Patent
Operating pedal apparatus for vehicle
| العنوان: | Operating pedal apparatus for vehicle |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 8,333,130 |
| تاريخ النشر: | December 18, 2012 |
| Appl. No: | 11/703780 |
| Application Filed: | February 08, 2007 |
| مستخلص: | An operating pedal device for a vehicle includes an operating pedal mounted on a pedal support fixedly secured to a vehicle to be pivotable about an axis of a support shaft and operative to be depressed by a driver; a reactive member, connected to the operating pedal via at least one connecting section which allows relative pivotal movement therebetween about a connecting pin to which an output is transferred at a rate depending on an operational force of the operating pedal and which is applied with a reaction force corresponding to the output; and a load sensor electrically detecting the operational force. A member pivotably connected via the connecting pin defines a sensor mounting hole allowing insertion of the connecting pin and mounting of the load sensor. |
| Inventors: | Fujiwara, Noboru (Toyota, JP) |
| Assignees: | Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd. (Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken, JP) |
| Claim: | 1. An operating pedal device for vehicle, comprising: an operating pedal mounted on a pedal support fixedly secured to a vehicle to be pivotable about an axis of a support shaft and operative to be depressed by a driver; a reactive member connected to the operating pedal via at least one connecting section which allows relative pivotal movement between the operating pedal and the reactive member about a connecting pin to which an output is transferred at a rate depending on an operational force of the operating pedal and which is applied with a reaction force corresponding to the output; a pedal side member connected relatively pivotably via the connecting pin at a connecting position with the connecting pin and forming a sensor mounting hole therein, and a load sensor electrically detecting the operational force, which is fixedly attached in the sensor mounting hole and through which the connecting pin is passed to be disposed concentrically with an axis of the sensor mounting hole; and the load sensor including a detecting member formed in a cylindrical shape; an annular first mounting member provided on an outer circumferential periphery of the detecting member, unitarily fixing one axial end portion of the detecting member, and being unitarily mounted in the sensor mounting hole; a second mounting member provided on an inner circumferential periphery of the detecting member, unitarily fixing other axial end portion of the detecting member, and having an insertion bore through which the connecting pin is inserted; a strain detecting element fixed to the detecting member; a first annular space provided successively on the inner circumferential periphery of the first mounting member at one radial side of the detecting member and a second annular space provided successively on the outer continuous circumferential periphery of the second mounting member at other radial side of the detecting member such that the first annular space and the second annular space allow a relative shifting between the first mounting member and the second mounting member in a radial direction of the detecting member; and the first mounting member and second mounting member being displaceable relative to each other depending on the operational force, to allow the strain detecting element to detect a shear strain occurring in the detecting member. |
| Claim: | 2. The operating pedal device for vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting pin is a clevis pin provided in the connecting section which is parallel to the axis of the support shaft and through which the reactive member and a pedal side member are connected; the load sensor is mounted in a gap formed between an inner periphery of the sensor mounting hole and the clevis pin; the clevis pin has both ends retained by a U-shaped clevis unitarily fixed to the reactive member; and a part of the pedal side member enters into a hollow portion of the clevis from an open side thereof. |
| Claim: | 3. The operating pedal device for vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the pedal side member is the operating pedal, one end of which is supported by the support shaft, another end of which has a depression portion, and an intermediate portion of which is connected to the connecting pin. |
| Claim: | 4. The operating pedal device for vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising an intermediate lever pivotably mounted on the pedal support and connected to the operating pedal via a connecting linkage, the pedal side member being by the intermediate lever. |
| Claim: | 5. The operating pedal device for vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate lever is pivoted at one end thereof by the pedal support via a pivot portion parallel to the support shaft, connected at other end thereof to the reactive member via the connecting portion, and connected at an intermediate portion thereof to the operating pedal via the connecting linkage. |
| Claim: | 6. The operating pedal device for vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the load sensor has a ring configuration or an arch configuration as a whole, and is disposed to receive a force generating a shear strain in a diameter or radius direction thereof. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 74/512 |
| Patent References Cited: | 3766342 October 1973 Stadelmann 4978177 December 1990 Ingraham et al. 5217280 June 1993 Nykerk et al. 5563355 October 1996 Pluta et al. 6505496 January 2003 Kato et al. 6655199 December 2003 Smith 2003/0056616 March 2003 Matsumoto et al. 2 060 454 May 2009 11-230841 August 1995 11255084 September 1999 |
| Other References: | Chinese Office Action dated Mar. 2, 2010. cited by other European Search Report dated Apr. 20, 2010. cited by other |
| Assistant Examiner: | Yabut, Daniel |
| Primary Examiner: | Ridley, Richard W |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.08333130 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |