Foldable step device for a vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is a foldable pedal device for a vehicle, which is configured such that, in a manual driving mode in which a driver directly drives the vehicle, a pedal pad 400 is in a popped-up state in which the pedal pad 400 is protruded and exposed toward the driver so as to be operable by the driver, and in an automatic driving case of the vehicle, the pedal pad 400 is in a hidden state in which the pedal pad 400 is hidden and prevented from being exposed toward the driver so as to be inoperable by the driver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a foldable pedal device for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a technology related to a foldable pedal device for a vehicle, wherein in a manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad protrudes and is exposed toward the driver so that the driver can operate it, and in an autonomous driving mode where the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, the pedal pad is hidden and prevented from being exposed toward the driver so that the driver cannot operate it. Background Technology

[0002] Autonomous vehicles are intelligent vehicles that combine autonomous driving technology to find their destination even when the driver does not directly operate the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brakes, and their development has been rapid recently.

[0003] If autonomous driving becomes widespread, one can choose between a manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle and an autonomous driving mode where the vehicle drives itself to its destination without the driver's direct control.

[0004] Because drivers can comfortably rest by stretching their legs in autonomous driving mode, there is a drawback that if the pedals (accelerator or brake pedals) located in the space under the driver's seat are exposed as is, they will interfere with the driver's rest.

[0005] Furthermore, autonomous driving occurs when the driver does not operate any of the vehicle's pedals (accelerator or brake pedal). If the driver operates any pedals during autonomous driving, the vehicle control unit interprets this as the driver terminating autonomous driving and intending to drive the vehicle directly, thereby terminating autonomous driving control.

[0006] However, since the vehicle pedals are exposed in the space under the driver's seat, there are concerns that the driver may unintentionally operate the pedals in autonomous driving mode (pedal misoperation), and in such cases, there are concerns that accidents may occur depending on road conditions, vehicle distance, etc.

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a technology for pedal devices in which, in the manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad protrudes and is exposed toward the driver so that the driver can operate it, and in the case of automatic driving, the pedal pad is prevented from being exposed so that the driver cannot operate it, in order to achieve comfortable rest and safety such as preventing driver misoperation.

[0008] The information contained in this background section of the disclosure is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of the disclosure and should not be construed as an admission of prior art known to those skilled in the art or any form of implication. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a foldable pedal device for a vehicle, wherein in the manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad protrudes and is exposed toward the driver (pops up) so that the driver can operate it, and in the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, the pedal pad is hidden and prevented from being exposed toward the driver so that the driver cannot operate it, thereby facilitating the driver's comfortable rest in the autonomous driving mode, and further enhancing safety by preventing accidental pedal operation in the autonomous driving mode.

[0010] Furthermore, another objective of the foldable pedal device according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure is to maximize the interior design of the vehicle interior through the construction of the pedal pad being invisible from the inside when it is in a hidden state, and to maximize the high-tech image through the construction of the pedal pad protruding and popping up in an invisible position during the pop-up operation.

[0011] Furthermore, another objective of the foldable pedal device according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure is to maximize the vehicle interior space and power electronics (PE) room space by means of a construction configured to minimize the hidden space of the pedal device in the hidden state.

[0012] Furthermore, another objective of the foldable pedal device according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure is to increase the amount of spring-up by changing the length of the rotation center portion of the pedal pad through a construction in which the pedal pad rotates and springs up only by the driver's foot.

[0013] A foldable pedal device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure for achieving these purposes includes: a seat body coupled to the front bottom of a footrest; a pedal arm including a first end rotatably coupled to the seat body via a hinge pin; and a pedal pad including an end rotatably coupled to a second end of the pedal arm and operable in response to movement of the driver's foot, wherein, in autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, the pedal pad is rotated to extend in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm and located in the PE chamber space in a hidden state inoperable by the driver, and in manual driving mode, the pedal pad is rotated to protrude rearward through the footrest and exposed toward the driver in a pop-up state operable by the driver.

[0014] The two pedal assemblies, including the seat, pedal arm, and pedal pad, are formed with the same construction and are arranged to be laterally spaced apart from each other on the footrest.

[0015] The two pedal assemblies, which are laterally spaced apart from each other on the footrest, are configured such that one serves as the accelerator pedal and the other as the brake pedal.

[0016] The seat is fixed and positioned in the PE chamber space, the pedal arm is connected to the seat and rotates in the PE chamber space, and the pedal pad is located in the PE chamber space in the automatic driving mode and rotates relative to the pedal arm in the manual driving mode to protrude into the interior space through the plate hole of the footrest.

[0017] The foldable pedal device for a vehicle further includes: a motor, fixed to a pedal arm, having a motor shaft passing through the pedal arm and connected to the pedal pad, and using the motor shaft to rotate the pedal pad relative to the pedal arm when the motor is operated.

[0018] When the driver operates the pedal pad with their foot while the pedal pad is in the pop-up position, the pedal pad rotates forward or backward around the motor axis to absorb the difference between the rotational trajectory of the pedal arm around the hinge pin and the rotational trajectory of the driver's foot.

[0019] The foldable pedal device for a vehicle further includes a return spring, comprising a first end and a second end configured to be supported by the seat and the pedal arm to provide a return force to the pedal arm.

[0020] The foldable pedal device for a vehicle further includes: a permanent magnet coupled to a seat body from a lower portion of the pedal arm connected to a hinge pin; and a printed circuit board (PCB) fixed and disposed on the seat body facing the permanent magnet, wherein the PCB is configured to detect changes in the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet as the pedal arm rotates to generate a signal related to the pedal function.

[0021] The foldable pedal device for a vehicle further includes: a cover member made of an elastic material, coupled to a footrest to cover a hole in the footrest through which a pedal pad passes, wherein the shape of the cover member increases due to pressure on the pedal pad when the pedal pad is rotated into a pop-up state, and the shape of the cover member returns to its original state when the pedal pad is rotated into a retracted state.

[0022] The end of the pedal arm has an inwardly recessed pedal arm groove, and the connecting part of the pedal pad is inserted into the pedal arm groove and connected to the motor shaft.

[0023] When the pedal pad is in the hidden state, the stepped surface of the pedal pad's connecting part is located in front of the front surface of the pedal arm groove, and the front surface of the pedal arm groove and the stepped surface of the connecting part are formed into a curved shape so that they do not interfere with each other when the pedal pad rotates around the motor shaft.

[0024] When the pedal pad is in the hidden state, the front surface of the pedal arm groove and the stepped surface of the connecting part match each other, and the stop portion protruding from the rear end of the connecting part contacts the inner upper surface of the pedal arm and is supported, so the pedal pad remains in the hidden state.

[0025] When the pedal pad is in the pop-up position, the ends of the curved step surface are supported by contact with the upper surface of the pedal arm on the first and second sides of the pedal arm groove, thus keeping the pedal pad in the pop-up position.

[0026] The seat has an upwardly protruding protrusion, and the full range of motion of the pedal arm is limited when the pedal arm rotates about the hinge pin and contacts the protrusion.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable pedal device is configured to allow the driver to rest comfortably in autonomous driving mode, and furthermore, to improve safety by preventing accidental pedal operation in autonomous driving mode: in manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad protrudes and is exposed (popped up) toward the driver so that the driver can operate it, and in autonomous driving mode, the pedal pad is hidden and prevented from being exposed toward the driver so that the driver cannot operate it.

[0028] Furthermore, the foldable pedal device according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can maximize the interior design of the vehicle interior by having the pedal pad covered by a cover member in a hidden state so that it is not visible from the inside, and can maximize the high-tech image by having the pedal pad protrude and pop up in an invisible position during a pop-up operation.

[0029] Furthermore, according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the vehicle interior space and PE compartment space can be maximized by a configuration that minimizes the hidden space of the pedal device when the pedal pad is hidden.

[0030] Furthermore, according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, by means of a configuration in which the pedal pad rotates and springs up solely by the driver's foot, the amount of spring can be increased by changing the length of the rotation center portion of the pedal pad, and the increased amount of spring can improve the driver's operability.

[0031] The methods and apparatus of this disclosure have other features and advantages, which will be apparent from or set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the pedal pad of the foldable pedal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in a hidden state.

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Side view.

[0034] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a pedal assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A side view of the connection status.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the pedal arm and pedal pad according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the state of the pedal pad popping up.

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Side view.

[0039] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates the normal operating state in which the pedal arm rotates by the driver operating the pop-up pedal pad with their foot.

[0040] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the full travel of the pedal arm.

[0041] It is understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present slightly simplified representations of the various features illustrating the basic principles of this disclosure. Specific design features of this disclosure, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, as included herein, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and usage environment.

[0042] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of this disclosure in various figures. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is not intended to limit the present disclosure to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the present disclosure is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments thereof, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0044] The specific structural to functional descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed in exemplary embodiments or applications are for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure only, and exemplary embodiments of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure to the exemplary embodiments described in exemplary embodiments or applications.

[0045] Because exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be modified and take various forms, specific exemplary embodiments will be shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in this specification or application. However, this is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to a particular form of disclosure, and it should be understood that the present disclosure includes all variations, equivalents, and alternatives that are contained within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] Terms such as first and / or second may be used to describe various components, but components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another; for example, without departing from the scope of the concept according to this disclosure, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, a second component may be named a first component.

[0047] When a component is referred to as "connected" or "linked" to another component, that component can be directly connected to or linked to the other component; however, it should be understood that other components may also exist between these two components. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components between these two components. Other expressions describing the relationship between components, namely "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," should be interpreted in the same way.

[0048] The terminology used in this specification is for describing specific exemplary embodiments of this disclosure only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Singular forms may include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be understood in this specification that the terms “comprising,” “having,” etc., specify the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, components, portions, or combinations thereof, and do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, portions, or combinations thereof.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms as defined in a general dictionary may be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the relevant technical context and shall not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning, unless expressly defined in exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0050] The control unit (controller) according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented via a non-volatile memory configured to store data relating to algorithms configured to control the operation of various components of a vehicle or software instructions for reproducing those algorithms, and a processor configured to perform the following operations using the data stored in the respective memory. Here, the memory and processor may be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and processor may be implemented as a single chip integrated with each other. The processor may take the form of one or more processors.

[0051] In the following description, a foldable pedal device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, a foldable pedal device for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a seat 100 fixed and disposed on the front bottom of a footrest 10; a pedal arm 300 including one end rotatably connected to the seat 100 via a hinge pin 200; and a pedal pad 400 including one end rotatably connected to the other end of the pedal arm 300 and operated by the driver's foot 20.

[0053] In autonomous driving mode, the pedal pad 400 is rotated to extend in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm 300 and located in the PE chamber space, thus being operated in a hidden state that the driver cannot operate. In manual driving mode, the pedal pad 400 is rotated to protrude backward through the footrest 10 and be exposed towards the driver, thus being operated in a pop-up state that the driver can operate.

[0054] In electric vehicles, the area in front of the footrest 10 is the PE chamber space where the power electronics (PE) components are located, and the area behind the footrest 10 is the interior space where the driver is located.

[0055] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pedal pad 400 is rotated relative to the pedal arm 300 by operation of a motor described later to extend in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm 300, the pedal pad 400 is located in the PE chamber space, thus the pedal pad 400 remains in a hidden state in which the driver cannot operate it (see [link to documentation]). Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).

[0056] When the pedal pad 400 is in a concealed state, the entire pedal assembly, including the pedal pad 400, can be located in the PE chamber space and not exposed to the driver's or passenger's line of sight, thereby maximizing the interior design of the vehicle.

[0057] Furthermore, according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the vehicle interior space and PE compartment space can be maximized by a construction that minimizes the hiding space of the hidden pedal mat 400.

[0058] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when the pedal pad 400 is rotated relative to the pedal arm 300 to protrude into the vehicle interior space where the driver is located by operation of the motor described later, the pedal pad 400 is exposed toward the driver and is in a pop-up state operable by the driver (see [link to documentation]). Figure 6 and Figure 7 ).

[0059] When the pedal pad 400, which is in a concealed state, rotates relative to the pedal arm 300 to a pop-up state, the pedal pad 400 has a structure that exposes the interior space where the driver is located while protruding through the plate hole 11 of the footrest 10.

[0060] Therefore, the high-tech image can be maximized by the construction of the pedal pad 400, which is hidden in the PE chamber space relative to the footrest 10, protruding and popping up through the plate hole 11 of the footrest 10 during the pop-up operation.

[0061] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the pedal assembly 30 of the foldable pedal device includes a seat 100, a pedal arm 300, and a pedal pad 400. The two pedal assemblies 30 are formed with identical construction and are configured to be laterally spaced apart from each other on a footrest 10. Either of the two pedal assemblies 30 configured to be laterally spaced apart from each other on the footrest 10 serves as a pedal assembly 31 of an accelerator pedal device, and the other serves as a pedal assembly 32 of a brake pedal device.

[0062] In addition to the seat 100, pedal arm 300, and pedal pad 400, the pedal assembly 30 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure also includes a return spring, a rotary motor, a permanent magnet, a PCB, etc.

[0063] The pedal assembly 30 has the following structure: a seat 100 is fixed and disposed in the PE chamber space, a pedal arm 300 is coupled to the seat 100 to rotate in the PE chamber space, and a pedal pad 400 is located in the PE chamber space in the automatic driving mode and rotates relative to the pedal arm 300 in the manual driving mode to protrude into the interior space through the plate hole 11 of the footrest 10.

[0064] This disclosure further includes an actuator, namely a motor 500, configured to rotate the pedal pad 400.

[0065] The motor 500 is fixed to one side of the pedal arm 300 and has a motor shaft 510 that passes through the pedal arm 300 and is connected to the pedal pad 400. The motor shaft 510 is configured to rotate the pedal pad 400 relative to the pedal arm 300 when the motor 500 is operated.

[0066] The operation of motor 500 can be controlled by a printed circuit board (PCB), which will be described later.

[0067] like Figure 8 As shown, the pop-up pedal pad 400 can be pressed down and operated by the driver's foot 20, and when the driver presses down the pedal pad 400 and applies force, the pedal arm 300 rotates about the hinge pin 200 relative to the seat body 100.

[0068] When the pedal arm 300 is rotated by the driver's operation, there is a difference between the rotation trajectory of the pedal arm 300 around the hinge pin 200 (arrow R1) and the rotation trajectory of the driver's foot 20 (arrow R2). At this time, the pedal pad 400 rotates forward or backward around the motor shaft 510 (arrow R3) to absorb the difference between the rotation trajectory of the pedal arm 300 and the rotation trajectory of the driver's foot 20.

[0069] In other words, the motor 500 does not have a structure that fixes it after the pedal pad 400 is lifted by operation, and is in a state of continuously applying rotational force to the pedal pad 400. Therefore, when the driver operates the pedal pad 400 with his foot, the motor shaft 510 becomes a hinge shaft and the pedal pad 400 rotates. Thus, the pedal pad 400 can become a rotating pad, thereby improving operability.

[0070] This disclosure further includes a return spring 600, which is configured to have two ends supported by the seat 100 and the pedal arm 300 to provide a return force to the pedal arm 300.

[0071] The return spring 600 can have a configuration where its lower end is supported by the seat 100 and its upper end is inserted into and supported by the pedal arm 300, thereby ensuring an efficient layout structure. Therefore, the dimensions of the seat 100 and the pedal arm 300, as well as the overall dimensions of the pedal assembly, can be reduced.

[0072] The pedal force can be adjusted by adjusting the spring force of the return spring 600, and the return spring 600 can be formed by two springs with different spring forces to suppress slight vibrations of the pedal arm 300, and a compression coil spring can be used.

[0073] The foldable pedal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure further includes: a permanent magnet 700, connected to the lower part of the pedal arm 300 connected to the hinge pin 200 and pointing towards the seat 100; and a printed circuit board (PCB) 800, fixed and disposed on the seat 100 facing the permanent magnet 700, wherein the PCB 800 identifies changes in the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet 700 when the pedal arm 300 rotates to generate a signal related to the pedal function, and the signal related to the pedal function is a braking-related signal or an acceleration-related signal.

[0074] PCB 800 can have the function of controlling the operation of the motor together. For this purpose, PCB 800 and motor 500 are configured to be electrically connected to each other to send or receive signals, and motor 500 is configured to be electrically connected to a power source for operation.

[0075] When the pedal pad 400 is rotated relative to the pedal arm 300 by the operation of the motor 500 to protrude into the vehicle interior space where the driver is located, as Figure 8 As shown, the pedal pad 400 is in a pop-up state and is pressed down and operated by the driver's foot 20. When the driver presses down the pedal pad 400 and applies force, the pedal arm 300 rotates about the hinge pin 200 relative to the seat 100. The position of the permanent magnet 700 changes as the pedal arm 300 rotates, and the PCB 800 recognizes the change in magnetic flux based on the change in the position of the permanent magnet 700 to generate a signal related to the pedal function.

[0076] An exemplary embodiment of this disclosure further includes a cover member 900 made of an elastic material, which is coupled to the footrest 10 to cover a hole 11 on the footrest 10 through which the footpad 400 passes.

[0077] A cover member 900 made of elastic material is connected to cover the plate hole 11 on the rear surface of the footrest 10. Therefore, the pedal pad 400 can be covered by the cover member 900, making the pedal pad 400 invisible from the inside, thereby improving the aesthetics of the appearance. In addition, it prevents the introduction of foreign objects through the plate hole 11.

[0078] The cover member 900, made of an elastic material, is a cover made of an elastic fibrous material such as nylon, and is characterized in that when the pedal pad 400 is rotated to a pop-up state, the shape of the cover member 900 increases due to the pressure of the pedal pad 400, and when the pedal pad 400 is rotated to a hidden state, the shape of the cover member 900 returns to its original shape.

[0079] The present disclosure has the following structure: the end of the pedal arm 300 is formed with an inwardly recessed pedal arm groove 310, and the connecting part 410 of the pedal pad 400 is inserted into the pedal arm groove 310 and connected to the motor shaft 510.

[0080] The front end of the pedal arm 300 is formed with a pedal arm groove 310, and the pedal arm groove 310 is formed to open forward, upward and downward from the pedal arm 300.

[0081] The rear part of the pedal pad 400 becomes a connecting part 410 that is inserted into the pedal arm groove 310. The connecting part 410 has two recessed side surfaces and the thickness of the connecting part 410 is less than the thickness of the front part of the pedal pad 400.

[0082] The connecting portion 410 of the pedal pad 400 is inserted into the pedal arm groove 310 of the pedal arm 300. The motor 500 is fixed to one side surface of the pedal arm 300, and the motor shaft 510 is integrally connected to the connecting portion 410 of the pedal pad 400 while passing laterally through the pedal arm groove 310. Therefore, when the motor shaft 510 is rotated by the drive of the motor 500, the connecting portion 410 of the pedal pad 400 rotates in the pedal arm groove 310, thus operating the pedal pad 400 to a hidden state and a pop-up state.

[0083] When the pedal pad 400 is in the hidden state, the stepped surface 420 of the connecting portion 410 of the pedal pad 400 is located in front of the front surface 320 of the pedal arm groove 310, and the front surface 320 of the pedal arm groove 310 and the stepped surface 420 of the connecting portion 410 have a structure formed in a curved shape, so that the pedal pad 400 does not interfere with each other when it rotates around the motor shaft 510.

[0084] On the other hand, when the pedal pad 400 is in the hidden state, the front surface 320 of the pedal arm groove 310 and the stepped surface 420 of the connecting portion 410 match each other, and are supported by the stop portion 430 protruding from the rear end of the connecting portion 410 contacting the inner upper surface of the pedal arm 300, thus the pedal pad 400 remains in the hidden state (see...). Figure 4 ).

[0085] Furthermore, when the pedal pad 400 is in the pop-up state, the pedal pad 400 remains in the pop-up state because the ends 421 of the curved stepped surface 420 are supported by contact with the upper surface of the pedal arm 300 on both sides of the pedal arm groove 310 (see [link]). Figure 7 ).

[0086] An exemplary embodiment of this disclosure has the following structure: a protrusion 110 is disposed on the front end of the seat 100 and protrudes upward, and when the pedal arm 300 rotates about the hinge pin 200 and contacts the protrusion 110, the full travel position of the pedal arm 300 is restricted (see [link to documentation]). Figure 9 ).

[0087] As described above, the foldable pedal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is configured such that, in autonomous driving mode, the driver can rest comfortably, and safety can be improved by preventing accidental pedal operation: in manual driving mode where the driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad 400 protrudes and is exposed (popped up) toward the driver so that the driver can operate it, and in autonomous driving mode, the pedal pad 400 is hidden and prevented from being exposed toward the driver so that the driver cannot operate it.

[0088] Furthermore, the foldable pedal device according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can maximize the interior design of the vehicle interior by having the pedal pad 400 covered by the cover member 900 in a hidden state so that it is not visible from the inside, and can maximize the high-tech image by having the pedal pad 400 protrude and pop up in an invisible position during the pop-up operation.

[0089] Furthermore, according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the vehicle interior space and PE compartment space can be maximized by a configuration that minimizes the hidden space of the pedal device when the pedal pad 400 is hidden.

[0090] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, by means of a configuration in which the pedal pad 400, operated solely by the driver's foot, rotates and springs up, the amount of springing can be increased by changing the length of the rotation center portion of the pedal pad 400, and the increased amount of springing of the pedal pad 400 can improve the driver's operability.

[0091] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a controller is connected to a motor 500 to control the operation of the motor 500.

[0092] Additionally, terms related to control devices such as "controller," "control device," "control unit," "controlling device," "control module," or "server" refer to hardware devices including a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores algorithmic steps, and the processor executes these steps to perform one or more processes of methods according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention. A control device according to exemplary embodiments of the invention may be implemented using a non-volatile memory configured to store data related to algorithms for controlling the operation of various components of a vehicle or software commands for executing algorithms, and a processor configured to perform the aforementioned operations using the data stored in the memory. The memory and processor may be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and processor may be integrated into a single chip. The processor may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor may include various logic circuits and arithmetic circuits, capable of processing data according to a program provided by the memory, and generating control signals based on the processing results.

[0093] The control device may be at least one microprocessor that operates via a predetermined program, which may include a series of commands for executing the methods disclosed in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above.

[0094] The invention described above can also be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device capable of storing data that can subsequently be read by a computer system and storing and executing program instructions that can subsequently be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and implementations such as those using carrier waves (e.g., transmission over the Internet). Examples of program instructions include machine language code generated by a compiler and high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter.

[0095] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the above operations may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by multiple control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0096] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the control device may be implemented in hardware or software form, or in a combination of hardware and software.

[0097] In addition, terms such as “unit” and “module” disclosed in the specification refer to a unit used to process at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software.

[0098] For ease of explanation and precise definition in the appended claims, these features are described using the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "up," "lower," "upward," "downward," "front," "back," "behind," "inner," "outer," "inward," "outer," "within," "outside," "forward," and "backward," with reference to the location of features in the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. It will be further understood that the term "connection" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0099] For purposes of illustration and description, the foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of this disclosure has been provided. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit this disclosure to its precise forms, and it will be apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in accordance with the foregoing teachings. Exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of this disclosure and its practical application, enabling those skilled in the art to implement and utilize various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, as well as their various alternatives and modifications. The scope of this disclosure is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A foldable pedal device for a vehicle, the foldable pedal device comprising: The base is connected to the front bottom of the footrest; The pedal arm includes a first end rotatably connected to the seat body via a hinge pin; as well as The pedal pad includes one end rotatably coupled to a second end of the pedal arm and operates in response to movement of the driver's foot. In the case of autonomous driving of the vehicle, the pedal pad is rotated to extend in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm and is located in the power electronics compartment space, i.e., the PE compartment space, thus being in a hidden state inaccessible to the driver. In manual driving mode, the pedal pad is rotated to protrude rearward through the footrest and be exposed toward the driver in a pop-up state that the driver can operate.

2. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, wherein, The two pedal assemblies, including the seat, the pedal arm, and the pedal pad, are formed with the same construction and are laterally spaced apart from each other on the footrest.

3. The foldable pedal device according to claim 2, wherein, One of the two pedal assemblies, which are laterally spaced apart from each other on the footrest, serves as an accelerator pedal and the other as a brake pedal.

4. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, wherein, The seat is fixed and installed in the PE chamber space. The pedal arm is connected to the seat and rotates within the PE chamber space, and The pedal pad is located in the PE chamber space in the autonomous driving mode and rotates relative to the pedal arm in the manual driving mode to protrude into the interior space through the perforation of the footrest.

5. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising: An actuator is fixed to the pedal arm and coupled to the pedal pad, and causes the pedal pad to rotate relative to the pedal arm.

6. The foldable pedal device according to claim 5, wherein, The actuator is a motor, which is fixed to the pedal arm and has a motor shaft that passes through the pedal arm and is connected to the pedal pad. When the motor is operated, the motor shaft is used to rotate the pedal pad relative to the pedal arm.

7. The foldable pedal device according to claim 6, wherein, When the driver operates the pedal pad with their foot while the pedal pad is in the pop-up state, the pedal pad rotates forward or backward about the motor axis to absorb the difference between the rotation trajectory of the pedal arm around the hinge pin and the rotation trajectory of the driver's foot.

8. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising: A return spring includes a first end and a second end supported by the seat and the pedal arm to provide a return force to the pedal arm.

9. The foldable pedal device according to claim 8, wherein, The reset spring is formed by two springs with different spring forces.

10. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising: A permanent magnet is connected from the lower part of the pedal arm, which is connected to the hinge pin, toward the seat body; as well as The printed circuit board, or PCB, is fixed and mounted on the base to face the permanent magnet. The PCB identifies changes in the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet when the pedal arm rotates to generate a signal related to the pedal function.

11. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising: A cover member made of elastic material is attached to the footrest to cover the hole in the footrest through which the pedal pad passes. When the pedal pad is rotated into the pop-up state, the shape of the cover member increases due to the pressure of the pedal pad, and when the pedal pad is rotated into the hidden state, the shape of the cover member returns to its original shape.

12. The foldable pedal device according to claim 6, wherein, The end of the pedal arm is formed with a pedal arm groove, and The connecting part of the pedal pad is inserted into the pedal arm groove and connected to the motor shaft.

13. The foldable pedal device according to claim 12, wherein, The connecting portion of the pedal pad includes a stepped surface. When the pedal pad is in the concealed state, the stepped surface of the connecting portion of the pedal pad is located in front of the front surface of the pedal arm groove, and The front surface of the pedal arm groove and the stepped surface of the connecting part are formed into a curved shape so that they do not interfere with each other when the pedal pad rotates around the motor shaft.

14. The foldable pedal device according to claim 13, wherein, When the pedal pad is in the hidden state, the front surface of the pedal arm groove and the stepped surface of the connecting part match each other.

15. The foldable pedal device according to claim 14, further comprising: A stop portion protrudes from the rear end of the connecting portion, wherein the stop portion contacts and is supported by the inner upper surface of the pedal arm, thus keeping the pedal pad in the concealed state.

16. The foldable pedal device according to claim 13, wherein, When the pedal pad is in the pop-up state, the end of the curved stepped surface is supported by contact with the upper surface of the pedal arm on the first and second sides of the pedal arm groove, so that the pedal pad remains in the pop-up state.

17. The foldable pedal device according to claim 1, wherein, The seat body is provided with an upwardly protruding protrusion, and The pedal arm's full-travel position is restricted when it rotates about the hinge pin and contacts the protrusion.

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