Motor vehicles – Bodies – Footboards and pedal guards
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2001-01-30
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
Bodies
Footboards and pedal guards
C296S075000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179079
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a motor vehicle and in particular to a safety apparatus for a motor vehicle to reduce the severity of injury to the lower leg of a driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
It is known to provide a motor vehicle with one or more foot pedals to operate such features as the brakes, clutch and fuel supply. It is a particular problem with the brake pedal, that in a crash situation the driver is normally pressing hard on the brake pedal to effect maximum braking of the motor vehicle, and, if the driver does not place his foot evenly on the pedal but applies it using one side of his foot, severe impact tends to result in twisting of the ankle and may result in serious injury. The same problem can occur with the other pedals, but is less likely as the driver is usually operating only the brake on impact.
It is known from GB 2 179 898 to provide a vehicle in which the floor of the driver's footwell beneath the foot pedals is covered with a layer of energy absorbing material to support the driver's foot in the event of a front impact. However it can be a problem with this type of system that the energy absorbing layer needs to be very firm to be of use under the high loads experienced in frontal impacts, and the problem of the driver's ankle being twisted therefore remains.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a motor vehicle having a forward end and a rear end, a driver compartment including a footwell, a pedal located in the footwell for operation by a driver's foot and movable to an extreme of travel, a structural member situated forward of the pedal and defining part of the footwell, and a support overlying the structural member in the region of the pedal, wherein the support defines a recess into which the pedal can be received when at its extreme of travel so that the support around the recess can support a part of the driver's foot which overhangs the pedal.
The foot pedal may include a foot pad and a pedal arm.
The support means is preferably of sufficient thickness to form a substantially co-planar surface with the upper surface of the foot pad when the pedal is at its extreme of travel.
The support means may be formed from a structural foam material, or any other suitable energy absorbing material.
Preferably the support means extends below the pedal so as to provide support for the heel of the driver's foot.
More preferably the recess is shaped so as to fit the pedal, such that when the pedal is at its extreme of travel, the support means substantially surrounds the pedal.
The recess may comprise a narrow slot for receiving the pedal arm and a shallower depression for receiving the foot pad.
Preferably the vehicle comprises a further pedal and the support means defines a further recess for receiving said further pedal when at its extreme of travel.
Preferably the support means includes a raised portion forming a footrest for the driver.
The present invention further provides a motor vehicle having a forward end and a rear end, a driver compartment including a footwell, a pedal located in the footwell for operation by a driver's foot and movable to an extreme of travel, a structural member situated forward of the pedal and defining part of the footwell, and a layer of support material overlying the structural member, wherein the support material defines a recess into which the pedal can be received when at its extreme of travel so that the support material around the recess can support a part of the driver's foot which overhangs the pedal.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2761329 (1956-09-01), Reed
patent: 3047088 (1962-07-01), Murrell
patent: 3860284 (1975-01-01), Lichtig
patent: 4726438 (1988-02-01), Stuertz et al.
patent: 43 35 511 A1 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 0798160A1 (1997-10-01), None
patent: 2179898 (1987-03-01), None
Davis and Bujold
English Peter C.
Rover Group Limited
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