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 serves to present the general context of the disclosure. Works of the inventors mentioned herein, insofar as they are 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 neither expressly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an adjustable brake pedal assembly and an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly. It relates to an adjustable pedal system for a vehicle.

[0003] Currently, the problem of a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg having to drive with their left leg is addressed by an adjustable pedal system to increase mobility. Existing methods allow driving with the left foot by simply changing the position of the accelerator pedal using additional devices that provide an auxiliary accelerator pedal to the left of the brake pedal. However, this presents a problem when the order of the accelerator and brake pedals is changed, and installing additional devices is cumbersome. The present disclosure can provide convenient driving with the left foot without changing the pedal order by repositioning the brake and accelerator pedals.The purpose of the present disclosure is to enable a disabled person with an injured or impaired right leg to drive with their left leg and to operate a vehicle comfortably for their mobility by repositioning the position of the vehicle's pedal without a special device.

[0004] DE 10 2018 206274 B3 describes a pedal device for a motor vehicle. DE 10 2016 214 611 A1 describes a pedal arrangement for a motor vehicle. DE 102 36 358 A1 describes a pedal device for a motor vehicle. DE 694 08 100 T2 describes pedals for motor vehicles. US 11 079 789 B2 describes a pedal arrangement. US 2002 / 0148668 A1 describes a control pedal arrangement for a vehicle. US 2 437 320 A describes an extension for a clutch pedal. SUMMARY

[0005] 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 purpose 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 repositioning the vehicle's pedal without a special device.

[0006] This problem is solved in each case by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent patent claims.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an adjustable brake pedal assembly comprises a double lever with an upper pivot mounting section and a pair of laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections. A pedal arm is configured to be selectively attached to either of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections, and a foot pedal is attached to one end of the pedal arm.

[0008] According to another aspect, the pedal arm is attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections with a threaded fastening element.

[0009] According to another aspect, the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections are equidistant from a pivot axis of the upper swivel joint mounting.

[0010] According to another aspect, the double lever and the pedal arm are made of metal.

[0011] According to another aspect, an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly comprises an upper lever arm with an upper pivot attachment section. 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 pivotally attached to a lower end of the intermediate link by a second pivot and comprises a foot pedal at a distal end.

[0012] According to the invention, a first gear segment is attached to the upper lever arm.

[0013] According to the invention, the intermediate member comprises an upper gear segment which engages with the first gear segment, and a lower gear segment.

[0014] According to another aspect, a second gear segment is attached to the pedal arm and engages with the lower gear segment of the intermediate link.

[0015] According to another aspect, the upper gear segment can rotate around the first pivot joint.

[0016] According to another aspect, the second gear segment can rotate around the second pivot joint.

[0017] According to another aspect, the first pivot joint is parallel to the second pivot joint.

[0018] According to another aspect, the lateral position of the foot pedal relative to the upper lever arm can be adjusted by pivoting the first and second pivot joints.

[0019] According to another aspect, 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 with 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.

[0020] Further applications of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims, and the drawings. The detailed description and the specific examples serve only for illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present disclosure will be better understood with the help of the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, whereby: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a two-stage brake pedal assembly, in which the brake pedal is in a first position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the two-stage brake pedal assembly, in which the brake pedal is in a second position if a driver prefers this; Fig. 3 is a top view of an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly in a first position; Fig. 4. A top view of the adjustable accelerator pedal assembly in a second position, if the driver prefers this; 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.

[0022] Reference symbols can be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. Section 2 describes an adjustable brake pedal assembly 10. The adjustable brake pedal assembly 10 comprises a double lever 12 with an upper pivot mounting section 14, a right pedal mounting section 16, and a laterally spaced left pedal mounting section 18. The upper pivot mounting section 14 is designed to be pivotably mounted on a vehicle structure and connected to a vehicle braking system, as is known in the prior art. A pedal arm 20 is designed to be attached alternatively to either the right pedal mounting section 16 or the left pedal mounting section 18. A foot pedal 22 is arranged at one end of the pedal arm 20.

[0024] The double lever 12 and the pedal arm 20 are made of metal. The pedal arm 20 is attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections 16, 18 by one or more threaded fasteners. In a first position on the right side (shown in Fig. 1) The foot pedal 22 is attached to the right pedal mounting section 16 for "normal" use by a right-footed driver. In a second position on the left side (shown in Fig. 2) The foot pedal 22 for use by a left-footed driver is attached to the left pedal mounting section 18. The right pedal mounting section 16 and the left pedal mounting section 18 are equidistant from a pivot axis of the upper pivot mounting section 14, so that the foot pedal 22 is the same distance from the pivot axis in both positions.

[0025] The arrangement is divided into two stages to provide a more comfortable position for disabled drivers who use their left foot. A single brake pedal requires significant force to operate in an emergency, necessitating a rigid pedal design. The two-stage brake pedal allows for further movement to the left while maintaining structural stability. A clearance of 50 mm to the footrest must be maintained to accommodate footrest adjustment. The two-stage brake pedal offers the left-footed driver one degree of freedom in its current position and further to the left.

[0026] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. Section 4 describes an adjustable accelerator pedal assembly 30. The adjustable accelerator pedal assembly 30 comprises an upper lever arm 32 with an upper pivot joint attachment section 34. An intermediate member 36 comprises an upper end that is pivotably attached to the upper lever arm 32 by a first pivot joint 38. A pedal arm 40 comprises an upper end that is attached to a lower end of the intermediate member 36 by a second pivot joint 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 member 36 comprises an upper gear segment 48 that meshes with the first gear segment 46. A lower gear segment 50 on the intermediate member 36 meshes with a second gear segment 52 that is attached to the pedal arm 40. The upper gear segment 48 is rotatable about the first pivot joint 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.

[0027] The lateral position of the foot pedal 44 relative to the upper lever arm 32 can be adjusted 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 and 30. Two positions are possible for the brake pedal assembly 10: a "normal" or usual operating position and a position shifted to the left for a left-footed driver. According to regulations, the brake pedal assembly 10 must be 50 mm from the footrest. For the accelerator pedal 30, the gear-type joints 38 and 42 are used to adjust the position of the foot pedal 44. Screws can be used to fasten the joints 38 and 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 foot position so that it can be operated.

[0028] For disabled individuals who must use their left foot to drive, a special device must be installed on the left side. In this case, there is a risk of sudden, unintentional acceleration if the altered pedal position is unfamiliar. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the pedal position for drivers who drive with their right foot and have difficulty driving in the existing position due to their physique, so that they can drive comfortably. Since everyone has a different physique, the original pedal position can be uncomfortable. The device described in this disclosure can provide comfort not only for a disabled driver who drives with their left foot, but also for those who have difficulty driving in the existing pedal position by adjusting the pedal to a comfortable position.

[0029] The foregoing description serves only for illustration and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or use. The comprehensive teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a multitude of forms. Although this disclosure contains particular examples, the actual scope of the disclosure is not to be considered limited in this way, since other variations will become apparent upon studying the drawings, the description, and the following claims. It is understood that one or more steps within a process may be carried out in a different order (or simultaneously) without departing from the basic idea of ​​the present disclosure.Even though each of the embodiments described above has certain features, one or more of these features, described in relation to any embodiment of the disclosure, can be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if this combination is not expressly 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.

[0030] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "interlocking," "coupled," "adjacent," "next to," "on," "above," "below," and "arranged." Unless a relationship between a first and a second element is explicitly described as "direct" in the above disclosure, this relationship may be a direct relationship, in which no other intervening elements exist between the first and the second element, or it may be an indirect relationship, in which one or more intervening elements (either spatial or functional) exist between the first and the second element.As used herein, the phrase “A, B and / or C” should be interpreted using a non-exclusive logical OR operation as logical (A OR-connected with B OR-connected with C) and not as “at least one of A, at least one of B and at least one of C”.

Claims

[1] Adjustable brake pedal assembly (10), comprising: a double lever (12) with an upper pivot mounting section (14, 34) and a pair of laterally spaced and separated lower pedal mounting sections (16, 18); a pedal arm (20, 40) designed to be optionally attached to either of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections (16, 18); and a foot pedal (22, 44) which is attached to one end of the pedal arm (20, 40). [2] Adjustable brake pedal assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein the pedal arm (20, 40) is attached to one of the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections (16, 18) by means of a threaded fastening element. [3] Adjustable brake pedal assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein the two laterally spaced lower pedal mounting sections (16, 18) are spaced equidistant from a pivot axis of the upper pivot joint mounting. [4] Adjustable brake pedal assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein the double lever (12) and the pedal arm (20, 40) are made of metal. [5] Adjustable accelerator pedal assembly (30), comprising: an upper lever arm (32) with an upper pivot joint attachment section (14, 34); an intermediate member (36) with an upper end which is pivotably attached to the upper lever arm (32) by means of a first pivot joint; a pedal arm (20, 40) having an upper end which is attached by a second pivot joint (42) to a lower end of the intermediate member (36), and comprising a foot pedal (22, 44) at a distal end; and a first gear segment (46) attached to the upper lever arm (32), wherein the intermediate member (36) comprises an upper gear segment (48) engaging with the first gear segment (46) and a lower gear segment (50). [6] Adjustable accelerator pedal assembly (30) according to claim 5, further comprising a second gear segment (52) which is attached to the pedal arm (20, 40) and engages with the lower gear segment of the intermediate member (36). [7] Adjustable accelerator pedal assembly (30) according to claim 6, wherein the upper gear segment (48) is rotatable about the first pivot joint. [8] Adjustable accelerator pedal assembly (30) according to claim 7, wherein the second gear segment (52) is rotatable about the second pivot joint.

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