WO2012079606A1

WO2012079606A1 - Pedal assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2012079606A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/007707
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jon Pelletier; Mark Mcguyer
Original assignee: Kongsberg Automotive As
Priority date: 2010-12-16
Filing date: 2010-12-16
Publication date: 2012-06-21

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pedal assembly comprising a pedal lever (10) pivotally mounted in a housing and a spring mechanism (20, 21) for biasing the pedal lever to a rest position with respect to the housing, wherein the pedal lever has a substantially cylindrical end portion (12) which is received in a complementary shaped bearing space portion (7) in the housing, wherein the housing comprises a first (1) and a second housing part (2) which divide the housing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical bearing space and which comprise connecting means for connecting the first and second housing parts, the first housing part (1) having a stop surface (6) against which the pedal lever (10) abuts in the rest position.

Description

Pedal Assembly

The present invention relates to a pedal assembly comprising a pedal lever pivotally mounted in a housing and a spring mecha^¬ nism for biasing the pedal lever to a rest position with respect to the housing, wherein the pedal lever has a substantially cylindrical end portion which is received in a complementary shaped bearing space portion in the housing, wherein the housing comprises a first and a second housing part which divide the housing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical bearing space and which comprise connecting means for connecting the first and second housing parts, the first housing part having a stop surface against which the pedal lever abuts in the rest position.

Such a pedal assembly is for example known from U.S. 2008/0283372 Al . The housing comprises three main parts, two of them forming the major part of the housing and the third forming a lid or cover part which may be fixed to the remaining housing- by a plurality of screws to be screwed into holes through the cover housing part and in the remaining housing part. The pedal lever comprises a cylindrical end portion which is received in complementary shapes bearing space portions within the housing and disposed therein for pivotal movement. In addition the spring mechanism includes two compression springs which are mounted in an extra space within the housing and which act on an extension part on the cylindrical end portion opposite to the pedal lever. This extra space needed for the spring mechanism requires the housing to be rather large and does not allow for a compact design of the assembly. The construction of this pedal assembly is rather complicated, and the assembly process likewise complicated and time consuming, in particular due to the need to insert several screws for closing the housing. Furthermore, the housing is provided with extension flanges which comprise holes through which screws are intended to be inserted for mounting the housing in a vehicle cabin. Furthermore, since the pro^¬ jecting flanges are an integral part of the housing, the pedal assembly housing may only be fixed in a vehicle cabin in an orientation predetermined by the projecting flanges.

Many other pedal assemblies are known which comprise a central shaft on which the pedal lever is journalled for pivotal movement. This type of pedal assembly is even more complicated since it requires an extra solid shaft to be mounted in the housing in order to provide a bearing for the pedal lever.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pedal assembly which is of simple construction, needs a small number of parts only and can be assembled very easily. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a pedal assembly which can be brought to a pre-assembled state very easily and be shipped in the pre-assembled state to the car manufacturer where it is then brought to the final assembled state in which it is to be mounted in a vehicle. In particular it would be desirable to give the car manufacturer the opportunity to select the mounting orientation in which the pedal assembly is to be mounted in a vehicle.

These and other objects are solved by a pedal assembly as defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

According to the present invention the spring mechanism for biasing of the pedal lever to return to its rest position comprises a torsional spring acting between the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever and the second housing part, wherein the spring exerts a rotational force urging the pedal lever to its rest position abutting against the stop surface of the first housing part. The connecting means are arranged on the first and second housing parts such that they are brought into an interlocking engagement by a rotational movement of the second housing part relative to the first housing part in opposite rotational direction to the direction of the rotation returning the pedal lever to its rest position.

An advantage of this design is the very simple construction and the small number of components. Furthermore, with this design the pedal lever assembly may be brought to a pre- assembled state with the housing locked and the pedal lever mounted therein without need to apply further fastening means for connecting the housing parts. Rather, the bias force of the spring mechanism, which is anyhow needed for holding the pedal lever normally in its rest position and for returning it thereto after it has been pressed down, is utilized for the further purpose to hold the second housing part biased for rotation against the first housing part in a configuration in which it is in interlocking or mating engagement with the first housing part. Since the pedal lever is resting on the stop surface of the first housing part, the spring force acting between the pedal lever and the second housing part leads to a reaction force on the second housing part that is in opposite direction to the force exerted on the pedal lever and thereby on the first housing part. Thus, first and second housing parts are biased for rotational movement against each other. This is utilized to hold the connection means in mutual engagement and the housing and the pedal lever in a pre- assembled state.

Furthermore, the torsional coil spring mechanism may be rather flat as a spiral spring between the cylindrical end portion and the second housing part so that no extra space for the spring mechanism is needed. In addition the spring mechanism may be received in a recess of the cylindrical end portion. In particular it has to be noted that the pedal assembly may be brought to the pre-assembled state with very few assembly steps. First, the pedal lever is inserted with its cylindrical end portion into a bearing space in the first housing part. Then a spring is provided and is engaged with one of its ends on the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever, and with its other end with the second housing part. Thereafter, the second housing part is turned or rotated in order to generate the biased state of the spring and to bring the first and second housing parts into a position in which the connection means may come into an interlocking engagement by a rotational movement biased by the spring. In this state the pedal assembly is ready for a shipment to the car manufacturer where it can be mounted in a vehicle using the bracket provided with the pre-assembled housing and pedal lever.

In a preferred embodiment the connecting means of the housing parts are formed by projections or elongations extending the walls of the first and second housing part. The projections are disposed in complementary portions of the circumference of the first and second housing parts if the housing parts are in their intended locking position with respect to each other. At least one edge of a projection of the first housing part and its associated edge of the complementary projection of the second housing part are formed as sloping protrusions which fit into each other such that said rotational movement of the second housing part relative to the first housing part in opposite rotational direction to the direction of the rotation returning the pedal lever to its rest position causes an interlocking or mating engagement of said sloping protrusions.

In one embodiment the leading edge of a protrusion of the second housing part, which is leading during said rotational movement of the second housing part, is inclined in the direction of said rotational movement, whereas the associated edge of the protrusion of the first housing part is inclined in a complementary manner so that these inclined edges come into fitting engagement with each other upon said rotational movement of the second housing part. These protrusions can also be seen as oppositely directed hook portions which come into mating engagement when being rotated towards each other. It is obvious for the skilled person that there are many other designs of connecting means which are capable of coming into engagement upon relative rotational movement of the second housing part with respect to the first housing part. In principle, also very simple or short thread turns on both housing part can be utilized for this purpose. Also, radial projections from one housing part can be arranged with respect to recesses in the other housing part such that they are capable of coming into fitting engagement upon said rotational movement of the second housing part with respect to the first housing part.

In a preferred embodiment the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever comprises recesses which open into openings on both of its end faces. One of these recesses in the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever may for example receive a magnet which is fixed therein. A ^"non-contact magnetic sensor unit is attached to the first housing part such that the output signals of the magnetic sensor unit are indicative of the turning position of the pedal lever with respect to the first housing part. The recess opening to the other end face of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever may receive part of the spring mechanism.

The non-contact magnetic sensor which may be in the form of a printed circuit board and may be attached to one of the inner walls inside the first housing part- and sealed there by a sealing covering. In a preferred embodiment a mounting body is mounted in the recess of the cylindrical end portion facing the second hous^¬ ing part. This mounting body is provided with a slot extending in the radial direction of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever. The spring mechanism comprises at least one torsional coil spring having two projecting end portions, wherein the slot of the mounting body is arranged to receive one projecting end portion of the torsional coil spring to be hold therein, and a further slot is provided on the inner surface of the second housing part to receive the other end portion of the torsional coil spring. In this arrangement the torsional coil spring is essentially received in the recess of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever.

In other embodiments in which the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever is dimensioned with a smaller outer diameter a torsional coil spring may be located radially outside of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever and coaxial thereto, whereas further wall structures extend from the end portion of the lever arm and partially surround the torsional coil spring and allow to attach one end portion thereof on the wall structures for connecting it to the pedal lever, while the other end portion is again fixed to the second housing part by inserting the other end portion of the torsional coil spring in a slot provided on the inner surface of the second housing part. This has the advantage that manufacturing tolerances of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal lever and the bearing space in the first housing part are less critical.

In a preferred embodiment a bracket for fixing the housing in a vehicle cabin is provided which comprises a base portion, which is adapted to be mounted on one of the housing parts, and a projecting portion extending therefrom. The projecting portion comprises at its remote end means which allow fixation on a vehicle cabin structure. The housing comprises at least two threaded holes for receiving screws. The base portion of the bracket is rotationally symmetric in that it comprises a plurality of openings arranged on the base portion such that a pair of opposing opening may selectively be brought into alignment with the two threaded holes. By providing such plurality of openings in the base part of the bracket it is possible to select a rotational position of the bracket with respect to the housing by selecting the openings of the bracket which are brought into alignment with the threaded holes of the housing and through which the screws are inserted to be screwed to the housing to thereby mount the bracket in a desired angular orientation with respect to the housing.

The invention will be further described with reference to a preferred embodiment in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the pedal assembly,

Fig. 2 to 6 show subsequent states of the pedal assembly of the embodiment of Fig. 1 as perspective views,

Fig. 7 to 9 show different mounting options of the first embodiment of the pedal assembly, and

Fig. 10 shows a pedal lever of a pedal assembly according to a second embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of various components of the pedal assembly according to the invention. The assembly comprises two housing parts 1 and 2 which, when fitted to each other provide a cylindrical bearing space therein. First, a cylindrical end portion 12 of the pedal lever 10 is received in a cylindrical bearing space 7 of the first housing part, for pivotal movement therein. The first housing part 1 comprises an opening in its outer cylindrical surface through which a pedal arm portion extending from the cylindrical end portion 12 extends. This opening in the cylindrical outer surface of the housing part allows the pivotal movement of the pedal lever 10. At one end of the opening an end or stop surface 6 is limiting the pivotal moving range of the pedal lever and defines a rest position of the pedal lever^' 10. Against this stop surface 6 the pedal lever 10 is urged by a spring mechanism to hold it in its rest position, or to return at to its rest position after it has been pressed down.

The cylindrical end portion 12 has openings on both of its end faces which open into recesses formed therein. In the recess facing the second housing part 2 a mounting body 14 is fixed to a central pin. The mounting body 14 is provided with a radially extending slot 15. The slot 15 of the mounting body 14 is arranged to receive the first end portions 20a and 21a of the two torsional coil springs.

The spring mechanism comprises two torsinal coil springs 20 and 21 in this embodiment. In principle, also a single torsinal coil spring could be utilized, but two springs are preferred for safety reasons. Each of the two coil springs 20 and 21 has an end portion projecting inwardly in radial direction and forming the first end portions 20a and 21a (see for example Fig. 2) . The opposite end portions are designated 20b and 21b.

The second housing part 2 is smaller than the first housing part 1 and rather is a cover or lid for closing the first housing part 1 after insertion of the relevant components of the pedal assembly. Also shown in Fig. 1 is a bracket 30 for fixing the housing 1, 2 in a vehicle cabin as will be explained in more details below.

In the following the construction of this embodiment of the pedal assembly will be explained in connection with the way it is assembled in connection with Fig. 2 to 6.

In Fig. 2 the pedal lever 10 has been inserted with its cylindrical end portion 12 into the part of the cylindrical bearing space 7 formed in the first housing part 1. Then the two torsional coil springs 20, 21 are inserted in the opening in the end face of the cylindrical end portion 12 and into the recess formed therein. This is done in such a manner that the radially inwardly projecting end portions 20a and 21a of the two coil springs 20 and 21 are inserted into the slot 15 of the mounting body 14 fixed in the recess of the cylindrical end portion 12.

In Fig. 3 this assembly state is shown together with the inner wall structures of the second housing part 2. These inner wall structures include a remaining end portion 7' which, together with the portion 7 of the first housing part 1, provide the cylindrical bearing space to enclose the cylindrical end portion 12 of the pedal lever. Inside of this cylindrical portion a wall structure is provided in which a second radial slot 3 is formed for receiving the other end portions 21a, 21b of the two torsional coil springs 20, 21. The second housing part 2 is positioned on the first housing part 1 with the pedal lever 10 and the springs 20, 21 received therein in such a manner that the slot 3 of the second housing part is receiving the second end portions 20b, 21b of the two coil springs. This step is illustrated in Fig. 4. Thereafter the second housing part 2 is rotated with respect to the first housing part 1 as shown in Fig. 5 in a direction such that the two coils springs 20, 21 are brought in a biased state in which the two coil springs exert a force on the pedal lever 10 which urges is to its rest position in abutment on the stop surface 6 of the first housing part 1.

As is also shown in Fig. 2 to 6 the first and second housing parts 1 and 2 are provided with connection means in the form of projections 1' and 2 ' extending their walls in parts of the circumference of the housing parts. These projections 1' and 2' are dimensioned and located in a manner with respect to each other on the housing parts 1 and 2 such that they are complementary in the intended locked position of the first and second housing parts 1 and 2. In other words, in the intended locked position projections 1' are formed on the first housing part at locations where no projections 2' on the second housing part are formed and vice versa.

At least one of the projections 1' is formed on one of its edges as a sloping protrusion 1' ' . This sloping protrusion is formed on the leading edge, which is leading when the second housing part 2 is rotated against the first housing part, due to the bias force of the spring mechanism. The corresponding projection 2' is formed with a mating, complementary sloping protrusion 2 ' ' facing the sloping protrusion 1'' of the first housing part 1.

This location and arrangement of the projections 1', 2' allows the following way of assembling the housing parts 1 and 2.

After the second housing part 2 has been lowered onto the first housing part 1, as shown in Fig. 4, in a position such that the radial slot 3 of the second housing part 2 received the other end portions 20b, 21b of the two torsional coil springs, the two housing parts 1 and 2 come into contact with each other. This contact is first taking place when the projections 1' of the first housing part 1 come into contact with the projections 2' of the second housing part 2 as shown in Fig. 5. At this stage the housing parts 1 and 2 are not yet in their intended rotational positioning with respect to each other and there is n o tension in the spring mechanism. Therefore, and to bring the spring mechanism in a tensioned state to provide the desire bias force, the second housing part 2 is rotated in clockwise direction as indicated in Fig. 6 to a position where the projections 1' and 2' are no longer opposing each other. Then the second housing part 2 may be lowered further as indicated by the downward arrow in Fig. 6. Once the second housing part 2 has been fully lowered onto the first housing part 1 the bias force of the springs 20, 21 urges the second housing part 2 back in counter-clockwise direction which has the effect that the sloping protrusions 1'' and 2'' on the edges of the projections 1' and 2 ' come into mating engagement with each other. The bias force of the springs 20, 21 which urges the second housing part 2 back in counterclockwise direction is a consequence of the bias force exerted by the springs 20, 21 on the pedal lever 10 urging it in clockwise direction in abutment against the stop surface 6 in its rest position. In this way the bias force provided by the torsional coil springs 20, 21 is utilized for a second purpose besides the first purpose of biasing the pedal lever 10 to its rest position. The second purpose fulfilled is to hold the first and second housing parts in rotational engagement with respect to each other, without need of any further fastening means or any further components to be attached for holing the first and second housing parts 1 and 2 and the pedal lever in this pre-assembled state.

Fig. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of a pedal lever 10 for a pedal assembly according to the present invention. In this case the cylindrical end portion 12 of the pedal lever 10 is of smaller diameter and is received in opposing cylindrical recesses in the housing parts which together form the cylindrical bearing space. This cylindrical bearing space is not closed but leaves open an annular gap through which a wall structure 13 connected with the cylindrical end portion 12 extends to larger diameters. This wall structure 13 is formed with cylindrical outer wall portions which are coaxial to the cylindrical end portion 12. This outer wall structure 13 serves to define a space for receiving torsional coil springs. The torsional coil springs are connected at one of the ends to the wall structure 13 and with the other ends to the housing part that is adapted to embrace the outer wall structure 13.

With reference to Fig. 7 to 9 several mounting options of the pedal assembly according to the invention will now be described. The bracket 30 comprises a base portion adapted to be mouned to a housing part. The bracket 30 further has a projecting portion extending therefrom and comprising means 34 which allow fixing to a vehicle cabin structure. In the illustrated embodiment these means are formed by an angled end portion 34 which comprises two cut outs through which screws or bolts may be inserted and fixed at a vehicle cabin structure. In the illustrated embodiment the second housing part 2 comprises two threaded holes 4 which allow to apply screws. The base portion of the bracket 30 in turn is rotationally symmetric in the sense that it may be fixed with various angular orientations of the projecting portion of the bracket from the housing. For this purpose the base portion of the bracket 30 has a plurality of openings 32 arranged on the circumference of the base portion and being positioned such that a pair of diametrically opposing openings may be positioned aligned with the holes 4 in the second housing part 2. By screwing in two screws 8 through a selected pair of openings 32 into the treaded holes 4 of the second housing part 2 the bracket may be mounted on the housing with various angular orientations of the projecting part of the bracket with respect to the housing. Three examples of different orientations are shown in Fig. 7 to 9.

In Fig. 7 the bracket is oriented such that it allows mounting of the pedal assembly on an upstanding structure 42 of the vehicle cabin. The floor of the vehicle cabin being indicated at 40.

In Fig. 8 the pedal assembly is again mounted on an upstanding structure 42 of the vehicle cabin, but with the screws fixed in a different pair of opposite openings 32 such that the bracket 30 has a different angular orientation with respect to the remaining parts of the pedal assembly; in this case the pedal lever 10 is extending with a smaller angle with respect to a horizontal line or the floor 40 compared to the orientation of Fig. 7.

In Fig. 9 a further mounting option is illustrated in which the bracket is mounted on the floor 40 from below, with the pedal arm 10 projecting from an opening in the floor 40.

In principle the bracket could also be located inside of the housing, for example inside of the second housing part 2. In this case a space for receiving the base portion of the bracket 30 has to be provided in the second housing part below its outer wall, and a slot has to be provided in the second housing part such that the projecting portion of the bracket may extend therethrough. The slot must have a sufficient angular extension such that the angular orientation of the projecting part of the bracket 30 may be varied to the desired extent. Otherwise the bracket 30 could be essentially the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 7 to 9, wherein two screws 8 would then be inserted through the openings 4 in the second housing part, then extend through two openings 32 on the circumference of the base portion of the bracket and further into a threaded hole inside of the second housing part.

It should be understood that it is beneficial to choose the materials of the cylindrical end portion of the pedal and of the housings parts to be with regards to the materials friction coefficients in order to achieve an appropriate friction resistance which is lower than the friction resistance between parts of the same material.

Claims

Pedal assembly comprising a pedal lever (10) pivotally mounted in a housing (1, 2) and a spring mechanism (20, 21) for biasing the pedal lever to a rest position with respect to the housing, wherein the pedal lever has a substantially cylindrical end portion (12) which is received in a complementary shaped bearing space portion (7) in the housing, wherein the housing comprises a first (1) and a second housing part (2) which divide the housing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical bearing space and which comprise connecting means for connecting the first and second housing parts, the first housing part (1) having a stop surface (6) against which the pedal lever (10) abuts in the rest position, characterized in that the spring mechanism (20, 21) comprises a torsional spring acting between the cylindrical end portion (12) of the pedal lever and the second housing part (2) for urging the pedal lever to its rest position abutting against the stop surface (6) of the first housing part (1), and the connecting means (1', 1'', 2' , 2'' ) are arranged on the first and second housing parts (1, 2) such that they are adapted to be brought into an interlocking engagement by a rotational movement of the second housing part relative to the first housing part in opposite rotational direction to the direction of the rotation returning the pedal lever to its rest position.

Pedal assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means are formed by projections (1', 2') extending the walls of the first and second housing parts (1, 2), wherein the projections (1', 2' ) are disposed in complementary portions of the circumference of the first and second housing parts when they are fixed to each other, at least one edge of a projection of the first housing part and its associated edge of the complementary projection of the second housing part being formed as sloping protrusions (1'', 2'') which fit into each other such that said rotational movement of the second housing part relative to the first housing part in opposite rotational direction to the direction of the rotation returning the pedal lever to its rest position causes an interlocking engagement of said sloping protrusions (1'', 2'').

Pedal assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the leading edge of a protrusion (2'') of the second housing part (2), which is leading during said rotational movement of the second housing part, is inclined in the direction of said rotational movement, whereas the associated edge of the protrusion (1'') of the first housing part (1) is inclined in a complementary manner so that these inclined edges (1'', 2'' ) come into interlocking engagement upon said rotational movement of the second housing part.

Pedal assembly according to any of the proceeding claims, characterized in that the cylindrical end portion (12) of the pedal lever (10) comprises openings on both of its end faces which open into recesses formed in the interior of the cylindrical end portion, and in that a magnet is mounted in one of the recesses and a non-contact magnetic sensor unit is attached to the first housing part such that the output signals of the magnetic sensor unit are indicative of the turning position of the pedal lever with respect to the first housing part.

5. Pedal assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the non-contact magnetic sensor unit is attached to one of the inner walls inside of the first housing part (1) and is covered by a sealing therein.

6. Pedal assembly according to any of the proceeding claims, characterized in that in the recess facing the second housing part a mounting body (14) is disposed which comprises a slot (15) extending in the radial direction of the cylindrical end portion and in that the spring mechanism (20, 21) comprises at least one torsional coil spring having two projecting end portions (20a, 20b, 21a, 21b), wherein the slot (15) of the mounting body is arranged to receive one projecting end portion (20a, 21a) of the torsional coil spring (20, 21), and in that a further slot (3) is provided on the inner surface of the second housing part (2) to receive the other end portion (20b, 21b) of the torsional coil spring (20, 21) .

7. Pedal assembly according to any of the proceeding claims, characterized in that a bracket (30) for fixing the housing in a vehicle cabin is provided, which bracket comprises a base portion adapted to be mountable on any of the housing parts (1, 2) and a projecting portion extending therefrom, which projecting portion at its remote end comprises means (34) which allow fixing to a vehicle cabin structure, wherein the base portion of the bracket is ro- tationally symmetric in the sense that it may be fixed with a plurality of angular orientations of the projecting part from the housing by being provided with a plurality of openings (32) which allow a screw to extend therethrough, and in that the housing comprises at least two threaded holes (4) for receiving the screws such that a rotational position of the bracket (30) with respect to the housing may be fixed by selecting the openings (32) of the bracket through which the screws to be attached to the holes (4) of the housing extend to thereby mount the bracket in a desired angular orientation with respect to the housing.

8. Pedal assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said holes (4) in the first housing part are extending through the entire first housing part and are aligned with further holes in the second housing part which form extensions of the walls in the second housing part such that the two housing parts may additionally be fixed to each other by screws screwed into said holes (4) of the first and second housing part (1, 2).