designed and employed devices permitting remote accelerator pedal engagement. These devices include combination accelerator pedal and brake pedal arrangements that permit remote engagement of both pedals from the side of a vehicle opposite that of the driver. Combination pedals such as these have long been installed and used in vehicles used to teach student drivers how to operate a motor vehicle. The student actually operates the vehicle from the standard position, yet the instructor has the ability to assume control of the vehicle in an emergency situation. In some cases, these vehicles can also be equipped with a supplemental steering wheel placed in front of the instructor. Examples of patents generally directed to these types of devices include Speckman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,181; Garcia, U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,310; and Barresi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,246.
Another type of remote pedal operation includes extensions used to change the effective vertical position of the pedal. These extensions permit operation of the pedal by a person having, for example, shorter than average legs. With the increasing popularity of vehicles equipped with passive restraint systems such as air bags, there is a growing concern over drivers who sit too close to the steering wheel. Vertical pedal extensions can permit such drivers to sit a safe distance from the steering wheel yet still comfortably and effectively engage the accelerator and brake pedals. Examples of patents describing pedal extensions include Ross, U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,785; and Upton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,939.
Yet another type of remote pedal operation involves operation of an accelerator pedal by the left foot. Typically, modem automobiles and other similar vehicles are designed such that the accelerator and brake pedal are both engaged by the operator's right foot. If the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission, the clutch is typically engaged by the operator's left foot. While a certain minority of drivers operating vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions use their left foot for the brake and their right foot for the gas, the vehicles are designed for normal right foot engagement of both pedals.
Various devices have been devised to permit left foot operation of a vehicle's accelerator pedal. Patents describing such devices include, for example, Fisher, U.S. Pat. No. 2,253,850; Wilcox, U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,539; Ewer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,961; Kaul, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,199,369 and 3,543,606; DeRose, U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,293; Gresham, U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,294; and Richhart, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,317.
In addition to the devices described in the patents discussed herein, several commercially available devices also exist. These devices typically include a mounting plate or base that attaches to the vehicle floor, as well as a main body or cover that fits over the mounting plate. This main body or cover typically supports an elongated shaft that serves to operatively connect a left foot gas pedal with the vehicle accelerator pedal. These devices also include mechanisms that permit removal of the main body when not needed.
FIG. 4
partially illustrates one such device
400
having a main body
402
and a mounting plate
410
. The main body
402
is seen as supporting a main shaft
420
that would continue to the left, operatively supporting a left foot gas pedal while the main shaft
420
would, at the right periphery, support an accelerator pedal actuator of some form.
The main body
402
is releasably attached to the mounting plate
410
. Spring guide shaft
450
extends parallel with the main shaft
420
and is biased towards the left (as drawn) via a biasing spring
455
that partially surrounds the spring guide shaft
450
. Two mounting tabs
430
and
432
are secured to the spring guide shaft
450
and interact with two mounting flanges
440
and
442
, respectively, that are formed within the mounting plate
410
. In the position shown in the Figure, this interaction substantially prevents movement of the device
400
in either a vertical or horizontal fashion.
The spring guide shaft
450
is movable from a secured position (as shown) in which the mounting tabs
430
and
432
cooperate with mounting flanges
440
and
442
, respectively, to prevent movement of the main body
402
in relation to the mounting plate
410
to a release position (not shown) in which the mounting tabs
430
and
432
have moved sufficiently to the left (with the spring guide shaft
450
) to clear the mounting flanges
440
and
442
.
The mounting plate
410
includes a number of mounting apertures
415
suitable for bolting the mounting plate
410
to the floor of an automobile or other similar vehicle. Since typical vehicles have carpeted floors, it is possible that debris such as carpet fibers could interfere with operation of device
400
; in particular, interfere with the interaction between mounting tabs
430
and
432
and mounting flanges
440
and
442
, respectively. The location of the spring guide shaft
450
is such that it could conceivably be accidentally moved into a release position by an operator's foot, possibly with dire consequences.
Another commercial device is seen in
FIG. 5
, which partially shows a device
500
having a main body
502
and a mounting plate
510
. This device
500
is believed to be an embodiment of Fujimori, U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,771. A main shaft
525
is supported by the main body
502
and extends from an accelerator guard plate
550
on the left (as shown) to a left foot gas pedal (not shown) on the right hand side. The mounting plate
510
is presumably secured to the floor of an automobile or similar vehicle by bolting through a mounting slot
515
.
The main body
502
is releasably attached to the mounting plate
510
. Seen at the left end of the mounting plate
510
is a latch mechanism
530
that includes a latch pin aperture
532
that can receive a latch pin
520
seen on the bottom surface of the main body
502
. The latch mechanism
530
also includes several latch tabs
534
that cooperate with latch tab slots
544
present in the main body
502
. The latch pin
520
is biased in its illustrated position by an unseen biasing spring that runs parallel to the main shaft
525
. The unseen biasing spring is compressed by moving the accelerator guard plate
550
to the right as illustrated. The latch pin
520
, which engages latch pin aperture
532
, moves the latch mechanism
530
such that latch tabs
534
are retracted.
Once the mounting plate
510
is secured to a vehicle floor, the main body
502
can be releasably attached. The device
500
is tipped such that latching brace
560
of the first end of the device
500
engages the end
565
of the mounting plate
510
. Then, the other end of the device
500
is lowered downward. While this can be done with the latch pin
520
biased in a release position, it is preferable that the second end of device
500
simply be pushed down into a latched position. Since the latch tabs
534
are angled, they will partially retract themselves sufficiently to permit installation of the main body
502
. Once the main body
502
is fully seated, the latch tabs
534
will snap back into their latched position and will secure the main body
502
to the mounting plate
510
.
To release the main body
502
when not needed, the accelerator guard plate
550
is moved laterally towards the (unseen) left foot gas pedal, thereby moving the latch pin
520
in the same direction. The latch pin
520
engages the latching mechanism
530
and forces the latch
Haugen Wayne Alfred
Ringdahl Lynn
Luong Vinh T.
Michael Best & Friedrich
The Braun Corporation
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