Accelerator device

Abstract

To provide an accelerator device which can give reaction force to a pedal lever, and can regulate an operation of the pedal lever.SOLUTION: An accelerator device 1 includes a pedal lever 20, at least one motor 40, a power transmission mechanism 50, and a lock mechanism 501. The pedal lever 20 is operated in response to a step-in operation. The motor 40 can give reaction force to the pedal lever 20. The power transmission mechanism 50 has an energization member 54 for reaction force adjustment, and transmits driving force of the motor 40 to the pedal lever 20 through the energization member 54 for reaction force adjustment. The lock mechanism 501 can regulate the operation of the pedal lever 20. The power transmission mechanism 50 has a feed screw 51, a holder 52, a rod 53, and a housing 55 fixed to a vehicle body side. The rod 53 has a shaft part 532 inserted into the housing 55, and a top part 531 stored in the housing 55 so as to be abutted thereon.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an accelerator device.

[0002] This application is based on Patent Application No. 2020-044241 and Patent Application No. 2020-044607, filed on March 13, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] Conventionally, accelerator pedal modules equipped with an actuator have been known. For example, in Patent Document 1, an actuator driven by a solenoid engages with a rotating member and applies a force in a return direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] DE 102014118573 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the accelerator device in Patent Document 1 has a rotating member driven by an actuator and is relatively large in size. In addition, if a mechanism for fixing the accelerator pedal is provided when the accelerator pedal is not required to be operated, such as in an autonomous driving situation, the size of the accelerator device may become even larger and the structure may become more complicated. The object of the present disclosure is to provide an accelerator device that is capable of applying a reaction force to the pedal lever and restricting the operation of the pedal lever. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The accelerator device of the present disclosure includes a pedal lever, at least one drive source, a power transmission mechanism, and a lock mechanism. The pedal lever operates in response to depression of the pedal lever. The drive source generates a drive force capable of driving the pedal lever in a return direction. The power transmission mechanism has a reaction force adjustment biasing member and transmits the drive force of the drive source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member. The lock mechanism is capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever. In a first aspect, the power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw having one of a male thread and a female thread and driven by a drive source, a holder having the other of a male thread and a female thread meshing with the feed screw, a rod, and a housing that houses the reaction force adjustment biasing member, the feed screw, and the holder and is fixed to the vehicle body. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member abuts against the holder and the other end abuts against the rod. The rod has a shaft portion that is capable of abutting against the pedal lever at its tip and is inserted into a rod insertion hole formed in the housing, and a top portion that is housed in the housing and can abut against it, and is integrally formed on the base end side of the shaft portion. In a second aspect, the power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw having a male or female thread formed thereon and driven by a drive source, a holder having the other male or female thread meshing with the feed screw formed thereon, and a slider member having an inclined surface capable of contacting the pedal lever. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member contacts the holder, and the other end contacts the slider member. In a third aspect, the power transmission mechanism has a feed screw having one of a male thread and a female thread formed therein and driven by a drive source, and a holder having the other of the male thread and the female thread formed therein that meshes with the feed screw. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member abuts against the holder, and the other end abuts against the pedal lever. In a fourth aspect, the power transmission mechanism includes a slider member having an inclined surface and driven by a drive source, and a holder provided slidably on the inclined surface. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member abuts against the holder, and the other end abuts against the pedal lever. In a fifth aspect, the power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw having one of a male thread or a female thread whose screw direction is reversed at an intermediate portion and driven by a drive source, screw blocks provided on both sides of the intermediate portion of the feed screw and having the other of a male thread or a female thread that meshes with the feed screw, a jack portion having a connecting portion that connects a link connected to the screw block, and a holder provided at the connecting portion on the pedal lever side of the feed screw. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member abuts against the holder and the other end abuts against the pedal lever. This makes it possible to apply a reaction force to the pedal lever, and also makes it possible to appropriately regulate the operation of the pedal lever as necessary. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which a pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in the accelerator device according to the first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the accelerator device according to the first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a second embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in an accelerator device according to a second embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the accelerator device according to the second embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a third embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state in which a pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in an accelerator device according to a third embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the accelerator device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a fourth embodiment; [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a state in which a pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in an accelerator device according to a fourth embodiment; [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the accelerator device according to the fourth embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a fifth embodiment; [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a side view showing a state in which a pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in the accelerator device according to the fifth embodiment; [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the accelerator device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a sixth embodiment; [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a side view showing a state in which the pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in the sixth embodiment; [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an accelerator device according to a seventh embodiment; [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a side view of an accelerator device according to a seventh embodiment; [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXI-XXI of FIG. 20; [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a view taken in the direction of arrow XXII in FIG. 21; [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIII-XXIII in FIG. 22; [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIV-XXIV of FIG. 22; [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a second spur gear, a third spur gear, and a torsion spring according to a seventh embodiment; [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing a second spur gear, a third spur gear, and a torsion spring according to a seventh embodiment; [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view showing a locking member according to a seventh embodiment; [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a side view showing a state before the pedal is locked in the seventh embodiment. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIX-XXIX of FIG. 28; [Diagram 30] FIG. 30 is a side view showing a state during locking in the seventh embodiment; [Diagram 31] FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 30; [Diagram 32] FIG. 32 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the seventh embodiment. [Diagram 33] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG. 32; [Diagram 34] FIG. 34 is a side view showing a cam retracted state in the seventh embodiment; [Diagram 35] FIG. 35 is a side view of an accelerator device according to an eighth embodiment; [Diagram 36] FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram showing a second spur gear, a third spur gear, and a compression coil spring according to a ninth embodiment; [Figure 37A] FIG. 37A is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to a seventh embodiment, showing a state before being locked; [Figure 37B] FIG. 37B is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to a seventh embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 38A] FIG. 38A is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to a tenth embodiment, showing a state before being locked; [Figure 38B]FIG. 38B is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to a tenth embodiment, showing a state during locking; [Figure 38C] FIG. 38C is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to a tenth embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 39A] FIG. 39A is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to an eleventh embodiment, showing a state before being locked; [Figure 39B] FIG. 39B is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism according to an eleventh embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 39C] FIG. 39C is a diagram for explaining a locking mechanism according to an eleventh embodiment, and is a schematic diagram for explaining unlocking; [Figure 40A] FIG. 40A is a schematic diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a twelfth embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 40B] FIG. 40B is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a twelfth embodiment, and is a schematic diagram illustrating unlocking; [Figure 41A] FIG. 41A is a schematic diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a thirteenth embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 41B] FIG. 41B is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a thirteenth embodiment, and is a schematic diagram illustrating unlocking; [Figure 42A] FIG. 42A is a schematic diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a fourteenth embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 42B] FIG. 42B is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a fourteenth embodiment, and is a schematic diagram illustrating unlocking; [Figure 43A] FIG. 43A is a schematic diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a fifteenth embodiment in a locked state; [Figure 43B] FIG. 43B is a diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a fifteenth embodiment, and is a schematic diagram illustrating unlocking; [Diagram 44] FIG. 44 is a schematic diagram showing a locking mechanism according to a sixteenth embodiment; [Diagram 45] FIG. 45 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a seventeenth embodiment; [Diagram 46] FIG. 46 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to an eighteenth embodiment; [Figure 47] FIG. 47 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a nineteenth embodiment; [Figure 48] FIG. 48 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a twentieth embodiment; [Figure 49] FIG. 49 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a twenty-first embodiment; [Figure 50] FIG. 50 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a twenty-second embodiment; [Figure 51] FIG. 51 is a side view showing a power transmission mechanism according to a twenty-third embodiment; [Figure 52] FIG. 52 is a side view showing a state in which the pedal lever is depressed and a reaction force is applied in the twenty-third embodiment; [Diagram 53] FIG. 53 is a side view showing a pedal lock state in the twenty-third embodiment; [Figure 54] FIG. 54 is a schematic diagram illustrating the actuation of the pedal lever in the return direction. [Figure 55] FIG. 55 is a schematic diagram illustrating the drive of the pedal lever in the return direction. [Figure 56A] FIG. 56A is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism of a pedal lever; [Figure 56B] FIG. 56B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a force applied when the pedal is locked. [Figure 57] FIG. 57 is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism of a pedal lever. [Figure 58A] FIG. 58A is a diagram for explaining the locking position of the pedal lever, and is a schematic diagram showing a locked state in a fully closed position. [Figure 58B] FIG. 58B is a diagram for explaining the locking position of the pedal lever, and is a schematic diagram showing a locked state in an intermediate position. [Figure 58C]FIG. 58C is a diagram for explaining the locking position of the pedal lever, showing a locked state in the fully open position; [Figure 59A] FIG. 59A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism are connected in a fully closed state; [Figure 59B] FIG. 59B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism are connected in a fully open state; [Figure 60A] FIG. 60A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism are in contact with each other in a fully closed state; [Figure 60B] FIG. 60B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism are in contact with each other in a fully open state; [Figure 61A] FIG. 61A is a schematic diagram showing that the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism can be separated from each other in a fully closed state; [Figure 61B] FIG. 61B is a schematic diagram showing that the pedal lever and the power transmission mechanism can be separated from each other in the fully open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An accelerator device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, in a number of embodiments, substantially the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) A first embodiment is shown in Figures 1 to 3. The accelerator device 1 is configured so as to be attachable to a floor panel (not shown) that constitutes part of the body of a vehicle. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the accelerator device 1 comprises a case 10, a pedal lever 20, a motor 40 as a drive source, and a power transmission mechanism 50. The case 10 is attachable to the vehicle body and houses internal movable mechanisms such as a pedal 35 inside. Figure 1 and other figures show a state where a cover (not shown) provided on the front side of the case 10 on the page has been removed, and parts that are cross-sectional on the cover surface are hatched.

[0010] The pedal lever 20 has a pad 21, an arm 31, and a pedal 35, and is driven as a unit by the driver's stepping operation, etc. The pad 21 is provided so as to be steppable by the driver. The pad 21 is rotatably supported on the case 10 by a fulcrum member 23 provided on the case 10. The pedal lever 20 of this embodiment is a so-called "floor-mounted type" in which the pad 21 is provided so as to extend in a direction along one surface of the case 10. The wall portion of the case 10 on the side facing the pad 21 is defined as the top wall portion 11. The side guard 24 is a member that guards the gap between the pad 21 and the case 10 to prevent the driver's foot from being pinched between the pad 21 and the case 10.

[0011] The arm 31 connects the pad 21 and the pedal 35. An opening through which the arm 31 is inserted is formed in the top wall portion 11 of the case 10. The opening through which the arm 31 is inserted is formed so as not to interfere with the arm 31 over the entire range of pedal operation.

[0012] The pedal 35 is housed in the internal space of the case 10, and has a shaft portion 351 and a connecting portion 352. The shaft portion 351 is rotatably supported by the case 10. The connecting portion 352 is formed to extend from the shaft portion 351 so as to generally follow the top wall portion 11. An end of the connecting portion 352 opposite to the shaft portion 351 engages with the arm 31. As a result, the pad 21, the arm 31, and the pedal 35 are driven as a unit by the driver's operation of the pad 21.

[0013] The pedal biasing member 37 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is fixed to the pedal 35 and the other end of which is fixed to the case 10, and biases the pedal 35 toward the top wall 11. When the pad 21 is not depressed by the driver, the arm 31 abuts against a fully closed stopper 17 formed on the inside of the top wall 11. When the pad 21 is depressed, the pad 21 abuts against a fully open stopper (not shown) formed on the outside of the top wall 11. Hereinafter, the state in which the arm 31 abuts against the fully closed stopper 17 will be referred to as the "accelerator fully closed state," and the state in which the pad 21 abuts against the fully open stopper will be referred to as the "accelerator fully open state."

[0014] Accelerator opening sensor 39 generates an accelerator opening signal corresponding to the rotation angle of shaft portion 351. Accelerator opening sensor 39 has a detection circuit including a Hall element that detects the orientation of a permanent magnet embedded in shaft portion 351, for example. The accelerator opening sensor 39 may be anything other than a Hall element as long as it can detect the accelerator opening. The accelerator opening signal is output to ECU 99, which serves as a control unit, via a connector (not shown).

[0015] The motor 40 is, for example, a DC motor, and is provided closer to the tip of the pad 21 than the arm 31. The ECU 99 controls the driving of the motor 40 based on the detection values ​​of the accelerator opening sensor 39 and the position sensor 49. The driving force of the motor 40 is transmitted to the pedal lever 20 via the power transmission mechanism 50. As a result, the pedal lever 20 is driven by the driving force of the motor 40. By providing the power transmission mechanism 50, the accelerator device 1 of this embodiment is configured to be able to actively drive the pedal lever 20 in the accelerator closing direction (hereinafter referred to as the "return direction" as appropriate) by the driving force of the motor 40. The opening direction of the accelerator pedal is referred to as the "depressing direction" as appropriate. The accelerator opening sensor 39, the ECU 99, and the accelerator opening and closing direction are omitted from illustrations other than in FIG. 1.

[0016] Before describing the power transmission mechanism 50 in detail, the application of a reaction force to the pedal lever 20 by the actuator and the lock mechanism will be conceptually described. Here, the series of components that transmit power from a drive source to the pedal lever 20 via the power transmission mechanism is referred to as an "actuator." As shown in Figure 54, if the power transmission mechanism 50 is composed of a linear motion member such as a rack gear and a compression spring, the linear motion member can be moved by the drive of the motor 40, thereby driving the pedal lever 20 in the accelerator closing direction.

[0017] Also, as shown in Fig. 55, the linear motion member may directly drive the pedal lever 20 without using a spring. This makes it possible to adjust the reaction force. Note that, although the power transmission mechanism 50 is linearly moved by the motor 40 in the above example, the power transmission mechanism may be configured as a rotating mechanism.

[0018] Also, as shown in Figs. 56A, 56B and 57, a lock mechanism 501 is provided to lock the pedal lever 20 in a fully closed state, and the pad 21 is fixed during automatic driving, for example, to make it into a footrest. At this time, as shown in Figs. 55A and 55B, it is desirable to configure the pedal to reduce the load on the motor 40 side by dividing the driver's pedal force by a slope when the pedal is locked. If the load LD on the motor 40 side can be maintained in a state smaller than the detent torque Td when the motor 40 is cut off, the locked state can be maintained even when the motor 40 is turned off. The same applies to locking in the fully open state or in the intermediate position. Also, as shown in Fig. 57, the pedal may be configured so that the driver's pedal force is not applied to the motor 40 side when the pedal is locked.

[0019] The lock position of the pedal lever 20 may be the fully closed position as shown in Fig. 58A, or any intermediate position between the fully closed and fully open positions as shown in Fig. 58B, or the fully open position as shown in Fig. 58C. Note that the lock mechanism is not shown in Figs. 58A to 58C.

[0020] The connection relationship between the pedal lever 20 and the power transmission mechanism 50 will be described. In Figures 59A and 59B, the power transmission mechanism 50 and the pedal lever 20 are connected, and the pedal lever 20 and the power transmission mechanism 50 move together in the full range from fully closed to fully open. In this configuration, the motor 40 rotates together with the pedal lever 20 when the pedal lever 20 is operated, generating cogging torque and affecting the pedal force.

[0021] In Figures 60A and 60B, the power transmission mechanism 50 is in contact with the pedal lever 20 by the biasing force of a biasing member such as a spring, and the pedal lever 20 and the power transmission mechanism 50 move together in the entire range from fully closed to fully open. In this configuration, the biasing force of the biasing member affects the pedal force. As shown in Figures 58A, 58B, 59A, and 59B, when the pedal lever 20 and the power transmission mechanism 50 move together, a reaction force can be applied with good responsiveness.

[0022] 61A and 61B, the power transmission mechanism 50 is provided so as to be able to separate from the pedal lever 20 in the entire range from fully closed to fully open. This makes it possible to avoid the influence of the power transmission mechanism 50 on the pedal force when no reaction force is being applied, and makes it possible to apply a reaction force to the pedal lever 20 only when necessary. The connection relationship between the pedal lever 20 and the power transmission mechanism 50 can be appropriately selected according to needs such as whether to prioritize responsiveness or the influence on the reaction force.

[0023] Note that Figures 54 to 61B are intended to provide an overview of the power transmission mechanism, locking mechanism, etc. in this specification, and include some that explain the concepts of the embodiments described below. Although not all of them correspond to this embodiment, for convenience, numbers corresponding to this embodiment are used.

[0024] By actively driving the pedal lever 20 in the return direction by the motor 40, which is a reaction force applying drive source, a reaction force is applied at a point where it is determined that depressing the pad 21 will deteriorate fuel efficiency based on the driving situation, creating a sense of wall and suppressing the driver from depressing the pad 21. This can improve fuel efficiency. In addition, by pulse driving the pedal lever 20 in the return direction, it can be used to transmit information such as a notification of switching from automatic driving to manual driving. In addition, during automatic driving, comfort can be ensured by locking the pedal lever 20 and using the pad 21 as a footrest.

[0025] Returning to Fig. 1, the power transmission mechanism 50 has a feed screw 51, a holder 52, a rod 53, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 54. The feed screw 51, the holder 52, and the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 are housed in a housing 55. The housing 55 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is provided adjacent to or integral with the side of the case 10 opposite to the side where the fulcrum member 23 is provided. The motor 40 is provided on the side of the housing 55 opposite to the pad 21.

[0026] A motor shaft insertion hole 551 through which the motor shaft is inserted is formed on the motor surface of the housing 55. A rod insertion hole 552 through which the shaft portion 532 of the rod 53 is inserted is formed on the pad side surface of the housing 55. A position sensor 49 that detects the position of the holder 52 is provided on the housing 55. The position sensor 49 can be disposed at any location where the position of a member whose position changes when a reaction force is applied can be detected. Also, in some embodiments described later, the position sensor is not illustrated.

[0027] The feed screw 51 is a male screw, and is driven to rotate by the motor 40. The holder 52 is formed in a generally bottomed cylindrical shape that opens to the rod 53 side. A female screw portion 521 that meshes with the feed screw 51 is formed at the bottom of the holder 52. When the feed screw 51 is rotated by the motor 40, the holder 52 can move in the axial direction of the feed screw 51. A stopper portion 522 that can come into contact with the rod 53 is formed on the rod 53 side of the holder 52. The feed screw 51 side may be a female screw, and the holder 52 side may be a male screw. The male screw and the female screw in the embodiments described below may also be interchanged.

[0028] Rod 53 has a top 531 and a shaft 532, and is formed in a generally T-shape in side view. Top 531 is accommodated in housing 55, and shaft 532 protrudes from rod insertion hole 552 toward pad 21. The tip of shaft 532 is formed in an arc shape in side view and abuts against pad 21. Reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is accommodated inside holder 52 and the other end of which abuts against top 531 of rod 53.

[0029] 1, in the initial state where the accelerator is fully closed, the top 531 of the rod 53 is pressed against the pad-side end surface of the housing 55 by the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54. Also, in the initial state, the holder 52 is located relatively closer to the motor 40.

[0030] 2, when the pad 21 is depressed, the depression force moves the rod 53 toward the holder 52. When the motor 40 is driven to drive the holder 52 toward the rod 53, the biasing force of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 can apply a reaction force in the return direction of the pedal lever 20. The ECU 99 controls the drive of the motor 40 based on the detection value of the position sensor 49, and controls the holder position, thereby adjusting the reaction force applied to the pedal lever 20.

[0031] 3, when the motor 40 is driven with the accelerator fully closed and the holder 52 is driven to a position where the stopper portion 522 and the top portion 531 of the rod 53 come into contact with each other, the pedal lever 20 is locked. In the figure, the movement of the holder 52 and the like is indicated by dashed arrows. The same applies to the embodiments described below.

[0032] In this embodiment, since the feed screw 51 and the holder 52 have a bolt-nut relationship, the holder 52 is held in a position where the power supply to the motor 40 is turned off. That is, even if the power supply to the motor 40 is turned off with the holder 52 and the rod 53 in contact with each other and the pad 21 is depressed by the driver in this state, the holder 52 is not pushed back and the locked state is maintained. Also, the locked state is released by driving the motor 40 in the reverse direction to separate the holder 52 and the rod 53.

[0033] As described above, the accelerator device 1 includes the pedal lever 20, the motor 40 as at least one drive source, the power transmission mechanism 50, and the lock mechanism 501. The pedal lever 20 operates in response to depression of the pedal lever 20. In detail, the pedal lever 20 has a pad 21 that can be depressed, a pedal 35 that is rotatably supported on the case 10, and an arm 31 that connects the pad 21 and the pedal 35. The motor 40 can apply a reaction force that is a force in the return direction of the pedal lever 20.

[0034] The locking mechanism 501 is capable of restricting the movement of the pedal lever 20. In this embodiment, the feed screw 51, the holder 52, and the rod 53 constitute the locking mechanism 501. Here, "capable of restricting the movement of the pedal lever" is a concept including the fact that, in the pedal lever 20 or the power transmission mechanism 50, the amount of movement of the pedal lever 20 is zero or the amount of movement is smaller than when the pedal lever 20 is unlocked.

[0035] The accelerator device 1 has a relatively simple and compact configuration that combines a pedal force adjustment function and a lock function using a single drive source, the motor 40. For example, when it is not desired to depress the pedal lever 20 due to a danger warning or to improve fuel efficiency, the reaction force can be increased to suppress depression. In addition, the reaction force can be adjusted according to the driver's request and the vehicle type. Furthermore, by fixing the pedal lever 20 when accelerator operation is not required, such as during automatic driving, it is possible to use the pedal lever 20 as a footrest or to prevent the pedal lever 20 from being depressed to prevent mis-depression.

[0036] The power transmission mechanism 50 has a reaction force adjustment biasing member 54, and transmits the driving force of the motor 40 to the pedal lever 20 via the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54. This makes it possible to adjust the magnitude of the reaction force by adjusting the amount of contraction of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54.

[0037] The motor 40 generates a rotational force. The power transmission mechanism 50 has a linear motion conversion mechanism that converts the rotational force of the motor 40 into a linear motion direction, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 provided between the pedal lever 20 and the linear motion conversion mechanism. In this embodiment, the feed screw 51 and the holder 52 configure the linear motion conversion mechanism, and the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 is provided between the pedal lever 20 and the holder 52. By converting the rotational force of the motor 40 into a linear motion force and changing the position of the holder 52, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 can be expanded or contracted, thereby increasing or decreasing the reaction force applied to the pedal lever 20.

[0038] The accelerator device 1 includes a position sensor 49 that detects the position of the holder 52, and an ECU 99 that controls the motor 40 based on the detection value of the position sensor 49. The motor 40 is controlled in response to the detection value of the position sensor 49. This makes it possible to appropriately control the reaction force applied to the pedal lever 20 and the locked state.

[0039] The lock mechanism 501 includes a holder 52 and a rod 53. The holder 52 moves in the axial direction of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 to a lock position, and indirectly abuts against the pedal lever 20 via the rod 53, thereby restricting the operation of the pedal lever 20. In other words, the lock mechanism of this embodiment is a pressing lock mechanism. In this embodiment, the position where the holder 52 and the rod 53 abut corresponds to the "lock position". Here, the "axial direction" is not strictly limited to the axial direction of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54, and a deviation that allows the stopper portion 522 to lock the pedal lever 20 in a state where the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 is compressed is allowed. The same applies to the "axial direction" and the "orthogonal direction" in the embodiments described later, and a deviation that allows the function to be realized is allowed. From the accelerator fully closed state, the pedal lever 20 can be appropriately locked by pressing the pedal lever 20 from the moving direction side of the pedal lever 20 with the holder 52. The second, third and fifth embodiments also have a pressing and locking mechanism.

[0040] The moving member in this embodiment is a holder 52, and the power transmission mechanism 50 has a feed screw 51 and the holder 52. The feed screw 51 is driven by the motor 40, and has a male thread formed therein. The holder 52 has a female thread formed therein that meshes with the feed screw 51. The reaction force adjustment biasing member 54 has one end that abuts against the holder 52, and the other end that abuts against a rod 53 that abuts against the pedal lever 20. The holder 52 is formed with a stopper portion 522 that can abut against the rod 53, and the pedal lever 20 is locked by the abutment of the rod 53 and the stopper portion 522.

[0041] Since the holder 52 is moved by the engagement of the male and female threads, it is possible to position the holder 52 without being pushed back by the biasing force of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 54. Furthermore, since the holder 52 is positioned by the engagement of the male and female threads, it is possible to reduce the load on the motor 40. Furthermore, since the holder 52 has both the function of a linear motion conversion mechanism and the function of a locking mechanism, the configuration can be simplified.

[0042] The power transmission mechanism 50 includes a linear motion conversion mechanism that converts the rotational force of the motor 40 into a linear motion. A rod 53 of the power transmission mechanism 50 is constantly in contact with the pedal lever 20. This allows a reaction force to be generated with good responsiveness.

[0043] The locking mechanism 501 restricts the movement of the pedal lever 20 when the pedal lever 20 is in the fully closed position. The locking mechanism 501 is driven by the motor 40 used to apply a reaction force to the pedal lever 20. The locking mechanism 501 can maintain a state in which the movement of the pedal lever 20 is restricted when the power supply to the motor 40, which is the drive source of the locking mechanism 501, is turned off. This makes it possible to appropriately restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20.

[0044] Second embodiment In the second to fifth embodiments, the power transmission mechanism is different from the above-mentioned embodiments, and this point will be mainly described below. The second embodiment is shown in Figures 4 to 6. The power transmission mechanism 60 of the accelerator device 2 has a feed screw 61, a holder 62, a cylinder 63, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 64, etc.

[0045] The feed screw 61 is a male screw, and is rotated by the motor 40 via a gear mechanism 410. The gear mechanism 410 has a first gear 411 and a second gear 412. The first gear 411 rotates integrally with the motor 40, and the second gear 412 meshing with the first gear 411 rotates integrally with the feed screw 61. In this way, the feed screw 61 is driven by the motor 40.

[0046] The holder 62 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided on the radially inner side of the cylinder 63. A guide protrusion 625 for guiding the axial movement of the cylinder 63 is formed on the peripheral wall of the holder 62. A female screw portion 621 that meshes with the feed screw 61 is formed on the radially inner side of the holder 62 on the gear mechanism 410 side. The feed screw 61 is rotated by the motor 40, so that the holder 62 can move in the axial direction. A stopper portion 622 that can come into contact with the pad 21 is formed on the end portion of the holder 62 on the pad 21 side. The stopper portion 622 is erected along the outer diameter on the end surface of the holder 62 on the pad 21 side. The pad 21 side of the holder 62 is exposed from the cylinder 63 to the pad 21 side.

[0047] The feed screw 61 and the holder 62 are housed in a cylinder 63. The cylinder 63 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape, and is disposed inside the motor housing 400 parallel to the motor shaft. In this specification, "parallel" is not limited to strict parallelism, and deviations of the order of assembly errors are permitted. An end face of the cylinder 63 on the gear mechanism 410 side is formed with a hole through which the feed screw 61 can be inserted, and an end face of the cylinder 63 on the pad 21 side is formed so that the holder 62 can be inserted. The cylinder 63 is provided with a position sensor 49 that detects the position of the holder 62.

[0048] The reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is disposed radially inside the stopper portion 622 of the holder 62, and the other end of which is fixed in contact with the pad 21. That is, in this embodiment, the rod in the above embodiment is omitted, and the reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 directly presses the pad 21.

[0049] Fig. 4 shows the initial state with the accelerator fully closed. In the initial state, the female screw portion 621 of the holder 62 meshes with the feed screw 61 at a position as close as possible to the gear mechanism 410. As shown in Fig. 5, when the pad 21 is depressed, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 is compressed by the depression force. When the motor 40 is driven to drive the holder 62 toward the pad 21, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 is further compressed, and the biasing force of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 can provide a reaction force in the return direction of the pedal lever 20.

[0050] 6, when the motor 40 is driven in the accelerator fully closed state and the holder 62 is driven to a position where the holder 62 and the pad 21 come into contact with each other, the pedal lever 20 is locked. In this embodiment, similar to the above embodiment, the feed screw 61 and the holder 62 have a bolt-and-nut relationship, so that the locked state can be maintained without current by turning off the current to the motor 40 when the pad 21 and the holder 62 come into contact with each other. Also, the locked state can be released by driving the motor 40 in the reverse direction to move the holder 62 away from the pad 21.

[0051] In this embodiment, the moving member is a holder 62, and the linear motion conversion mechanism has a feed screw 61 and the holder 62. The feed screw 61 is driven by the motor 40 and has a male thread. The feed screw 61 is driven by the motor 40 via a gear mechanism 410. The holder 62 has a female thread that meshes with the feed screw 61.

[0052] One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 64 abuts against the holder 62, and the other end abuts against the pedal lever 20. A stopper portion 622 is formed on the holder 62, and the pedal lever 20 is locked when the pedal lever 20 abuts against the stopper portion 622. In this embodiment, the position where the pad 21 abuts against the stopper portion 622 corresponds to the "lock position", and the feed screw 61 and the holder 62 constitute a lock mechanism 502.

[0053] In this embodiment, the lock mechanism 502 includes a holder 62, and the holder 62 directly contacts the pedal lever 20 to restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0054] Third embodiment The third embodiment is shown in Figs. 7 to 9. A power transmission mechanism 70 of the accelerator device 3 has a feed screw 71, a jack portion 72, a holder 73, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 74. In this embodiment, the motor shaft and the feed screw 71 are disposed substantially parallel to the top wall portion 11 of the case 10. The feed screw 71 and the jack portion 72 are housed in a motor housing 401. An opening is formed in the wall portion on the pad 21 side of the motor housing 401, through which the jack portion 72 can be driven.

[0055] The feed screw 71 is a male screw, and is rotated by the motor 40 via the gear mechanism 410. The feed screw 71 has threads cut in the opposite direction from the center in the axial direction. The jack section 72 has female screw blocks 721 and 722, an upper connecting section 723, a lower connecting section 724, and links 725 to 728. The female screw blocks 721 and 722 have female screws formed on the inside and mesh with the feed screw 71. In this embodiment, the female screw block 721 is located farther from the gear mechanism 410 than the center of the feed screw 71, and the female screw block 722 is located closer to the gear mechanism 410 than the center of the feed screw 71.

[0056] The female screw blocks 721, 722 are connected to each other by a link 725, an upper connecting portion 723, and a link 726 on the pad 21 side of the feed screw 71. The female screw blocks 721, 722 are connected to each other by a link 727, a lower connecting portion 724, and a link 728 on the opposite side of the feed screw 71 to the pad 21.

[0057] When the female screw blocks 721, 722 move toward the center of the feed screw 71 by rotating the feed screw 71 in one direction by the motor 40, the connecting portions 723, 724 move away from the feed screw 71. When the female screw blocks 721, 722 move away from the center of the feed screw 71 by rotating the feed screw 71 in the other direction by the motor 40, the connecting portions 723, 724 move toward the feed screw 71.

[0058] The holder 73 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape that opens to the pad 21 side, and is fixed to the upper connecting portion 723. A stopper portion 732 that can come into contact with the pad 21 is formed on the pad 21 side of the holder 73. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 74 is disposed radially inside the stopper portion 732 of the holder 73, and the other end is fixed in contact with the pad 21. That is, in this embodiment, similar to the second embodiment, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 74 directly presses the pad 21.

[0059] Fig. 7 shows the initial state with the accelerator fully closed. In the initial state, the female screw blocks 721, 722 are located as far apart as possible. As shown in Fig. 8, when the pad 21 is depressed, the reaction force adjusting biasing member 74 is compressed by the depression force. When the motor 40 is driven to drive the female screw blocks 721, 722 in a direction in which they approach each other, the upper connecting portion 723 moves toward the pad 21, and the reaction force adjusting biasing member 74 is further compressed, so that the biasing force of the reaction force adjusting biasing member 74 can apply a reaction force in the return direction of the pedal lever 20.

[0060] 9, when the motor 40 is driven in the accelerator fully closed state, and the female screw blocks 721, 722 are moved so as to lift the upper connecting portion 723 until the holder 73 abuts against the pad 21, the pedal lever 20 is locked. As in the above embodiment, the feed screw 71 and the female screw blocks 721, 722 have a bolt-and-nut relationship, so that the locked state can be maintained without current by turning off the power to the motor 40 when the pad 21 and the holder 73 are in contact with each other. The locked state can be released by driving the motor 40 in the reverse direction to move the holder 73 away from the pad 21.

[0061] In this embodiment, the moving member is a holder 73. The linear motion conversion mechanism has a feed screw 71, a jack portion 72, and a holder 73. The feed screw 71 is driven by a motor 40, and forms one of a male screw and a female screw whose screw direction is reversed at an intermediate portion. The feed screw 71 is driven by the motor 40 via a gear mechanism 410.

[0062] The jack portion 72 has female screw blocks 721, 722 as screw blocks, and connecting portions 723, 724. The female screw blocks 721, 722 are provided on both sides of the feed screw 71 with a middle portion therebetween, and have a female screw that meshes with the feed screw 71. The connecting portions 723, 724 connect links 725-728 that are connected to the female screw blocks 721, 722. The holder 73 is fixed to the connecting portion 723 provided on the pedal lever 20 side of the feed screw 71.

[0063] One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 74 abuts against the holder 73, and the other end abuts against the pedal lever 20. The holder 73 is formed with a stopper portion 732 that can abut against the pedal lever 20, and the pedal lever 20 is locked by the abutment of the pedal lever 20 with the stopper portion 732. In this embodiment, the position where the stopper portion 732 abuts against the pad 21 corresponds to the "lock position". In this embodiment, the feed screw 71, the jack portion 72, and the holder 73 form the lock mechanism 503. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0064] (Fourth embodiment) The fourth embodiment is shown in Fig. 10 to Fig. 12. The power transmission section 80 of the accelerator device 4 has a slider member 81, a holder 82, a holder guide member 83, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 84, etc. The slider member 81 has a rack gear section 811, a slider section 812, and a stopper section 814. The rack gear section 811 is provided so that the slider member 81 can move in a lateral direction intersecting with the rotation direction of the pedal lever 20 by the rotation of the motor 40. In this embodiment, the side of the fulcrum member 23 is one side, and the tip side of the pad 21 is the other side.

[0065] The slider portion 812 is formed in a substantially L-shape from one end of the rack gear portion 811. An inclined surface 813 is formed on the pad 21 side of the slider portion 812, the distance from the pad 21 increasing toward one side. The stopper portion 814 is provided on one side of the rack gear portion 811, protruding toward the pad 21 side and capable of abutting against the arm 31.

[0066] Holder 82 is provided so as to be slidable on inclined surface 813, and so as to be movable in the axial direction of reaction force adjustment urging member 84 by movement of slider member 81. Holder guide member 83 guides the movement of holder 82. One end of reaction force adjustment urging member 84 is fixed to holder 82, and the other end is fixed in contact with arm 31.

[0067] Fig. 10 shows the initial state with the accelerator fully closed. In the initial state, the holder 82 is located on one side of the slider portion 812. As shown in Fig. 11, when the pad 21 is depressed, the reaction force adjusting biasing member 84 is compressed by the depression force. When the motor 40 is driven and the slider member 81 moves to one side, the holder 82 is pushed up toward the arm 31 and the reaction force adjusting biasing member 84 is further compressed, so that the biasing force of the reaction force adjusting biasing member 84 can apply a reaction force in the return direction of the pedal lever 20. In other words, the inclined surface 813, which is the movable range of the holder 82, becomes the reaction force increasing section.

[0068] 12, when the motor 40 is driven with the accelerator fully closed and the slider member 81 is moved to a position where the arm 31 and the stopper portion 814 come into contact with each other, the pedal lever 20 is locked. Since the arm 31 is fixed in contact with the slider member 81, the locked state can be maintained without current even when the motor 40 is turned off. Moreover, when the motor 40 is driven in the reverse direction and the slider member 81 is moved to the other side, the arm 31 and the stopper portion 814 separate from each other, and the locked state is released.

[0069] In this embodiment, the slider member 81, which is a moving member, is included in the linear motion conversion mechanism, and moves to the locked position by moving in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 84. By using the slider member 81 as the moving member and pressing the pedal lever 20 from a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the pedal lever 20, it is possible to lock the pedal lever 20 without applying a load to the motor 40. In other words, the lock mechanism of this embodiment is a slide lock mechanism.

[0070] The moving member is a slider member 81, and the linear motion conversion mechanism has the slider member 81 and a holder 82. The slider member 81 has a rack gear portion 811, a slider portion 812, and a stopper portion 814. The rack gear portion 811 constitutes a rack and pinion mechanism driven by the motor 40. The slider portion 812 is formed with an inclined surface 813. The stopper portion 814 is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the pedal lever 20.

[0071] The holder 82 is provided slidably on the inclined surface 813, and can move in the axial direction of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 84 by movement of the slider member 81. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 84 abuts against the holder 82, and the other end abuts against the pedal lever 20. The pedal lever 20 is locked by the abutment of the pedal lever 20 with the stopper portion 814. The position where the stopper portion 814 abuts against the arm 31 corresponds to the "lock position". In this embodiment, the slider member 81 constitutes the lock mechanism 504. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0072] Fifth embodiment The fifth embodiment is shown in Figs. 13 to 15. The power transmission mechanism 90 of the accelerator device 5 has a feed screw 91, a holder 92, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 94. The feed screw 91 is arranged parallel to the motor shaft inside the motor housing 400. The feed screw 91 is a male screw, and is rotated by the motor 40 via a gear mechanism 410. The holder 92 has a female screw portion 921, an engagement portion 922, and a stopper portion 923. The female screw portion 921 meshes with the feed screw 91, and the feed screw 91 is rotated by the motor 40, so that the holder 92 can move in the axial direction. The engagement portion 922 is formed by extending on the opposite side of the female screw portion 921 to the motor 40. The stopper portion 923 is provided between the female screw portion 921 and the engagement portion 922, protruding toward the pad 21 side. The stopper portion 923 is formed so as to be able to come into contact with the arm 31 when the accelerator is in a fully closed state. The reaction force adjustment biasing member 94 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is fixed to the locking portion 922 of the holder 92 and the other end of which is fixed in contact with the arm 31.

[0073] Fig. 13 shows the initial state with the accelerator fully closed. In the initial state, the holder 92 is located as close as possible to the gear mechanism 410. As shown in Fig. 14, when the pad 21 is depressed, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 94 is compressed by the depression force. When the motor 40 is driven to drive the holder 92 toward the pad 21, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 94 is further compressed, and the biasing force of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 94 can apply a reaction force in the return direction to the pedal lever 20.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 15, when the motor 40 is driven in the accelerator fully closed state and the holder 92 is driven to a position where the stopper portion 923 and the arm 31 come into contact with each other, the arm 31 comes into contact with the holder 92, and the pedal lever 20 is locked. As in the first embodiment, the feed screw 91 and the female thread portion 921 of the holder 92 are in a bolt-nut relationship, so that the locked state can be maintained in a non-energized state. In addition, the locked state is released by driving the motor 40 in the reverse direction to separate the holder 92 from the arm 31. In this embodiment, the feed screw 91 and the holder 92 constitute a lock mechanism 505. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment can be achieved.

[0075] Sixth embodiment The sixth embodiment is shown in Figures 16 to 18. The power transmission mechanism 100 of the accelerator device 6 has a feed screw 101, a holder 105, a slider member 110, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 115. The feed screw 101 is similar to the feed screw 91 of the fifth embodiment, and is disposed inside the motor housing 400 in parallel with the motor shaft. The feed screw 101 is rotated by the motor 40 via a gear mechanism 410.

[0076] The holder 105 is formed with a female screw that meshes with the feed screw 101, which is a male screw, and holds a reaction force adjustment biasing member 115. The slider member 110 has a spring accommodating portion 111 and an arm abutting portion 112. The holder 105 and the slider member 110 can move in the axial direction by rotation of the feed screw 101. The reaction force adjustment biasing member 115 is accommodated on the radially inner side of the spring accommodating portion 111. The arm abutting portion 112 is formed so as to protrude radially outward from the spring accommodating portion 111, and has an inclined surface 113 that can abut against the arm 31. The reaction force adjustment biasing member 115 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is fixed to the holder 105 and the other end of which is fixed to the slider member 110.

[0077] 16 shows a state in which the holder 105 and the slider member 110 are in the retracted position. As indicated by the dashed line, when the holder 105 and the slider member 110 are in the retracted position, the arm 31 and the slider member 110 are separated even if the pedal lever 20 is depressed to the fully open position. As a result, by keeping the holder 105 and the slider member 110 in the retracted position and separating the arm 31 and the slider member 110, it is possible to prevent the cogging torque and the like from the power transmission mechanism 100 side from affecting the pedal force in the entire range from fully closed to fully open accelerator when no reaction force is applied.

[0078] 17, when a reaction force is applied, the motor 40 is driven to rotate the feed screw 101, thereby lifting the holder 105 and the slider member 110 and bringing the inclined surface 113 of the slider member 110 into contact with the arm 31. When the holder 105 is further lifted in a state in which the inclined surface 113 is in contact with the arm 31, the reaction force adjustment biasing member 115 is compressed, so that a reaction force in the return direction can be applied to the pedal lever 20.

[0079] 18, when the power transmission mechanism 100 is locked, the holder 105 is raised to the upper end and the slider member 110 is sandwiched between the holder 105 and the motor housing 400. This causes the mechanism to be locked by the static friction force of the feed screw 101. The locked state is released by driving the motor 40 to lower the holder 105. In this embodiment, the feed screw 101, the holder 105, the slider member 110 and the motor housing 400 constitute a locking mechanism 506.

[0080] The power transmission mechanism 100 of this embodiment has a feed screw 101, a holder 105, and a slider member 110. The feed screw 101 is driven by the motor 40, and has one of a male thread and a female thread. The holder 105 has the other of a male thread and a female thread that meshes with the feed screw 101. The slider member 110 has an inclined surface 113 that abuts against the pedal lever 20. One end of the reaction force adjustment biasing member 115 abuts against the holder 105, and the other end abuts against the slider member 110.

[0081] The slider member 110 of the power transmission mechanism 100 abuts against the pedal lever 20 when a reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20, and is separated from the pedal lever 20 when no reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20. This makes it possible to prevent a force such as the cogging torque of the motor 40 from affecting the pedal lever 20 from the power transmission mechanism 100 side when no reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20. In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment are achieved.

[0082] Seventh embodiment The seventh embodiment is shown in Figures 19 to 33. The power transmission mechanism 200 of the accelerator device 7 has a motor gear 204, a bevel gear 205, a first spur gear 210, a second spur gear 220, a third spur gear 230, a torsion spring 245, a cam 250, and a lock unit 260, and is driven by a motor 201.

[0083] 21, motor 201 is, for example, a DC motor that generates a rotational force and is housed in motor case 202. Motor 201 is provided such that a rotation shaft (not shown) is approximately parallel to top wall portion 11 of case 10.

[0084] The bevel gear 205 meshes with a motor gear 204 which rotates integrally with the shaft of the motor 201, and is connected to a first spur gear 210 by a shaft 211. The shaft 211 is supported by the connector case 203 and the gear cover 206 for rotation.

[0085] The gear cover 206 is provided on the side of the motor 201 and the connector case 203, and houses the spur gears 210, 220, 230, the cam 250, etc. The gear cover 206 is fixed to the connector case 203 and the motor case 202 by a fixing member 207 such as a tapping. A rotation angle sensor (not shown) that detects the rotation of the second spur gear 220 is provided on the gear cover 206.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 21, FIG. 25, FIG. 26, etc., the second spur gear 220 has an inner cylinder portion 221 that opens on the side opposite to the motor case 202, an outer cylinder portion 224 that opens on the motor case 202 side, etc., and is integrally formed of resin or the like. Here, an example is shown in which the second spur gear 220, etc. are formed of resin, but they may be made of metal. The same is true for various members including other gears, and materials can be selected arbitrarily according to requirements such as weight and strength. A shaft 240 is press-fitted into a bottom portion 222 of the inner cylinder portion 221. A sensor holder 208 that holds a rotation angle sensor is inserted into the inner periphery of the inner cylinder portion 221. A magnet 209 is provided in the inner cylinder portion 221 at a position that can be detected by the rotation angle sensor.

[0087] A gear portion 225 that meshes with the first spur gear 210 is formed on the opening side of the outer cylinder portion 224. An accommodation chamber 226 that accommodates the torsion spring 245 is formed between the inner cylinder portion 221 and the outer cylinder portion 224. A pin 227 that engages one end of the torsion spring 245 is formed to protrude from the accommodation chamber 226.

[0088] A locking wall 228 formed in a generally L-shape in plan view is formed on the inner wall of the outer tube portion 224. In this embodiment, the locking wall 228 is formed at two locations on either side of the axis. In addition, a locking portion 229 is formed to protrude from the radially outer side of the outer tube portion 224.

[0089] The third spur gear 230 has a base 231, a gear portion 232, an insertion portion 233, a locking protrusion 236, a pin 237, etc., and is integrally formed from resin or the like. The gear portion 232 is formed to protrude from the base 231 on the side opposite to the second spur gear 220. The insertion portion 233 is formed to protrude from the base 231 on the second spur gear 220 side, and is inserted into the radial inside of the outer cylinder portion 224. The gear portion 232 and the insertion portion 233 are formed with an insertion hole 234 through which the shaft 240 is inserted.

[0090] The locking protrusions 236 are formed at two locations on the outer circumferential side of the base 231, protruding toward the second spur gear 220, and are inserted into the space between the locking wall 228 and the outer cylinder portion 224. The pin 237 is formed on the base 231, protruding toward the second spur gear 220.

[0091] The torsion spring 245 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 226 of the second spur gear 220, with one end locked to a pin 227 of the second spur gear 220 and the other end locked to a pin 237 of the third spur gear 230. When the second spur gear 220 rotates by being driven by the motor 201, the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230 rotate together up to a set load of the torsion spring 245, and once the set load is exceeded, the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230 separate from each other, and even if the second spur gear 220 rotates, the third spur gear 230 does not rotate.

[0092] 23 and other drawings, the cam 250 has a main body portion 251, a gear portion 252, and a cam lever 253. The main body portion 251 is formed in a generally circular shape in a plan view, and is rotatably supported by the motor case 202 and the gear cover 206. The gear portion 252 is formed to protrude radially outward from the main body portion 251, and meshes with the gear portion 232 of the third spur gear 230.

[0093] The cam lever 253 is formed on the radially outer side of the main body portion 251 and extends substantially opposite the gear portion 232 with respect to the rotation axis of the main body portion 251. A recess 254 that comes into contact with the connection pin 32 provided on the arm 31 is formed on the tip side of the cam lever 253.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 27, the locking portion 260 has a locking pin 261, a locking pin biasing member 263, a locking pin case 265, and the like. The locking pin 261 is provided so as to protrude from one surface of the flat plate portion 262. The locking pin biasing member 263 is a compression coil spring, and is provided on the surface of the flat plate portion 262 opposite to the surface on which the locking pin 261 is provided. The locking pin case 265 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a hole portion 266 through which the locking pin 261 is inserted is formed at the bottom. A fixing portion 267 is formed on the radial outside of the cylindrical portion of the locking pin case 265. With the locking pin biasing member 263 in a state in which it can be compressed by the flat plate portion 262, the fixing portion 267 is fixed to the connector case 203 by snap fitting or the like, whereby the locking portion 260 is fixed to the connector case 203.

[0095] Here, the operation of the power transmission mechanism 200 will be described. Hereinafter, the rotation direction of the motor 201 when the cam 250 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 28 etc. is defined as positive, and the rotation direction of the motor 201 when the cam 250 is rotated counterclockwise is defined as negative. As shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29, when the cam lever 253 of the cam 250 and the connection pin 32 of the arm 31 are in contact with each other, the motor 201 is rotated in the positive direction to apply a reaction force in the return direction to the pedal lever 20. At this time, the lock engaging portion 229 of the second spur gear 220 and the lock pin 261 are separated from each other, and the rotation of the gears is not restricted.

[0096] 30 and 31, when the arm 31 abuts against the full-close stopper 17, the clockwise rotation of the cam 250 is restricted. In this state, when the motor 201 is rotated in the forward direction to rotate the first spur gear 210 beyond the set load of the torsion spring 245, the torsion spring 245 is twisted, causing the second spur gear 220 to rotate counterclockwise. As a result, the lock engaging portion 229 presses the lock pin 261 with a thrust force, and compresses the lock pin biasing member 263.

[0097] As shown in Figs. 32 and 33, when the lock engaging portion 229 rides over the lock pin 261, the pedal lever 20 is locked. This makes it possible to maintain the locked state with the motor 201 deenergized. When the pedal lever 20 is in a locked state, the lock pin biasing member 263 is compressed by a component force acting in a direction to push the lock pin 261 by stepping on the pedal lever 20 with a force equal to or greater than a predetermined unlocking force, or by driving the motor 201 in the negative direction. When the lock engaging portion 229 rides over the lock pin 261 again, the lock on the pedal lever 20 is released. In this embodiment, the lock portion 260 and the second spur gear 220 constitute a lock mechanism 507. The lock mechanism 507 is of a plunger type.

[0098] 34, when no reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20, the cam lever 253 is rotated to a position where it abuts against the motor case 202, and the cam 250 is retracted so that the cam lever 253 does not abut against the connection pin 32 in the entire range from fully closed to fully open of the pedal lever 20. This makes it possible to prevent the cogging torque from the power transmission mechanism 200 from affecting the pedal force when no reaction force is applied.

[0099] The power transmission mechanism 200 transmits the driving force of the motor 201 to the pedal lever 20 by a rigid member. In this embodiment, the rigid member is a cam 250 that is driven by the motor 201 and can come into contact with the pedal lever 20. Gears 210, 220, and 230 that constitute a speed reduction mechanism are provided between the motor 201 and the cam 250. This allows the driving force of the motor 201 to be appropriately transmitted to the motor 201.

[0100] The reduction mechanism includes a second spur gear 220 and a third spur gear 230 that are arranged coaxially. A torsion spring 245 is provided between the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230. When the second spur gear 220 is rotated in the reaction force application direction, the third spur gear 230 rotates integrally with the second spur gear 220 up to the set load of the torsion spring 245, and does not rotate when the set load of the torsion spring 245 is exceeded.

[0101] The lock mechanism 507 has a lock engaging portion 229 that rotates integrally with the second spur gear 220, and a lock pin 261 that can engage the lock engaging portion 229 in a region where the third spur gear 230 does not rotate and the second spur gear 220 rotates.

[0102] The lock mechanism 507 has a lock engaging portion 229 provided in the power transmission path from the motor 201 to the pedal lever 20, and a lock pin 261 that is movable by elastic force, and restricts the movement of the pedal lever 20 by the lock engaging portion 229 climbing over the lock pin 261 and being engaged with the lock pin 261. This makes it possible to appropriately restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20. In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment are achieved.

[0103] In this embodiment, the motor 201 corresponds to the "driving source", the second spur gear 220 corresponds to the "driving source side gear", the third spur gear 230 corresponds to the "cam side gear", the torsion spring 245 corresponds to the "inter-gear urging member", the lock pin 261 corresponds to the "lock member", and the elastic force of the lock pin urging member 263 corresponds to the "elastic force". In addition, the lock engaging portion 229 is provided integrally with the second spur gear 220 that constitutes the power transmission mechanism 200, and can be considered to be "provided in the power transmission path".

[0104] Eighth embodiment The eighth embodiment is shown in FIG. 35. The eighth embodiment is a modified example of the seventh embodiment. A power transmission mechanism 290 of this embodiment has a torsion spring 259, which is a cam biasing member, one end of which is engaged with the cam 250 and the other end of which is engaged with the gear cover 206. For the sake of explanation, a pin provided on the gear cover 206 side and to which the other end of the torsion spring 259 is engaged is shown by a dashed line. The torsion spring 259 generates a biasing force against the camshaft that overcomes the cogging torque of the motor 201, and constantly brings the cam 250 into contact with the arm 31. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiments can be achieved.

[0105] Ninth embodiment The ninth embodiment is shown in Fig. 36. In the seventh embodiment, a torsion spring 245 is provided between the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230. In the ninth embodiment, a compression coil spring 248 is provided between the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230 as an inter-gear biasing member. On the inner wall of the outer cylinder portion 224 of the second spur gear 220, locking walls 288 and 289 are formed instead of the locking wall 228 and the pin 227. Moreover, on the third spur gear 230, a locking protrusion 239 is provided instead of the locking protrusion 236 and the pin 237.

[0106] The locking protrusion 239 is provided movably between the two locking walls 288, 289 of the second spur gear 220. The compression coil spring 248 is provided between the locking wall 289 and the locking protrusion 239, and biases the third spur gear 230 in the accelerator closing direction. The locking protrusion 239 is provided so as to be able to abut against the locking wall 288 by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 248. The locking walls 288, 289 and the locking protrusion 239 are provided according to the set length of the compression coil spring 248. In this embodiment, similar to the seventh embodiment, the second spur gear 220 and the third spur gear 230 rotate together up to the set load of the compression coil spring 248, and when the set load is exceeded, the third spur gear 230 does not rotate and the second spur gear 220 rotates. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment are achieved.

[0107] Tenth embodiment The tenth to sixteenth embodiments are different from the above-mentioned embodiments in terms of the lock mechanism, and this point will be mainly described. The lock mechanism described here may be combined with any of the power transmission mechanisms of the seventh embodiment. Figures 37A and 37B show a schematic diagram of a lock mechanism 507 of the seventh embodiment, in which the rotation of the second spur gear 220 (not shown in Figure 37A, etc.) causes the lock engaging portion 229 to push the lock pin 261 with a thrust force, causing the lock engaging portion 229 to ride over the lock pin 261, thereby locking the pedal lever 20.

[0108] At least one of the contact surfaces between the lock engaging portion 229 and the lock pin 261 that come into contact when the lock engaging portion 229 is moved in the locking direction is preferably an inclined surface so that the lock engaging portion 229 can generate a thrust force against the lock pin 261. Similarly, at least one of the contact surfaces between the lock engaging portion 229 and the lock pin 261 that come into contact when the lock engaging portion 229 is moved in the unlocking direction is preferably an inclined surface. The inclination angle, etc. can be set arbitrarily according to the torque required for locking and unlocking, etc. Note that the inclined surface is not limited to a flat surface, and may be a curved surface, for example, by forming the tip surface of the lock pin 261 into a dome shape. Also, the lock position is not limited to the fully closed position, and may be a fully open position or an intermediate position. The same applies to the tenth embodiment.

[0109] In the lock mechanism 508 of the tenth embodiment shown in Figures 38A, 38B, and 38C, the lock pin 268 is formed of a flexible material such as rubber. As shown by the arrow in Figure 38B, the lock engaging portion 229 moves and bends the lock pin 268, so that the lock engaging portion 229 climbs over the lock pin 268 and the pedal lever 20 is locked (see Figure 38C). Even with this configuration, the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment can be achieved. In this embodiment, the lock pin 268 corresponds to the "lock member", and the elastic force of the lock pin 268 itself corresponds to the "elastic force".

[0110] Eleventh embodiment An eleventh embodiment is shown in Figs. 39A, 39B, and 39C. In this embodiment, a lock mechanism 509 includes a magnetic body 301, a magnet 302, and an elastic member 303. The magnetic body 301 is provided on the pad 21. The magnet 302 is provided on the case 10 at a location facing the magnetic body 301. The elastic member 303 is accommodated in a storage chamber 304 provided in the case 10, one end of which is engaged with the inner wall of the storage chamber 304, and the other end of which is connected to the magnet 302. The magnet 302 may be provided on the pad 21 side, and the magnetic body 301 may be provided on the case 10 side.

[0111] As shown in Fig. 39B, the magnetic body 301 and the magnet 302 attract each other, so that the pad 21 can be locked in the fully open state. Also, as shown in Fig. 39C, by stepping on the pad 21 further from the locked state and compressing the elastic member 303, the magnetic body 301 and the magnet 302 are pulled apart by the reaction force of the elastic member 303, so that the locked state can be released. Even with this configuration, the same effect as the above embodiment can be achieved. In this embodiment, the case 10 corresponds to the "case".

[0112] (12th to 15th embodiments) A twelfth embodiment is shown in Fig. 40A and Fig. 40B, a thirteenth embodiment in Fig. 41A and Fig. 41B, a fourteenth embodiment in Fig. 42A and Fig. 42B, and a fifteenth embodiment in Fig. 43A and Fig. 43B. As shown in Fig. 40A to Fig. 43B, a fitting portion 33 is formed in the arm 31, and the pedal lever 20 is locked by fitting the lock pins 311 and 312 into the fitting portion 33. By forming the fitting portion 33 so that the portion where the lock pin 311 fits into the fitting portion 33 is multiple-staged, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in stages at intermediate positions between the fully closed position and the fully open position. In Fig. 39A to Fig. 42B, the lock pins 311 and 312 constitute a lock mechanism 510.

[0113] In the twelfth embodiment shown in Figures 40A and 40B, a lock pin 311 having a convex tip is driven by a lock drive source, that is, a motor 315. In the thirteenth embodiment shown in Figures 41A and 41B, a lock pin 312 having a concave tip is driven by a motor 315.

[0114] In a 14th embodiment shown in Figures 42A and 42B, a lock pin 311 having a convex tip is driven by a solenoid 316, which is a lock drive source. In a 15th embodiment shown in Figures 43A and 43B, a lock pin 312 having a concave tip is driven by a solenoid 316.

[0115] In this embodiment, a locking drive source is provided in addition to the motor 40, which is the drive source for applying the reaction force. This increases the degree of freedom of the locking mechanism. The locking drive source may be the motor 315 as in the twelfth and thirteenth embodiments, or the solenoid 316 as in the fourteenth and fifteenth embodiments.

[0116] The lock mechanism 510 has lock pins 311, 312 that can restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20 by fitting into a fitting portion 33 formed on the pedal lever 20. This makes it possible to appropriately restrict the movement of the pedal lever. The fitting portion 33 and the lock pins 311, 312 may have shapes, etc. different from those shown in Figures 40A to 43B, so long as they can lock the pedal lever 20 by fitting into each other. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be achieved. In the twelfth to fifteenth embodiments, the lock pins 311, 312 correspond to the "locking member."

[0117] Sixteenth embodiment The sixteenth embodiment is shown in Fig. 44. In this embodiment, a locking mechanism 511 has a bevel gear 323, a feed screw 324, and a locking pad 325. The locking pad 325 is driven by the rotation of a motor 321, which is a drive source for locking, via a motor gear 322, a bevel gear 323, and a feed screw 324, and the arm 31 is sandwiched between the locking pad 325, thereby regulating the movement of the pedal lever 20 by frictional force.

[0118] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 511 has a locking pad 325 that is arranged to be able to pinch the pedal lever 20, and the locking pad 325 pinches the arm 31 to restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20. This makes it possible to restrict the movement of the pedal lever 20 at any position between fully closed and fully open. As long as the pedal lever 20 can be pinched by a pad driven by a drive source, the pinching position, gear configuration, etc. may be different. Even with this configuration, the same effects as the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0119] Seventeenth embodiment The seventeenth to twenty-third embodiments are different from the above-mentioned embodiments in terms of the power transmission mechanism, and this point will be mainly described. Note that in the drawings relating to the seventeenth to twenty-third embodiments, the power transmission mechanism is shown in schematic form, and members other than the power transmission mechanism, such as the housing, are appropriately omitted.

[0120] In the seventeenth to nineteenth embodiments, the linear force of the drive source is converted into a rotational force, and a reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20. The seventeenth embodiment is shown in Fig. 45. In this embodiment, a solenoid 41 is provided as the reaction force applying drive source. The solenoid 41 in this embodiment has a tip portion extended when energized and a tip portion retracted when de-energized.

[0121] The power transmission mechanism 120 has a large link 121, a small link 122, and a torsion spring 123. The large link 121 is provided so as to be constantly in contact with the arm 31. The small link 122 is in contact with the tip of the solenoid 41. The large link 121 and the small link 122 are connected by the torsion spring 123.

[0122] In this embodiment, the small link 122 is pushed in by the tip of the solenoid 41 that is extended by energizing the solenoid 41, and a force is applied to the large link 121 via the torsion spring 123, generating a return reaction force in the arm 31. In addition, by further pushing the small link 122 at the tip of the solenoid 41, the large link 121 presses the pedal lever 20 to the fully closed position, locking the pedal lever 20 so that it does not move until the driver applies a certain level of depressing force. That is, in this embodiment, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in the fully closed state by constantly energizing the pedal when locked. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0123] (18th embodiment) The 18th embodiment is shown in FIG. 46. In the power transmission mechanism 124 of this embodiment, the small link 122 and the tip of the solenoid 41 are connected by a fixed member 125. In addition, the stroke amount of the solenoid 41 is set to be relatively large, and when not energized, the small link 122 is retracted, so that the large link 121 is retracted to a position where the arm 31 and the large link 121 do not come into contact with each other even when the pedal lever 20 is fully opened. As a result, when no reaction force is applied, the power transmission mechanism 124 and the pedal lever 20 are separated, so that the effect on the pedal force can be avoided. In addition, the reaction force application and the locking operation are the same as those of the 17th embodiment. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be achieved.

[0124] Nineteenth embodiment The 19th embodiment is shown in Figure 47. The link 127 of the power transmission mechanism 126 of this embodiment is formed by integrating a large link portion 128 and a small link portion 129. In Figure 46, similar to the 18th embodiment, the large link portion 128 is described as being able to retract when no reaction force is applied, but as in the 17th embodiment, the large link portion 128 and the arm 31 may be constantly in contact with each other. The reaction force application and locking operation are generally similar to those of the 17th embodiment. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be achieved.

[0125] (Twentieth embodiment) The twentieth embodiment is shown in Fig. 48. A power transmission mechanism 130 of this embodiment has a holder 131, a slider 132, and a reaction force adjustment biasing member 133. The holder 131 is provided so as to be movable in a direction approaching or moving away from the pad 21 of the pedal lever 20 by expansion and contraction of the solenoid 41. The slider 132 is provided so as to be able to abut against the pad 21 from the opening direction side of the pedal lever 20. The reaction force adjustment biasing member 133 is a compression coil spring, one end of which is housed in the holder 131 and the other end of which is connected to the slider 132.

[0126] In this embodiment, by energizing the solenoid 41, the holder 131 and the slider 132 are pushed up, causing the slider 132 to come into contact with the pad 21. With the slider 132 and the pad 21 in contact with each other, the holder 131 is further pushed up to compress the reaction force adjustment biasing member 133, thereby adjusting the reaction force applied to the pad 21. That is, in this embodiment, the force of the solenoid 41 in the linear direction is not converted into a rotational direction, and a reaction force is applied to the pedal lever 20.

[0127] Furthermore, the solenoid 41 further pushes up the holder 131 and the slider 132, bringing them into contact with each other and directly transmitting the solenoid force to the arm 31, thereby locking the pedal lever 20 so that it does not move until the driver applies a certain level of depressing force. That is, in this embodiment, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in the fully closed state by constantly supplying current when locked. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0128] (21st embodiment) The twenty-first embodiment is shown in Fig. 49. A power transmission mechanism 140 of this embodiment has a rotating body 141, a guide rail 142, a moving block 143, and a link member 144. The rotating body 141 is connected to an output shaft of a motor 40, which is a reaction force applying drive source, and is rotated by the motor 40.

[0129] The guide rail 142 is formed in a straight line extending from the rotating body 141 side to the pad 21 side. The moving block 143 is provided so as to be movable along the guide rail 142 and be able to come into contact with the pad 21. The link member 144 has one end connected to the rotating body 141 and the other end connected to the moving block 143, and converts the rotation of the rotating body 141 into linear motion of the moving block 143. By bringing the moving block 143 into contact with the pad 21 and transmitting the torque of the motor 40 to the pad 21 via the rotating body 141, the link member 144, and the moving block 143, a reaction force can be applied to the pedal lever 20.

[0130] In addition, in this embodiment, the link member 144 is configured to be linear when the moving block 143 is in contact with the pad 21 at the fully closed position of the pedal lever 20, thereby locking the pedal lever 20. That is, in this embodiment, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in the fully closed state with no current flowing when locked. Even with this configuration, the same effects as the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0131] (Twenty-second embodiment) The twenty-second embodiment is shown in Fig. 50. A power transmission mechanism 145 of this embodiment has a cam 146 connected to the output shaft of the motor 40 (not shown in Fig. 50). In this embodiment, a reaction force can be applied to the pedal lever 20 by transmitting motor torque to the pad 21 via the cam 146.

[0132] Furthermore, when the pedal lever 20 is in the fully closed position, the straight line connecting the center of the cam 146 and the vertex furthest from the center is perpendicular to the pad 21, thereby locking the pedal lever 20. That is, in this embodiment, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in the fully closed state with no current flowing when locked. Even with this configuration, the same effects as the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0133] (Twenty-third embodiment) The twenty-third embodiment is shown in Figures 51 to 53. A power transmission mechanism 150 of this embodiment has a slider member 151. The slider member 151 is generally similar to the slider member 81 of the fourth embodiment, and is driven by a solenoid 41 in this embodiment.

[0134] 51, the stroke amount of the solenoid 41 is set to be relatively large, and by retracting the tip, the slider member 151 can be retreated to a position where it does not come into contact with the arm 31 in the entire range from fully closed to fully open of the pedal lever 20. As a result, when no reaction force is applied, the pedal lever 20 and the slider member 151 are separated, making it possible to avoid any effect on the pedal force.

[0135] As shown in FIG. 52, when the arm 31 is in contact with the inclined surface 152, the slider member 151 is moved by the solenoid 41, thereby applying a reaction force to the pedal lever 20. Also, as shown in FIG. 53, when the slider member 151 is moved to a position where the arm 31 and the stopper portion 153 are in contact with each other in the fully closed state of the pedal lever 20, the pedal lever 20 is locked. That is, in this embodiment, the pedal lever 20 can be locked in the fully closed state in a non-energized state when locked. Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiments can be achieved. The power transmission mechanisms according to the seventh to ninth and seventeenth to twenty-third embodiments are taken as reference forms.

[0136] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, the driving source is a DC motor. In other embodiments, the driving source may be a type of motor other than a DC motor, or a device other than a motor, such as a solenoid, may be used as the driving source. In addition, there may be multiple driving sources capable of applying a reaction force.

[0137] In the above embodiment, the accelerator device is described as being of a floor-standing type (so-called "organ type"). In other embodiments, the accelerator device may be of a suspended type (so-called "pendant type"). In addition, the power transmission mechanism and the locking mechanism may be configured differently from those in the above embodiment.

[0138] In the above embodiment, an integrated type in which the actuator and the accelerator pedal are connected has been described. In other embodiments, the actuator and the accelerator pedal may be separate types in which they are not connected and are connected to the floor. As described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0139] The present disclosure has been described based on the embodiment. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment and structure. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A pedal lever (20) that operates in response to a depression operation; At least one drive source (40) capable of applying a reaction force, which is a force in a return direction, to the pedal lever; a power transmission mechanism (50) having a reaction force adjustment biasing member (54) and transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member; A lock mechanism (501 to 511) capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever; Equipped with The power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw (51) having one of a male thread and a female thread formed thereon and driven by the drive source, a holder (52) having the other of a male thread and a female thread meshing with the feed screw formed thereon, a rod (53), and a housing (55) that houses the reaction force adjustment biasing member, the feed screw, and the holder and is fixed to the vehicle body side; The reaction force adjusting biasing member has one end that abuts against the holder and the other end that abuts against the rod, The rod has a shaft portion (532) that is inserted into a rod insertion hole (552) formed in the housing and that is capable of abutting against the pedal lever at its tip, and a top portion (531) that is accommodated in the housing and is integrally formed on the base end side of the shaft portion.

2. A pedal lever (20) that operates in response to a depression operation; At least one drive source (40) capable of applying a reaction force, which is a force in a return direction, to the pedal lever; a power transmission mechanism (100) having a reaction force adjustment biasing member (115) and transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member; A lock mechanism (501 to 511) capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever; Equipped with The power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw (101) having one of a male thread and a female thread formed thereon and driven by the drive source, a holder (105) having the other of a male thread and a female thread meshing with the feed screw formed thereon, and a slider member (110) having an inclined surface (113) capable of coming into contact with the pedal lever, The reaction force adjusting biasing member has one end that abuts against the holder and the other end that abuts against the slider member.

3. A pedal lever (20) that operates in response to a depression operation; At least one drive source (40) capable of applying a reaction force, which is a force in a return direction, to the pedal lever; a power transmission mechanism (60, 90) having a reaction force adjustment biasing member (64, 94) and transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member; A lock mechanism (501 to 511) capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever; Equipped with The power transmission mechanism includes a feed screw (61, 91) having one of a male thread and a female thread formed thereon and driven by the drive source, and a holder (62, 92) having the other of a male thread and a female thread meshing with the feed screw formed thereon, The reaction force adjusting biasing member has one end that abuts against the holder and the other end that abuts against the pedal lever of the accelerator device.

4. A pedal lever (20) that operates in response to a depression operation; At least one drive source (40) capable of applying a reaction force, which is a force in a return direction, to the pedal lever; a power transmission mechanism (80) having a reaction force adjustment biasing member (84) and transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member; A lock mechanism (501 to 511) capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever; Equipped with The power transmission mechanism includes a slider member (81) having an inclined surface (813) and driven by the driving source, and a holder (82) slidably provided on the inclined surface, The reaction force adjusting biasing member has one end that abuts against the holder and the other end that abuts against the pedal lever of the accelerator device.

5. A pedal lever (20) that operates in response to a depression operation; At least one drive source (40) capable of applying a reaction force, which is a force in a return direction, to the pedal lever; a power transmission mechanism (70) having a reaction force adjustment biasing member (74) and transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the pedal lever via the reaction force adjustment biasing member; A lock mechanism (501 to 511) capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever; Equipped with The power transmission mechanism includes: A feed screw (71) having one of a male thread and a female thread whose screw direction is reversed at an intermediate portion and driven by the drive source; a jack portion (72) having screw blocks (721, 722) on both sides of the intermediate portion of the feed screw, on which the other of a male screw or a female screw that meshes with the feed screw is formed, and connecting portions (723, 724) that connect links (725 to 728) connected to the screw blocks; and a holder (73) provided at the connecting portion of the feed screw on the pedal lever side, The reaction force adjusting biasing member has one end that abuts against the holder and the other end that abuts against the pedal lever of the accelerator device.

6. 6. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is capable of being unlocked by applying a force equal to or greater than a certain level to the pedal lever.

7. the locking mechanism includes the holder, 7. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the holder directly or indirectly comes into contact with the pedal lever to regulate the movement of the pedal lever.

8. 8. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission mechanism (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100) includes a linear motion conversion mechanism that converts a rotational force of the drive source into a linear motion direction.

9. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the power transmission mechanism (50, 60, 70, 80, 90) is in constant contact with the pedal lever.

10. The power transmission mechanism (100) comprises: When a reaction force is applied to the pedal lever, the pedal lever abuts against the pedal lever, 9. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the accelerator device is spaced apart from the pedal lever when no reaction force is applied to the pedal lever.

11. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the lock mechanism is capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever at least in one of a fully closed position and a fully open position of the pedal lever.

12. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lock mechanism (510, 511) is capable of restricting the operation of the pedal lever at an intermediate position between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the pedal lever.

13. 13. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism (501 to 508) is driven by the driving source used to apply a reaction force to the pedal lever.

14. 13. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein a locking drive source (315, 316, 321) for driving the locking mechanism (510, 511) is provided separately from the drive source used for applying a reaction force.

15. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the locking mechanism is capable of continuing a state in which the movement of the pedal lever is restricted when power to a drive source related to the drive of the locking mechanism is turned off.

16. The lock mechanism (507, 508) has a lock engaging portion (229) provided in a power transmission path from the drive source to the pedal lever, and a lock member (261, 268) that is movable or deformable by elastic force, 16. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the lock engaging portion rides over the lock member and is engaged with the lock member to restrict movement of the pedal lever.

17. The lock mechanism (509) has a magnet (302) provided on one of the pedal lever or the case (10), and a magnetic body (301) provided on the other of the pedal lever or the case, 16. The accelerator device according to claim 1, wherein the magnet and the magnetic body attract each other to regulate the movement of the pedal lever.

18. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the lock mechanism (510) has a lock member (311, 312) that can restrict the movement of the pedal lever by engaging with a fitting portion (33) formed on the pedal lever.

19. The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the lock mechanism (511) has a lock pad (335) that is arranged to be able to pinch the pedal lever, and the lock pad restricts the movement of the pedal lever by pinching the pedal lever.

20. A position sensor (49, 155) for detecting a position of the driving source or a component constituting the power transmission mechanism; a control unit (99) for controlling the driving source in response to a detection value of the position sensor; The accelerator device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, comprising:

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