Motor vehicles – With means for promoting safety of vehicle – its occupant or... – Responsive to engagement of portion of perimeter of vehicle...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-12
2004-04-13
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3616)
Motor vehicles
With means for promoting safety of vehicle, its occupant or...
Responsive to engagement of portion of perimeter of vehicle...
C074S512000, C060S533000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06719083
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder activated by a pedal operation to generate hydraulic pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a master cylinder used in a clutch mechanism or brake mechanism of a vehicle is arranged inside an engine compartment, as shown, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei. 9-254821.
However, with a structure where the master cylinder is arranged in the engine compartment, there are a lot of restrictions with respect to layout because various auxiliary components are also arranged inside the engine compartment, together with the engine, etc. For this reason a structure has been considered where the master cylinder is arranged in the vehicle interior, and this master cylinder is attached to a pedal bracket supporting a pedal.
However, with the structure having the master cylinder attached to the pedal bracket, if an external force greater than a specified value acts on the front of the vehicle, the external force is input via the engine to a toe board (dash panel) for partitioning space inside the vehicle and the engine chamber. In this case, since the dash panel is deformed substantially towards the rear of the vehicle body, the master cylinder attached to the pedal bracket is also compressed and displaced towards the rear of the vehicle body. The master cylinder is also mechanically connected to the pedal, and with displacement of the master cylinder to the rear of the vehicle, the pedal is also displaced to the rear of the vehicle. If the pedal is displaced as described above, the legroom in front of the driver's seat is reduced, making it likely for the pedal to interfere with the driver's shins and feet.
The object of the present invention is to provide an attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder that suppresses displacement of a pedal towards the rear of the vehicle to make it possible to maintain large legroom in front of the driver's seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of a first aspect of the present invention, activated by a pedal operation to generate hydraulic pressure, has the master cylinder attached to a pedal bracket supporting the pedal so as to be capable of swinging around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle body.
With this aspect of the invention, the master cylinder is attached to the pedal bracket so as to be capable of swinging around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle body. If an external force greater than a specified value acts on the front of the vehicle and a dash panel is displaced towards the rear of the vehicle to input the external force to the master cylinder, the master cylinder swings around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle body. Because the master cylinder swings, displacement of the master cylinder itself to the rear of the vehicle is suppressed, and displacement of the pedal to the rear of the vehicle accompanying displacement of the master cylinder is thus suppressed. As a result, it is possible to maintain a large degree of legroom in front of the driver's seat.
An attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of a second aspect of the invention has the master cylinder attached to the pedal bracket at one point. With this attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of the second aspect of the invention, by attaching the master cylinder to the pedal bracket at one point, it is possible to cause the master cylinder to swing easily around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.
With an attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of a third aspect of the invention, the position of attaching the master cylinder to the pedal bracket is further towards the pedal side than towards the center of the master cylinder. With this attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of the third aspect of the invention, by having the position of attaching the master cylinder to the pedal bracket further towards the pedal side than the center of the master cylinder, it is possible to cause the master cylinder to swing easily and reliably around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.
An attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of a fourth aspect of the invention has the master cylinder attachment being inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. With this attachment structure for a vehicle master cylinder of the fourth aspect of the invention, the master cylinder is attached inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, to cause the master cylinder to swing around a fixed shaft extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle in an even more reliable and easy manner.
With the vehicle master cylinder attachment structure of the present invention, if an external force greater than a specified value acts on the front of the vehicle, and the eternal force is input through a dashboard to the master cylinder, the master cylinder swings around a fixed axis extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle body. Displacement of the master cylinder itself to the rear of the vehicle is suppressed by the master cylinder swinging, and displacement of the pedal to the rear of the vehicle accompanying displacement of the master cylinder is thus also suppressed. According to the present invention, therefore, displacement of a pedal towards the rear of the vehicle is suppressed, making it possible to maintain a substantial amount of legroom in front of the driver's seat.
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Dickson Paul N.
Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Rosenberg Laura B.
Smith , Gambrell & Russell, LLP
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