Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Foot operated
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-06
2004-03-09
Kim, Chong H. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Foot operated
C180S274000, C280S784000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06701800
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pedal support structure for a vehicle, and particularly to a pedal support structure for supporting a brake pedal or a clutch pedal therefor at an optimum safe position without contacting passengers when the vehicle is collided in a forward direction.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A brake pedal for an automobile is provided in front of a driver's seat in a passenger compartment. The brake pedal is composed of a pedal pad and a pedal lever, and is actuated by a driver. The brake pad is used as a step-on surface which the driver stamps. The pedal lever extends approximately in a vertical direction and has the pedal pad at a bottom end thereof. A top end of the pedal lever is supported on a pedal bracket so as to pivot thereon and the pedal bracket is fixed to a toe board. The toe board is a partition interposed between an engine room and the passenger compartment. In front of the toe board, a master cylinder is provided for amplifying the stepping force of the driver. The master cylinder and the pedal lever is linked with each other via a pushrod.
There is such a possibility that the brake pedal with the above-mentioned structure is moved backward, that is, in a direction toward a passenger when external force more than a predetermined value is applied to the vehicle from the front. In this case, the external force pushes a power unit backward, and the power unit pushes the master cylinder and the toe board toward the passenger compartment. Finally, the brake pedal supported by the pedal bracket is pushed backward.
As a countermeasure to eliminate such possibility, a pedal support structure is proposed in Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-163146. The pedal support structure is shown in
FIG. 8
as a schematic diagram, and in
FIG. 9
as a cross section of a part shown in
FIG. 8
cut along III—III. A pedal bracket
110
has a pair of outer plates
111
which oppose with each other and an inner plate
115
which is interposed between the outer plates
111
. Front parts of the outer plates
111
are attached to a toe board
101
, and rear parts thereof are linked to a steering support beam
102
. Each outer plate
111
has a convex portion at an intermediate position thereof. This shape of the outer plates
111
helps to enlarge the distance between the two intermediate positions when an external force exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the vehicle from the front. A circular opening
113
is perforated at the intermediate position of each outer plate
111
.
The plan view of the inner plate
115
is approximately in a U shape by a plane view. By interposing the inner plate
115
between the outer plates
111
, opposing walls
116
of the inner plate
115
are firmly fixed on the outer plates
111
by superimposing on each other on the side of the steering support beam
102
. A boss
107
a
in the shape of a cylinder is prepared at the top end of a pedal lever
107
. A bolt
109
a
as an axle is inserted into the boss
107
a
, and the boss
107
a
containing the bolt
109
a
is laid over both opposing walls
116
. In this state, the bolt
109
a
is screwed with a nut
109
b
, whereby the boss
107
a
is supported by the inner plate
115
. A master cylinder
119
is located in front of the toe board
101
. The pedal lever
107
and the master cylinder
119
are connected with each other via a pushrod (not shown) which penetrates the toe board
101
.
When an external force more than a predetermine value is applied to the vehicle from the front, the external force backwardly pushes a power unit (not shown) contained in an engine room E. Then, the power unit pushes the master cylinder
119
and the toe board
101
to the passenger compartment R side. Accordingly, the outer plate
111
begins to deform at the vicinity of the circular openings
113
, and then the outer plates
111
are widely apart from each other. On the other hand, the inner plate
115
is not affected by the deformation of the outer plates
111
, and keeps to support the pedal lever
107
. In this way, the pedal support structure is so prepared to maintain the distance from a passenger to the pedal lever
107
and a pedal pad
108
.
In the above-mentioned pedal support structure described in Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-163146, only the outer plates
111
are deformed, and the pedal lever
107
and the pedal pad
108
are prevented from moving backward by the inner plate
115
supporting the pedal lever
107
.
However, when a still larger external force is applied to push the toe board
101
and the master cylinder
119
backward, there is such a possibility that the pushrod protruded from the master cylinder
119
pushes the pedal lever
107
backward, and that the pedal lever
107
pivots on the upper end of the pedal lever
107
, whereby the pedal pad
108
is pushed up toward the passenger. The same can happen as to a clutch pedal.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pedal support structure for use in a vehicle which provides safety by preventing a pedal from moving in a direction toward a passenger compartment when an external force applied to a vehicle comprising a toe board; a steering support beam; a pedal lever with a first end and a second end; a master cylinder connected with the toe board; a pushrod extending from the master cylinder and having an end connected to the pedal lever; a pair of pedal support elements including pedal support portions opposing each other and extending in a lengthwise direction of a vehicle body, the pedal support element having a first end connected to the toe board and a second end connected to the steering support beam; a supporting mechanism provided between the pedal support portions for supporting the first end of the pedal lever thereon so as to permit pivotal movement of the pedal lever; and a catcher bracket having a free end facing the pedal lever, and the pedal support portions of the pedal support elements being spread apart when a force is applied to the vehicle so as to disconnect the pedal lever from the supporting mechanism, and movement of the pedal lever in a direction toward an operator of the vehicle being restricted by the pedal lever contacting the catcher bracket when the pedal lever is disconnected from the pedal supporting mechanism.
A second object of the present invention is to provide the pedal support structure for the vehicle by which the pedal support portions are certainly subjected to an opening deformation when an external force is applied from the front side of the vehicle wherein the pedal support elements successively comprise installation portions connected to the toe board; opposing portions opposing each other and extending from the installation portions; first inclination portions extending from the opposing portions having a first connection between the opposing portions and the first inclination portions; the pedal support portions extending from the first inclination portions having a second connection between the first inclination portions and the pedal support portions; second inclination portions extending from the pedal support portions having a third connection between the pedal support portions and the second inclination portions; and connecting portions extending from the second inclination portions having a fourth connection between the second inclination portions and the connecting portions, the connecting portions connected to the steering support beam; the pedal support elements being bent at the first connection, the second connection, the third connection and the fourth connection so as to have the first inclination portions gradually having a longer distance from each other towards the pedal support portions, and the second inclination portions gradually having a shorter distance from each other towards the connecting portions.
A third object of the present invention is to provide the pedal support structure for the vehicle by which the pedal is
Chosho Hirokazu
Harashima Hitoshi
Ishida Masashi
Kotani Masafumi
Maruyama Hiroaki
Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Kim Chong H.
Smith , Gambrell & Russell, LLP
LandOfFree
Pedal support structure for vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pedal support structure for vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pedal support structure for vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3236220