Pedal device

Abstract

To enhance convenience, in a pedal device capable of adjusting a position of a pedal surface.SOLUTION: A lever 12 can rotate around a rotational axis A as the center, and its rotational amount corresponds to a controlled variable of a controlled device. A panel 13 is supported by the lever 12 and has a pedal surface 131 on which a foot of a user is placed. The panel 13 can be displaced in a direction non-parallel to the rotational axis A relative to the lever 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pedal device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a pedal device mounted on a vehicle as an example of a moving body. The device includes a mechanism capable of changing the position of a lever that supports a panel having a pedal surface on which a passenger's foot is placed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Thereby, the pedal surface can be arranged at an optimal position for different footrests among passengers.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a demand to enhance the convenience of a pedal device capable of adjusting the position of a pedal surface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One example of an aspect provided by the present disclosure is a pedal device, a lever rotatable about a rotation axis, the amount of rotation corresponding to a controlled amount in a controlled device, a panel supported by the lever and having a pedal surface on which a user's foot is placed, and the panel is displaceable relative to the lever in a direction non-parallel to the rotation axis.

[0006] The optimal position of the pedal surface on which the occupant places their feet varies depending on the build of the occupant. According to the above configuration, since the panel is displaceable relative to the lever, the position of the pedal surface can be adjusted according to the preference of the occupant. Compared with a mechanism that changes the position of the pedal surface by displacing the lever itself in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the position of the pedal surface can be adjusted with a simpler and more compact mechanism, so that an increase in the size of the pedal device itself can be suppressed. In addition, since the fixed position of the lever itself with respect to the vehicle does not change with the displacement of the panel, standardization of the fixed structure is possible, and an increase in component costs and assembly work load can be suppressed. As a result, the convenience of the pedal device capable of adjusting the position of the pedal surface can be enhanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Examples of the embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each of the drawings used in the description, the scale is appropriately changed in order to make each illustrated element recognizable in size.

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates the appearance of a pedal device 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. The pedal device 10 according to this example is mounted on a vehicle as an accelerator pedal device and is configured to be operated by the foot of an occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle is an example of a moving body. The occupant is an example of a user.

[0010] The pedal device 10 includes a bracket 11. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pedal device 10 is fixed to a predetermined location P in the vehicle via the bracket 11.

[0011] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pedal device 10 includes a lever 12. The upper end portion of the lever 12 is supported by the bracket 11 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis A extending along the left - right direction of the vehicle. A panel support portion 121 is formed at the lower end portion of the lever 12.

[0012] The pedal device 10 includes a panel 13 and a link mechanism 14. The panel 13 is supported by the panel support portion 121 via the link mechanism 14. The panel 13 has a pedal surface 131. The pedal surface 131 is configured such that an occupant can place their foot thereon.

[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the link mechanism 14 includes a first connecting member 141, a second connecting member 142, an upper front shaft member 143, a lower front shaft member 144, an upper rear shaft member 145, and a lower rear shaft member 146.

[0014] An upper through - hole 141a is formed in the upper portion of the first connecting member 141. On the other hand, a front through - hole 13a is formed in the front portion of the panel 13. The upper front shaft member 143 includes a bolt member inserted into the upper through - hole 141a and the front through - hole 13a, and a nut member fastened to the bolt member. The front portion of the panel 13 and the upper portion of the first connecting member 141 are connected so as to be relatively rotatable about the upper front shaft member 143.

[0015] An upper through-hole 142a is formed in the upper part of the second connecting member 142. On the other hand, a rear through-hole 13b is formed in the rear part of the panel 13. The upper rear shaft member 145 includes a bolt member inserted into the upper through-hole 142a and the rear through-hole 13b, and a nut member fastened to the bolt member. The rear part of the panel 13 and the upper part of the second connecting member 142 are connected so as to be relatively rotatable about the upper rear shaft member 145.

[0016] A lower through-hole 141b is formed in the lower part of the first connecting member 141. On the other hand, a front through-hole 121a is formed in the front part of the panel support portion 121. The lower front shaft member 144 includes a bolt member inserted into the lower through-hole 141b and the front through-hole 121a, and a nut member fastened to the bolt member. The front part of the panel 13 and the lower part of the first connecting member 141 are connected so as to be relatively rotatable about the lower front shaft member 144.

[0017] A lower through-hole 142b is formed in the lower part of the second connecting member 142. On the other hand, a rear through-hole 121b is formed in the rear part of the panel support portion 121. The lower rear shaft member 146 includes a bolt member inserted into the lower through-hole 142b and the rear through-hole 121b, and a nut member fastened to the bolt member. The rear part of the panel 13 and the lower part of the second connecting member 142 are connected so as to be relatively rotatable about the lower rear shaft member 146.

[0018] As a result, the link mechanism 14 forms a four-bar link mechanism that allows relative rotation between the panel support portion 121 of the lever 12, the panel 13, the first connecting member 141, and the second connecting member 142. Due to this relative rotation, the panel 13 is displaceable along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with respect to the lever 12. The longitudinal direction of the vehicle is an example of a direction non-parallel to the rotation axis A of the lever 12.

[0019] As an example, through this displacement, the panel 13 can take either the state illustrated in FIG. 4 or the state illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0020] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a first front regulating surface 121c, a first rear regulating surface 121d, a second front regulating surface 121e, and a second rear regulating surface 121f are formed on the panel support portion 121 of the lever 12.

[0021] When the panel 13 is displaced forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the front surfaces of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 come into contact with the first front regulating surface 121c and the second front regulating surface 121e, respectively. Thereby, the forward rotation of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 is restricted, and the panel 13 is fixed at the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0022] When the panel 13 is displaced rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rear surfaces of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 come into contact with the first rear regulating surface 121d and the second rear regulating surface 121f, respectively. Thereby, the rearward rotation of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 is restricted, and the panel 13 is fixed at the position illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0023] Note that the rotation restriction of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 does not necessarily have to be performed by a plurality of regulating surfaces provided on the panel support portion 121. For example, a groove extending along the circumferential direction of the front through-hole 121a may be formed around the front through-hole 121a of the panel support portion 121, and a protrusion that can be fitted into the groove may be formed around the lower through-hole 141b of the first connecting member 141. The protrusion may be configured to move within the groove as the first connecting member 141 rotates. By appropriately setting the length of the groove and the positions of both ends, the rotation range of the first connecting member 141 can be restricted. A similar configuration may be provided for the rear through-hole 121b of the panel support portion 121 and the lower through-hole 142b of the second connecting member 142.

[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pedal device 10 includes a sensor 15. The sensor 15 is configured to detect the amount of rotation of the lever 12 about the rotation axis A. The sensor 15 has a well-known configuration capable of mechanically, optically, or magnetically detecting the amount of rotation.

[0025] When an occupant places their foot on the pedal surface 131 and presses down, the lever 12 rotates forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle about the rotation axis A. The sensor 15 includes a connector 151 capable of outputting a signal corresponding to the detected amount of rotation of the lever 12. The signal is transmitted to a control device that controls the output of the vehicle's drive source. The control device increases or decreases the output of the drive source according to the amount of rotation of the lever 12. The drive source may be an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. The drive source is an example of a controlled device. The output of the drive source is an example of a controlled quantity.

[0026] The optimal position of the pedal surface 131 on which the occupant places their foot varies depending on the build of the occupant. According to the configuration of the present embodiment, since the panel 13 is displaceable relative to the lever 12, the position of the pedal surface 131 can be adjusted according to the preference of the occupant. Compared with a mechanism that changes the position of the pedal surface by displacing the lever itself in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the position of the pedal surface 131 can be adjusted with a simpler and smaller mechanism, so that an increase in the size of the pedal device itself can be suppressed. In addition, since the fixed position of the lever 12 with respect to the vehicle does not change with the displacement of the panel 13, standardization of the fixing structure is possible, and an increase in component costs and assembly work load can be suppressed. As a result, the convenience of the pedal device capable of adjusting the position of the pedal surface can be enhanced.

[0027] Particularly when the panel 13 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 5, since the pedal surface 131 is farther from the rotation axis A of the lever 12, the lever 12 can be rotated with a smaller pressing force. The state of FIG. 5 where the panel 13 is located more rearward is highly likely to be selected by a small-framed woman or an elderly person. The fact that the lever 12 can be rotated with a smaller pressing force is advantageous for such occupants.

[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pedal device 10 may include an adjustment mechanism 16. The adjustment mechanism 16 is configured to be able to fix the panel 13 at an arbitrary position between the two states illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. In other words, the adjustment mechanism 16 is configured to be able to adjust the amount of displacement of the panel 13 relative to the lever 12.

[0029] As an example, the adjustment mechanism 16 may include a manually operable dial member. The dial member may be coupled to the lower front shaft member 144. When the dial member is rotationally operated, the first connecting member 141 rotates with respect to the panel support portion 121. Accordingly, the second connecting member 142 also rotates with respect to the panel support portion 121, and the panel 13 is displaced along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this case, the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 are configured such that the link mechanism 14 holds the positions at the time when the operating force applied to the dial member is released.

[0030] According to such a configuration, it is possible to enhance the possibility of corresponding to the driver's preference regarding the optimal position of the pedal surface 131.

[0031] As another example, the adjustment mechanism 16 may be configured to be remotely operable from a switch or the like disposed at an appropriate position around the driver's seat of the vehicle. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the pedal device 10 includes a controller 17. The controller 17 is disposed inside the bracket 11. The adjustment mechanism 16 includes a mechanism such as a motor that rotates the first connecting member 141 instead of the above-described dial member. A signal indicating the displacement of the panel 13 output from the switch may be input to the controller 17 through the connector 151. The controller 17 controls the operation of the adjustment mechanism 16 so as to cause the panel 13 to perform a displacement corresponding to the signal. The controller 17 may be realized by a dedicated integrated circuit such as a microcontroller, an ASIC, or an FPGA.

[0032] According to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the burden on the occupant related to the work of arranging the pedal surface 131 at a position according to the driver's preference.

[0033] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, in this exemplary embodiment, the lengths of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 (strictly speaking, the distance between the upper through-hole and the lower through-hole) are different. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the angle formed by the normal direction N of the reference position 131a on the pedal surface 131 with respect to the rotation axis A of the lever 12 changes according to the position of the panel 13 with respect to the lever 12.

[0034] The reference position 131a on the pedal surface 131 can be arbitrarily determined. In this example, the center of the pedal surface 131 is defined as the reference position 131a.

[0035] That is, by appropriately setting the lengths of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142, an optimal angle of the pedal surface 131 corresponding to the position of the panel 13 can be set.

[0036] Note that, if necessary, the angle formed by the normal direction N of the reference position 131a on the pedal surface 131 with respect to the rotation axis A of the lever 12 may be configured not to change regardless of the position of the panel 13 with respect to the lever 12. For example, by making the lengths of the first connecting member 141 and the second connecting member 142 (strictly speaking, the distance between the upper through-hole and the lower through-hole) coincide, the link mechanism 14 can be configured as a parallelogram link. In this case, the normal direction N is constant regardless of the position of the panel 13.

[0037] Each configuration referred to so far is merely an example for facilitating the understanding of the present disclosure. Each configuration example can be appropriately changed and combined with other configuration examples within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0038] If the panel 13 can be displaced in a direction non-parallel to the rotation axis A of the lever 12, the link mechanism 14 does not necessarily have to be realized by a four-bar link mechanism. For example, by realizing the link mechanism 14 with a rack and pinion mechanism, the panel 13 can be displaced between the position illustrated in FIG. 6 and the position illustrated in FIG. 7. In this example, the angle formed by the normal direction N of the reference position 131a on the pedal surface 131 with respect to the rotation axis A of the lever 12 is constant regardless of the position of the panel 13 with respect to the lever 12.

[0039] The pedal device 10 according to the above-described embodiment has a so-called suspended configuration in which the rotation axis A is located above the pedal surface 131. However, the rotation axis A can be disposed below the pedal surface 131, such as in a so-called floor-mounted pedal device configuration.

[0040] The configuration described with reference to the above-described embodiment is not limited to the accelerator pedal device of a vehicle, and can also be applied to a brake pedal device. Further, it can also be applied to a pedal device mounted on a moving body other than a vehicle. Examples of other moving bodies include railways, airplanes, flying objects, ships, and the like. In that case, the controlled quantity associated with the rotation amount of the lever 12 can be appropriately determined according to the specifications of the moving body.

[0041] The pedal device 10 does not necessarily have to be mounted on a moving body. The configuration described with reference to the above-described embodiment can also be applied to a pedal device used to control the operations of a machine tool installed in a factory or the like, or a game machine installed in an amusement facility. In that case, the controlled quantity associated with the rotation amount of the lever 12 can be appropriately determined according to the specifications of the controlled device.

[0042] The configurations listed below also form part of the present disclosure. Item 1: A lever that is rotatable about a rotation axis and whose rotation amount corresponds to a controlled quantity in a controlled device, A panel supported by the lever and having a pedal surface on which the user's foot is placed, comprising: The panel is displaceable relative to the lever in a direction non-parallel to the rotation axis, Pedal device. Item 2: The pedal device according to item 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the amount of displacement of the panel relative to the lever. The pedal device according to item 1. Item 3: The adjustment mechanism is configured to be manually operable, The pedal device according to item 2. Item 4: The adjustment mechanism is configured to be remotely operable, The pedal device according to item 2. Item 5: The angle formed by the normal direction of the reference position on the pedal surface with respect to the rotation axis changes according to the position of the panel relative to the lever, The pedal device according to any one of items 1 to 4. Item 6: The angle formed by the normal direction of the reference position on the pedal surface with respect to the rotation axis is constant regardless of the position of the panel relative to the lever, The pedal device according to any one of items 1 to 4. Item 7: The controlled device is a drive source of a moving body, The pedal device according to any one of items 1 to 6.

Description of the reference numerals

[0043] 10: Pedal device, 12: Lever, 13: Panel, 131: Pedal surface, 131a: Reference position, 16: Adjustment mechanism, A: Rotation axis, N: Normal direction

Claims

1. a lever that is rotatable about a pivot axis and whose amount of rotation corresponds to a controlled amount in a controlled device; a panel that is supported by the lever and has a pedal surface on which a user's foot is placed; comprising; the panel is displaceable relative to the lever in a direction non-parallel to the pivot axis; a pedal device.

2. comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the amount of displacement of the panel relative to the lever; the pedal device according to claim 1.

3. the adjustment mechanism is configured to be manually operable; the pedal device according to claim 2.

4. the adjustment mechanism is configured to be remotely operable; the pedal device according to claim 2.

5. the angle formed by the normal direction of the reference position on the pedal surface with respect to the pivot axis changes according to the position of the panel relative to the lever; the pedal device according to claim 1.

6. the angle formed by the normal direction of the reference position on the pedal surface with respect to the pivot axis is constant regardless of the position of the panel relative to the lever; the pedal device according to claim 1.

7. the controlled device is a drive source of a moving body; the pedal device according to claim 1.

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