Accelerator pedal with locking mechanism and vehicle with accelerator pedal

Abstract

Accelerator pedal (1) for controlling a drive engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (2), a pedal lever (3) rotatably mounted in the housing (2), and a sensor (4) for determining a pedal lever position, wherein the housing (2) is formed in two parts from a shell (5) and a cover (6), wherein the cover (6) is designed as a bearing block for the pedal lever (3) and is fastened to the shell (5), and wherein the shell (5) has first means (7) and the cover (6) has second means (8) for mutual locking, characterized in that the means (7, 8) are completely covered by the shell (5) in a locked state, that the first means (7) of the shell (5) are designed as a counterpart to the means (8) of the cover (6) in order to enable locking of the first means (7) of the shell (5) with the second means (8) of the cover (6), and that the first means (7) of the shell (5) are designed as a pin are trained.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an accelerator pedal for controlling a drive engine of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such accelerator pedals are used in motor vehicles to transmit control commands generated by a driver pressing the accelerator pedal to a corresponding vehicle control system. For this purpose, the position of the accelerator pedal is detected by a sensor and transmitted to the vehicle control system.

[0003] A generic accelerator pedal is known from DE 10 2008 003 296 A1. The accelerator pedal has a housing consisting of a cover and a shell, with the cover being designed as a bearing block for the pedal lever and being lockable to the shell.

[0004] Similar pedals are disclosed, for example, in DE 11 2013 004 845 T5 or in DE 10 2008 003 296 A1.

[0005] A disadvantage of the state of the art is that a bearing point for the lid and the shell is visible to third parties from the outside, allowing easy access to the bearing. This also reveals a disassembly strategy for the lid to third parties.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. It is intended to provide a cost-effective way to prevent the assembly or disassembly of the accelerator pedal cover, thus reducing the risk of misuse.

[0007] To achieve this object, according to patent claim 1, an accelerator pedal is provided for controlling a drive engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing, a pedal lever rotatably mounted in the housing, and a sensor for determining a pedal lever position, wherein the housing is formed in two parts from a shell and a cover, wherein the cover is designed as a bearing block for the pedal lever and is fastened to the shell, and wherein the shell has first means and the cover has second means for mutual locking, characterized in that the means are completely concealed by the shell in a locked state.

[0008] The above object is further achieved with the features of claim 8, by a vehicle having an accelerator pedal.

[0009] Further advantages of the invention emerge from the further subclaims.

[0010] The particular advantage of the invention is that the provision of the accelerator pedal significantly reduces the risk of assembling or disassembling the cover, since a bearing formed by the means is no longer visible from the outside.

[0011] The means are preferably designed as locking or latching means. The means are preferably designed as an offset, a step, or a hook. Particularly preferably, the means wedge or spread apart as a result of being pushed into one another, connected, or hooked together. In this way, mutual locking occurs.

[0012] According to a further development of the invention, the first means are provided on an inner side of the shell and the second means are provided on an outer side of the lid.

[0013] Once both components have been joined together, the means are no longer visible from the outside.

[0014] According to a further development of the invention, the lid is inserted into the bowl and secured therein by means of the means.

[0015] This allows the components to lock together, while the components and bearings are no longer visible from the outside.

[0016] According to a further development of the invention, the second means of the lid are projecting areas or elevations on the lid.

[0017] A lid with projecting areas or elevations can be manufactured easily and inexpensively during the production of the lid.

[0018] According to a further development of the invention, the projecting areas or elevations are U-shaped.

[0019] This means that the cantilevered areas or elevations have an easy-to-manufacture and functional geometry.

[0020] According to a further development of the invention, the lid has two disc-shaped regions provided on both sides of the lid, wherein the second means of the lid are arranged at least partially in the region of the disc-shaped regions.

[0021] This allows existing areas of the lid to be used effectively.

[0022] In the invention, the first means of the shell are designed as a counterpart to the means of the lid in order to enable the first means of the shell to be locked to the second means of the lid.

[0023] This allows for easy locking and prevents accidental loosening of the connection between the bowl and the lid.

[0024] In the invention, the first means of the shell are designed as pins.

[0025] A bowl with a cone is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. The cone is concealed by the bowl and not visible from the outside.

[0026] According to a further development of the invention, when mutually locking, the first means of the shell rests in a recess on the lid delimited by the second means of the lid.

[0027] In this way, a firm connection between both components can be achieved.

[0028] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0029] It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic view of an accelerator pedal according to the invention in the assembled state, Fig. 2 a schematic view of the components of the accelerator pedal according to the invention from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a schematic section AA through the accelerator pedal Fig. 1, Fig. 4 a schematic view of a known accelerator pedal in the assembled state, Fig. 5 a schematic view of the components of the accelerator pedal Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 a schematic section BB through the accelerator pedal Fig. 4.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an accelerator pedal 1 according to the invention in the assembled state, wherein in Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the components of the accelerator pedal 1 according to the invention.

[0031] The accelerator pedal 1 is intended for controlling a drive motor of a motor vehicle. The accelerator pedal 1 comprises a housing 2, a pedal lever 3 rotatably mounted in the housing 2, and a sensor 4 for detecting the pedal lever position. The housing 2 is formed in two parts, consisting of a shell 5 and a cover 6. The cover 6 is designed as a bearing block for the pedal lever 3 and is attached to the shell 5.

[0032] Furthermore, the accelerator pedal 1 has two coil springs 10 and a spacer 9 for generating a restoring force between the shell 5 and the pendulum lever 3.

[0033] The cover 6 is pivotally mounted in the shell 5 about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the pedal lever 3. The coil springs 10 are positioned spaced from the rotational axis by the axis. The sensor 4 is arranged essentially centrally in a recess of the pedal lever 3, which is formed in the region of its rotational axis.

[0034] Preferably, a rotor of the sensor 4 is attached to the pedal lever 3 and a stator of the sensor 4 is arranged together with electronics in a sensor housing.

[0035] The functionality of a vehicle pedal is assumed to be known. The functionality of a vehicle pedal can be found, for example, in DE 10 2008 003 296 A1.

[0036] The shell 5 has two first means 7 and the lid 6 has two second means 8 for mutual locking. The first means 7 of the shell 5 are arranged on an inner side of the shell 5, as shown in Fig. 3. The first means 7 are designed as pins.

[0037] The second means 8 of the cover 6 are arranged on an outer side of the cover 6. The cover 6 has two disc-shaped regions 11 provided on both sides of the cover 6. The means 8 of the cover 6 are arranged at least partially in the region of the disc-shaped regions 11. The means 8 of the cover 6 are designed as elevations. The elevations have a U-shaped geometry.

[0038] The first means 7 of the shell 5 are designed as counterparts to the second means 8 of the lid 6 in order to accommodate the second means 8 of the lid 6. In this way, accidental detachment of the connection between the shell 5 and the lid 6 can be prevented.

[0039] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the means 7, 8 are completely concealed by the shell 5 in the locked state. The lid 5 is inserted into the shell 6 and secured therein. Fastening is achieved by locking the first means 7 of the shell 5 with the second means 8 of the lid 6. Upon mutual locking, the first means 7 comes to rest in a recess on the lid 6 defined by the second means 8.

[0040] By providing the accelerator pedal, a cost-effective way is demonstrated to prevent the assembly or disassembly of the accelerator pedal cover, thus reducing the risk of misuse. A bearing formed by this means is no longer visible from the outside.

[0041] Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a known accelerator pedal 15 in the assembled state, wherein in Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of the components of the accelerator pedal 15 and in Fig. 6 shows the schematic section BB. In contrast to the invention, the shell 5 of the accelerator pedal 15 has two openings 16, which are incorporated into the shell 5 on both sides.

[0042] The cover 6 of the accelerator pedal 15 has two pins 17. The pins 17 are arranged on both sides of an outer side of the cover 6. The pins 17 are guided through the openings 16 to enable the cover 6 to be fixed to the shell 5. This structure is also known from DE 10 2008 003 296 A1.

[0043] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively by way of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided they are technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention. List of reference symbols 1 accelerator pedal 2 component 3 pedal levers 4 Sensor 5 bowls 6 lids 7 first remedy 8 second remedy 9 spacers 10 coil springs 11 disc-shaped area 15 Accelerator pedal 16 Opening 17 cones

Claims

[1] Accelerator pedal (1) for controlling a drive engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (2), a pedal lever (3) rotatably mounted in the housing (2) and a sensor (4) for determining a pedal lever position, wherein the housing (2) is formed in two parts from a shell (5) and a cover (6), wherein the cover (6) is designed as a bearing block for the pedal lever (3) and is fastened to the shell (5), and wherein the shell (5) has first means (7) and the cover (6) has second means (8) for mutual locking, characterized by that the means (7, 8) are completely covered by the shell (5) in a locked state, that the first means (7) of the shell (5) are designed as a counterpart to the means (8) of the lid (6) in order to enable the first means (7) of the shell (5) to be locked to the second means (8) of the lid (6), and that the first means (7) of the shell (5) are designed as a pin. [2] Accelerator pedal (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the first means (7) are provided on an inner side of the shell (5) and the second means (8) are provided on an outer side of the lid (6). [3] Accelerator pedal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lid (6) is inserted into the shell (5) and fixed therein by means of the means (7, 8). [4] Accelerator pedal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the second means (8) of the cover (6) are projecting areas or elevations on the cover (6). [5] Accelerator pedal (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that the projecting areas or elevations are U-shaped. [6] Accelerator pedal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the cover (6) has two disc-shaped regions (11) provided on both sides of the cover (6), wherein the second means (8) of the cover (6) are arranged at least partially in the region of the disc-shaped regions (11). [7] Accelerator pedal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that when mutually locking, the first means (7) of the shell (5) rests in a recess on the lid (6) delimited by the second means (8) of the lid (6). [8] Vehicle comprising an accelerator pedal (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

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