Boots – shoes – and leggings
Patent
1992-05-15
1994-05-03
Black, Thomas G.
Boots, shoes, and leggings
364483, 192 0052, 192 008, 123399, G06F 1550, G06G 770, F16D 2104
Patent
active
053093615
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a pedal assembly for automotive vehicles. Such pedal assemblies are generally known as they are installed e.g. in all automotive vehicles nowadays. Usually they are composed of two or three pedals for accelerating, braking and coupling, there being no need for the latter in cars with automatic transmission. The state-of-the-art pedals are coupled to a generating cylinder by means of lever assemblies for instance. Partly, the pedal positions are also converted into electronic signals, for instance as regards the accelerator pedal of a vehicle with a fuel-injection engine.
The customary pedals are mounted individually into the automotive vehicle which is expensive and time-consuming. Besides, hydraulic lines must be fitted to extend through the entire vehicle. Further, the splashboard isolating the engine compartment from the passenger cabin must be penetrated several times.
Therefore, the present invention is based on the object to provide a pedal assembly which lends itself to ease of mounting and which manages without apertures in the splashboard in the pedal area. Further, the pedal assembly according to this invention is desired to conform to the demands of modern industrial production such as modular type of construction or just-in-time supplies and to permit an intelligent processing of the arising signals.
This object is achieved by the features set forth in the main claim. Of course the subject matter of this invention can be used also on automotive vehicles with automatic transmission and, in this event, requires only an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal.
The data-processing stage can be of redundant design for safety reasons. It processes the signals produced by means of the pedals and renders them appropriate for a data bus. The structure of a possible data-processing stage is illustrated in FIG. 1 and will be described in more detail in connection with the description of the Figures.
When the signal processing is redundant, it is particularly expedient that each pedal generates at least two pedal-position signals independently of one another.
Ease of assembly of the resent invention can be enhanced by the application of the features to be gathered from claim 2.
According to another improvement of this invention, each pedal produces two signals representative of the exact pedal position as well as another signal indicating that a threshold value is exceeded. That is to say, once the two first signals differ from one another--due to an error in the system--it is possible by virtue of the additional threshold value signal to decide whether a pedal is applied or which one of the two first signal generators issues correct signals.
The pedal-position signals can be generated in a particular simple fashion by means of rotary potentiometers. This possibility which is described more precisely in claims 7 to 9 will be explained by way of FIGS. 3 to 5.
According to an improvement upon the present invention, at least one leaf spring cooperating with stops is provided below the foot board. This measure permits to adjust the force-travel characteristics known from conventional pedals also on the pedal assembly according to this invention. Without these stops the linear force-travel characteristic curve is obtained which is usual with springs.
Each pedal becomes particularly comfortable when an adjustable support is provided in the heel area. In order to be able to adapt the pedal assembly to the foot inclination which varies depending on the driver's height, another improvement arranges for the pedal inclination to be adjustable.
Favourably, the adjustment mechanisms are electrically operable since the pedal assembly is scarcely accessible beneath the steering wheel and the instruments panel for a mechanic direct adjustment. If the vehicle is equipped with a seat-memory function, the adjustment mechanisms can be combined with it as well.
Possible embodiments of this invention will be explained in the following by way of the accompanying drawings. In the drawings,
FIG. 1 is a
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Drott Peter
Lohberg Peter
Black Thomas G.
Lewis J. Gordon
Louis-Jacques Jacques H.
Seitter Robert P.
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