ADJUSTABLE PEDAL SYSTEM

Abstract

An adjustable pedal system for a vehicle comprises an adjustable brake pedal assembly, which includes a double lever with an upper pivot mounting section and a pair of laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections, a pedal arm designed to be selectively attached to either of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections, and a foot pedal attached to one end of the pedal arm. An adjustable accelerator pedal assembly comprises an upper lever arm with an upper pivot mounting section, an intermediate member having an upper end pivotally attached to the upper lever arm by a first pivot, and a pedal arm having an upper end attached to a lower end of the intermediate member by a second pivot, and a foot pedal at a distal end.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The information provided in this section is intended to provide a general context for the disclosure. Work by the presently named inventors, to the extent described in this section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, are not expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an adjustable pedal system for a vehicle.

[0003] Currently, the problem that a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg must drive with their left leg is solved by an adjustable pedal system to increase mobility. Existing methods enable left-foot driving by changing only the position of the accelerator pedal through additional devices that provide an auxiliary accelerator pedal to the left of the brake pedal. However, there is a problem when changing the order of the accelerator and brake pedals, and it is inconvenient to install additional devices. The present disclosure can provide comfortable left-foot driving without changing the pedal order by shifting the position of the brake and accelerator pedals.The object of the present disclosure is to enable a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg to drive with the left leg and operate a vehicle comfortably for their mobility by shifting the position of the pedal of the vehicle without a special device. SUMMARY

[0004] The problem of a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg having to drive with their left leg is solved by an adjustable pedal system to increase mobility. The object of the present disclosure is to enable a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg to drive with their left leg and operate a vehicle comfortably for their mobility by shifting the position of the vehicle's pedal without a special device.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an adjustable brake pedal assembly includes a dual lever having an upper pivot mounting portion and a pair of laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions. A pedal arm is configured to be selectively attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions, and a foot pedal is attached to one end of the pedal arm.

[0006] According to another aspect, the pedal arm is attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions with a threaded fastener.

[0007] According to a further aspect, the two laterally spaced lower pedal attachments are equidistant from a rotation axis of the upper pivot attachment.

[0008] According to another aspect, the double lever and the pedal arm are made of metal.

[0009] According to another aspect, an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly includes an upper lever arm having an upper pivot mounting portion. An intermediate link includes an upper end pivotally attached to the upper lever arm by a first pivot. A pedal arm includes an upper end attached to a lower end of the intermediate link by a second pivot and includes a foot pedal at a distal end.

[0010] According to a further aspect, a first gear segment is attached to the upper lever arm.

[0011] According to a further aspect, the intermediate member comprises an upper gear segment engaging with the first gear segment and a lower gear segment.

[0012] According to another aspect, a second gear segment is attached to the pedal arm and engages the lower gear segment of the intermediate link.

[0013] According to a further aspect, the upper gear segment is rotatable about the first pivot joint.

[0014] According to a further aspect, the second gear segment is rotatable about the second pivot joint.

[0015] According to another aspect, the first pivot joint is parallel to the second pivot joint.

[0016] According to a further aspect, a lateral position of the foot pedal relative to the upper lever arm is adjustable by pivoting the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint.

[0017] According to another aspect, an adjustable pedal system for a vehicle includes an adjustable brake pedal assembly including a dual lever having an upper pivot mounting portion and a pair of laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions, a pedal arm configured to be selectively attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions, and a foot pedal attached to one end of the pedal arm. An adjustable accelerator pedal assembly includes an upper lever arm having an upper pivot mounting portion, an intermediate link having an upper end pivotally attached to the upper lever arm by a first pivot, and a pedal arm having an upper end attached to a lower end of the intermediate link by a second pivot, and a foot pedal at a distal end.

[0018] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a two-stage brake pedal assembly with the brake pedal in a first position; Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the two-stage brake pedal assembly with the brake pedal in a second position if a driver prefers it; Fig. 3 is a plan view of an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly in a first position; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the adjustable accelerator pedal assembly in a second position, if preferred by the driver; and Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable pedal system showing the alternative positions of the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal.

[0020] Reference numerals may be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an adjustable brake pedal assembly 10 is described. The adjustable brake pedal assembly 10 includes a dual lever 12 having an upper pivot mounting portion 14 and a right pedal mounting portion 16 and a laterally spaced left pedal mounting portion 18. The upper pivot mounting portion 14 is configured to be pivotally mounted to a vehicle structure and connected to a vehicle braking system, as is known in the art. A pedal arm 20 is configured to be alternatively mounted to either the right pedal mounting portion 16 or the left pedal mounting portion 18. A foot pedal 22 is disposed at one end of the pedal arm 20.

[0022] The double lever 12 and the pedal arm 20 are made of metal. The pedal arm 20 is attached by one or more threaded fasteners to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections 16, 18. In a first position on the right side (shown in Fig. 1) The foot pedal 22 is mounted on the right pedal mounting section 16 for "normal" use by a right-footed rider. In a second position on the left side (shown in Fig. 2) The foot pedal 22 is attached to the left pedal mounting portion 18 for use by a left-footed rider. The right pedal mounting portion 16 and the left pedal mounting portion 18 are equally spaced from a pivot axis of the upper pivot mounting portion 14, so that the foot pedal 22 is the same distance from the pivot axis in both positions.

[0023] The layout is divided into two stages to provide a more comfortable position for disabled people who drive with their left foot. A brake pedal is applied with considerable force in an emergency, requiring a rigid pedal design. The two-stage brake pedal can be moved further to the left while maintaining a stable structural design. To allow for footrest adjustment, a distance of 50 mm from the footrest must be maintained. The two-stage brake pedal is available to the left-footed driver with one degree of freedom in the existing position and further to the left.

[0024] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly 30 is described. The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly 30 includes an upper lever arm 32 with an upper pivot mounting portion 34. An intermediate link 36 includes an upper end pivotally attached to the upper lever arm 32 by a first pivot 38. A pedal arm 40 includes an upper end pivotally attached to a lower end of the intermediate link 36 by a second pivot 42 and includes a foot pedal 44 at a distal end. A first gear segment 46 is attached to the upper lever arm 32. The intermediate link 36 includes an upper gear segment 48 that meshes with the first gear segment 46. A lower gear segment 50 on the intermediate link 36 meshes with a second gear segment 52 attached to the pedal arm 40. The upper gear segment 48 is rotatable about the first pivot 38. The second gear segment 52 is rotatable about the second pivot joint 42.The first and second pivot joints 38, 42 are arranged parallel to each other.

[0025] A lateral position of the foot pedal 44 relative to the upper lever arm 32 is adjustable by pivoting the first pivot joint 38 and the second pivot joint 42. With reference to Fig.5, the adjustable pedal system can be applied to the brake and accelerator pedals 10, 30. Two positions are possible for the brake pedal assembly 10: a "normal" or usual use position and a left-shifted position for a left-footed driver. According to regulations, the brake pedal unit 10 must be 50 mm from the footrest. For the accelerator pedal 30, the gear-type joints 38, 42 are used to adjust the position of the foot pedal 44. Screws can be used to attach the joints 38, 42. The first joint 38 of the two-joint structure allows the pedal 44 to move in the desired direction, and the second joint 42 allows the pedal to move the position of the foot so that it can be operated.

[0026] For disabled people who need to use their left foot to drive, a special device must be installed on the left side. If this is the case, there is a risk of sudden, unintended acceleration if the changed pedal position is unfamiliar. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the position of the driver who drives with their right foot and has difficulty driving in the existing pedal position due to their physique, so that they can drive comfortably. Since everyone has a different physique, the original pedal position may be uncomfortable. The device of the present disclosure can provide comfort not only for a disabled driver on the left foot, but also for those with driving difficulty in the existing pedal position by adjusting the pedal to a comfortable position.

[0027] The foregoing description is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be embodied in a variety of forms. While this disclosure contains particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be considered so limited, since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It is understood that one or more steps within a method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.Although each of the embodiments described above includes certain features, one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and combinations of one or more embodiments remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0028] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "beside," "on," "over," "under," and "disposed." When a relationship between a first and a second element is not explicitly described as "direct" in the above disclosure, that relationship may be a direct relationship, with no other intervening elements present between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship, with one or more intervening elements (either spatial or functional) present between the first and second elements.As used herein, the phrase "A, B and / or C" should be construed as logical (A ORed with B ORed with C) using a non-exclusive logical OR, rather than as "at least one of A, at least one of B and at least one of C."

Claims

[1] Adjustable brake pedal assembly comprising: a dual lever having an upper pivot mounting portion and a pair of laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions; a pedal arm adapted to be selectively attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions; and a foot pedal attached to one end of the pedal arm. [2] The adjustable brake pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the pedal arm is attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting portions with a threaded fastener. [3] The adjustable brake pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounts are equidistant from a pivot axis of the upper pivot mount. [4] The adjustable brake pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the dual lever and the pedal arm are made of metal. [5] Adjustable accelerator pedal assembly comprising: an upper lever arm having an upper pivot attachment portion; an intermediate link having an upper end pivotally attached to the upper lever arm by a first pivot joint; a pedal arm having an upper end attached to a lower end of the intermediate link by a second pivot joint and including a foot pedal at a distal end. [6] The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly of claim 5, further comprising a first gear segment attached to the upper lever arm. [7] The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly of claim 6, wherein the intermediate member comprises an upper gear segment meshing with the first gear segment and a lower gear segment. [8] The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly of claim 7, further comprising a second gear segment mounted on the pedal arm and engaging the lower gear segment of the intermediate link. [9] The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly of claim 8, wherein the upper gear segment is rotatable about the first pivot joint. [10] The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly of claim 9, wherein the second gear segment is rotatable about the second pivot.

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