Vehicle operation pedal

Abstract

To provide a vehicle operation pedal that is able to improve the strength of a pedal arm and reduce weight and cost.SOLUTION: A vehicle operation pedal 2 is rotatably supported by a support bracket 12 of a vehicle body via a support shaft 13. A pedal arm 3 has a long shape extending in a vertical direction and has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction. A pedal sheet 4 is provided at a lower end of the pedal arm 3. A pair of side walls 7a, 7b extend in the longitudinal direction on both left and right sides of the U-shaped cross section of the pedal arm 3. The pedal arm 3 has a boss hole 8 which is formed on an upper-end side of the pair of side walls 7a, 7b and into which the support shaft 13 is inserted; a through-hole 9 which is formed below the boss hole 8 of the pair of side walls 7a, 7b and into which a transmission shaft 18 for connecting to a transmission mechanism 14 to which rotation of the pedal arm 3 is transmitted is inserted; and a bent portion 10 in which a width-direction center line Y2 passing between the pair of side walls 7a, 7b of the pedal arm 3 is bent between the boss hole 8 and the through-hole 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation pedal for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with various pedal devices such as brakes and accelerators. As one of them, there is a brake pedal device that is operated by stepping on it with the foot. The brake pedal device is disposed below the front part of the driver's seat of the vehicle and is attached to a support bracket of the vehicle body. The brake pedal device includes a pedal arm that is rotatably disposed around a support axis on a support bracket fixed to the vehicle, and a pedal seat that is stepped on by a driver at the lower end of the pedal arm.

[0003] The pedal arm is configured in various ways, and an example of a hollow structure for weight reduction is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pedal arm having a hollow structure with a U-shaped cross-sectional shape. Further, the pedal arm is configured such that the lower end portion of the pedal arm is displaced as necessary in order to dispose the pedal seat at a position suitable for a stepping operation. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a pedal arm having a hollow structure composed of a pair of half bodies divided in the vehicle width direction. This pedal arm has a shape in which an intermediate portion is bent so that the lower end portion is displaced (offset) to the right direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, while a pedal arm with a hollow structure as described in Patent Document 1 can achieve weight reduction, when it is configured to bend the intermediate portion, torsional deformation is likely to occur at the bent portion when stepping on the pedal sheet, and the torsional rigidity tends to decrease. Therefore, in order to ensure torsional rigidity, for example, it is conceivable to partially form a closed cross-section by flange bending in the middle of the pedal arm. However, stress concentrates at the root end of the flange of the closed portion, making it difficult to ensure fatigue strength. In addition, in order to improve fatigue strength, it is also conceivable to increase the plate thickness or use a high-tensile material with high tensile strength, but this leads to an increase in mass and cost.

[0006] The present invention was devised in view of such points, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an operation pedal for a vehicle that can improve the strength of the pedal arm while achieving weight reduction and cost reduction.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the operation pedal for a vehicle according to the present invention takes the following means.

[0008] A first invention of the present invention is an operation pedal for a vehicle that is rotatably supported by a support shaft on a support bracket of a vehicle body, having an elongated shape extending in the vertical direction, and a cross-sectional shape in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction presenting a U-shape, a pedal arm, and a pedal sheet attached to the lower end of the pedal arm. The pedal arm has a pair of side walls extending in the longitudinal direction on both the left and right sides forming the U-shape of the pedal arm, a boss hole formed on the upper end side of each of the pair of side walls and into which the support shaft is inserted, a through hole formed below the boss hole in each of the pair of side walls and into which a transmission shaft for connecting to a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the pedal arm is inserted, and a bent portion where the center line in the width direction passing between the pair of side walls of the pedal arm is bent in the width direction between the boss hole and the through hole.

[0009] The second invention of the present invention is the vehicle operation pedal of the first invention, wherein the pedal arm has a width direction center line linearly connected from the bent portion to the center of the pedal sheet.

[0010] The third invention of the present invention is the vehicle operation pedal of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the pedal arm widens in a fan shape from the bent portion to the pedal sheet in a front view where the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction.

[0011] The fourth invention of the present invention is the vehicle operation pedal of the third invention, wherein one of the pair of side walls of the pedal arm, which is located on the side in the direction in which the pedal arm bends at the bent portion, has a larger wall surface than the other side wall.

[0012] The fifth invention of the present invention is the vehicle operation pedal of the fourth invention, and the vehicle operation pedal is equipped with a vehicle brake pedal device.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the means of the present invention described above, it is possible to provide a vehicle operation pedal that can improve the strength of the pedal arm and achieve weight reduction and cost reduction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle operation pedal according to this embodiment is a hollow brake pedal 2 in a foot-operated brake device 1 equipped at the front of the driver's seat of a vehicle such as an automobile. In addition, the up-down and left-right directions in the description of each figure are the displays when viewed in the traveling direction of a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0016] <Foot-operated brake device 1> (Brake pedal 2) As shown in FIG. 1, in the foot-operated brake device 1, the brake pedal 2 is rotatably supported via a support shaft 13 on a support bracket 12 integrally arranged on the vehicle body at the front of the driver's seat. The brake pedal 2 includes a long pedal arm 3 extending in the vertical direction, a pedal sheet 4 attached to the lower end of the pedal arm 3, and a boss portion 5 that rotatably attaches the pedal arm 3 on the upper end side. Further, in the middle of the pedal arm 3, a transmission mechanism 14 for transmitting the rotation of the pedal arm 3 to a brake generation device (not shown) is arranged.

[0017] In front of the driver's seat of a vehicle such as an automobile, an instrument panel (not shown) and a dash panel (not shown) are arranged as vehicle body components, and the brake pedal 2 is attached to the support bracket 12 and arranged on these panels. The boss portion 5 of the pedal arm 3 is pivotally supported and attached to the support bracket 12. Thereby, the pedal arm 3 is rotatably supported by the support bracket 12, and when the pedal sheet 4 is stepped on with the foot, the brake operation is performed.

[0018] (Pedal sheet 4) As shown in Fig. 2, the pedal sheet 4 is integrally attached to the lower end (lower end) of the pedal arm 3 and is arranged at a position where the driver can step on it with their foot. The pedal sheet 4 is shaped to be easily operable. In this embodiment, for example, it is in a horizontally long rectangular shape, a substantially trapezoidal shape, etc. The stepping operation by the pedal sheet 4 is transmitted to a brake generating device (not shown) such as a booster via the transmission mechanism 14 by the rotation of the pedal arm 3.

[0019] (Transmission mechanism 14) As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the transmission mechanism 14 has a clevis 16, a connecting hole 17 formed in the clevis 16, and a transmission shaft 18.

[0020] (Pedal arm 3) As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pedal arm 3 is formed by bending a long steel plate. The cross-sectional shape in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, that is, the direction crossing the longitudinal direction, is in a U shape. The pedal arm 3 has a central surface 6 and a pair of side walls 7a, 7b. The central surface 6 is the central surface forming the U-shaped cross-section and extends curved in the longitudinal direction. The pair of side walls 7a, 7b extend in the longitudinal direction on the left and right sides forming the U-shaped cross-section. That is, the pair of side walls 7a, 7b are arranged facing each other on the left and right sides of the central surface 6. A cylindrical boss hole 8 formed to connect the pair of side walls 7a, 7b is provided in the boss portion 5 at the upper end of the pedal arm 3. The support shaft 13 is inserted into the connecting hole formed in the boss hole 8 and the support bracket 12, and the pedal arm 3 is pivotally supported and attached to the support bracket 12.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a clevis hole 9 (through hole) is formed below the boss portion 5 of the pedal arm 3. A clevis 16 is disposed inside the pedal arm 3, and a transmission shaft 18 is inserted into the connecting hole 17 of the clevis hole 9 and the clevis 16, so that the pedal arm 3 is connected to the transmission mechanism 14. The position of the clevis hole 9 is appropriately set according to the specifications of the vehicle equipped with the brake pedal 2. For example, the ratio (lever ratio) of the distance from the support shaft 13 of the boss portion 5 to the pedal seat 4 and the distance from the support shaft 13 to the transmission shaft 18 of the clevis hole 9 is set in the range of about 2.0 to 4.0.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a front view of the pedal arm 3 viewed from the front so that the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction A shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the pedal arm 3 has a bent portion 10 in which the center line Y2 in the width direction is bent in the width direction between the boss hole 8 and the clevis hole 9. The center line Y2 in the width direction is a center line passing between the left and right side walls 7a and 7b. The bent portion 10 is set at an arbitrary position between the boss hole 8 and the clevis hole 9 and bends in either the left or right direction according to the specifications of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, it bends so that the position of the pedal seat 4 is offset to the right side. The offset amount L is appropriately set in the range of, for example, up to about 150 mm. Thereby, in the case of a right-hand steering wheel, for example, the pedal arm 3 can position the pedal seat 4 disposed at the lower end portion of the pedal arm 3 at a position suitable for the driver's stepping operation.

[0023] Note that the pedal arm 3 can also displace the position of the pedal seat 4 provided at the lower end portion of the pedal seat 4 by inclining the rotation axis Y1 of the boss portion 5. However, when the inclination of the rotation axis Y1 of the boss portion 5 becomes large, it causes deterioration of the driver's feeling when stepping on the pedal seat 4. Therefore, the inclination of the rotation axis Y1 of the boss portion 5 is set in the range of, for example, up to about 10 degrees from the horizontal.

[0024] Further, the pedal arm 3 is configured such that the center line Y2 in the width direction is linearly connected from the bent portion 10 to the center X of the pedal sheet 4. In a front view where the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction A, the central surface 6 of the pedal arm 3 expands in a fan shape from the bent portion 10 to the pedal sheet 4. In other words, the distance between the opposing left and right side walls 7a, 7b is configured to widen from the bent portion 10 to the pedal sheet 4. By widening the width at the lower end portion of the pedal arm 3, the left and right side walls 7a, 7b are arranged at positions closer to the left and right side ends 4a, 4b of the pedal sheet 4. That is, the right side wall 7b is arranged near directly below the load application point of the load on the pedal sheet 4.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the pair of side walls 7a, 7b of the pedal arm 3 has a larger wall surface on the right side wall 7b than on the left side wall 7a. When the pedal sheet 4 is depressed, the side wall on the side where the pedal arm 3 bends at the bent portion 10 receives a greater load than the other side wall. In the present embodiment, since the pedal arm 3 bends to the right and the right side wall 7b receives a greater load, the strength is increased by forming the area of the right side wall 7b to be larger than the area of the left side wall 7a. In other words, the right side wall 7b has a portion where the length in the rotation direction A of the pedal arm 3 is longer than that of the left side wall 7a.

[0026] (Rigidity of the brake pedal 2) Next, regarding the rigidity of the brake pedal 2, the displacement amounts of the example and the comparative example are shown in FIG. 5. The displacement amount referred to here is the displacement amount of the right end 4b of the pedal sheet 4 when a constant force is applied assuming the load applied during the depression operation of the brake pedal 2. The example is the measurement of the respective displacement amounts when the offset amounts L of the brake pedal 2 according to the present embodiment are 90 mm, 110 mm, 130 mm, and 150 mm. The brake pedal 30 according to the comparative example shown in FIG. 6 has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, similar to the brake pedal 2 according to the example. The brake pedal 30 of the comparative example is different from the example in that a bent portion 32 is provided on the lower end side from the intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm 31, that is, the position where the clevis hole is provided, and the width direction center line Y3 is not a straight line from the clevis hole to the lower end. The comparative example is the measurement of the respective displacement amounts when the offset amounts L of the brake pedal 30 are 70 mm and 90 mm.

[0027] Even if the offset amount L of the brake pedal 2 according to the example is increased up to 150 mm, the displacement amount is below the reference value of the displacement target for ensuring rigidity. On the other hand, for the brake pedal 30 according to the comparative example, the displacement amount when the offset amount L is 70 mm is below the reference value of the displacement target, but exceeds the displacement amount when the offset amount L is 150 mm in the example. Also, the displacement amount when the offset amount L is 90 mm in the comparative example exceeds the reference value of the displacement target, making it difficult to ensure rigidity. Therefore, by arranging the bent portion 10 of the brake pedal 2 between the boss hole 8 and the clevis hole 9 so that the width direction center line Y2 of the pedal arm 3 is linearly connected from the bent portion 10 to the pedal sheet 4, rigidity can be ensured even when the offset amount L is increased up to about 150 mm.

[0028] <Advantages and effects of the present embodiment> The pedal arm 3 according to the above embodiment can be made lighter in weight by adopting a hollow shape with a U-shaped cross section. Further, by making the center line Y2 in the width direction of the pedal arm 3 bend in the width direction between the boss hole 8 into which the support shaft 13 is inserted and the clevis hole 9 into which the transmission shaft 18 is inserted, the stress generated near the bent portion 10 and the clevis hole 9 when the pedal sheet 4 is depressed can be relieved, and the deformation at the bent portion 10 of the pedal arm 3 can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to ensure torsional rigidity without increasing the plate thickness of the pedal arm 3 or adding a reinforcing member. Thus, while improving the strength of the pedal arm 3, it is possible to reduce the weight and cost by suppressing the plate thickness and the number of parts.

[0029] The center line Y2 in the width direction of the pedal arm 3 is linearly connected from the bent portion 10 to the center X of the pedal sheet 4. Therefore, the pedal sheet 4 is not biased toward one of the pair of side walls 7a and 7b at the lower end portion of the pedal arm 3 and is arranged in a well-balanced manner left and right. Thereby, deformation of the pedal arm 3 when the pedal sheet 4 is depressed can be suppressed to a small extent, and torsional rigidity can be ensured.

[0030] The pedal arm 3 has a structure in which the center line Y2 in the width direction does not bend in the width direction from the clevis hole 9 into which the transmission shaft 18 is inserted to the pedal sheet 4 and extends linearly. Thereby, even if the offset amount L from the boss hole 8 of the pedal arm 3 to the pedal sheet 4 is increased to a certain amount, the deformation of the pedal arm 3 when the pedal sheet 4 is depressed can be suppressed to a small extent, and torsional rigidity can be ensured.

[0031] The pedal arm 3 is configured such that the width widens as it goes toward the lower end portion to which the pedal sheet 4 is attached in a front view where the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction A. Thereby, the right side wall 7b can be arranged near directly below the load application point of the load on the right side end 4b side of the pedal sheet 4. Therefore, the strength of the lower end portion of the pedal arm 3 against the load received by the depression operation of the pedal sheet 4 can be increased, and an improvement in torsional rigidity can be achieved.

[0032] The pair of side walls 7a and 7b of the pedal arm 3 have different wall sizes on the left and right. Since the load received by the right side wall 7b located on the side in the direction in which the pedal arm 3 bends is larger when the brake pedal 2 is depressed, the area of the right side wall 7b is configured to be larger. As a result, the strength of the right side wall 7b located in the direction in which the pedal arm 3 bends is improved, and torsional rigidity can be ensured. Also, by not increasing the wall surface of the left side wall 7a, the weight of the pedal arm 3 can be reduced.

[0033] <Other Embodiments> As described above, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention can also be implemented in various other forms. For example, the vehicle operation pedal of the above embodiment can be widely applied to various vehicle pedal devices.

[0034] In the front view where the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction A, the central plane 6 of the pedal arm 3 according to the above embodiment is configured to widen fan-shaped from the bent portion 10 to the pedal sheet 4 at the lower end, but it may also be configured such that the central plane 6 does not widen. That is, the left and right side walls 7a and 7b facing each other may be arranged in parallel.

[0035] The direction in which the center line Y2 in the width direction of the pedal arm 3 bends at the bent portion 10 is set according to the specifications of the vehicle, and includes both a mode of bending to the right direction and a mode of bending to the left direction.

[0036] <The Operational Effects of Each Invention Described in "Means for Solving the Problems"> Finally, the operational effects of the above embodiments corresponding to each invention in the above-mentioned "Means for Solving the Problems" are appended.

[0037] According to the first invention, the pedal arm can be lightened by having a hollow shape with a U-shaped cross-section. Further, the pedal arm has a shape in which a bent portion is disposed between a boss hole into which a support shaft is inserted and a through hole into which a transmission shaft is inserted. That is, it is a shape in which the width direction center line passing between the pair of side walls does not bend in the width direction from the through hole to the lower end. Thereby, the stress generated in the bent portion when the pedal sheet is depressed can be suppressed to a small value, and deformation and the like in the bent portion of the pedal arm can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to secure torsional rigidity without increasing the plate thickness of the pedal arm or adding a reinforcing member. Thus, it is possible to provide a vehicle operation pedal that can improve the strength of the pedal arm, reduce the weight, and reduce the cost of parts and the like.

[0038] According to the second invention, the width direction center line of the pedal arm is linearly connected from the bent portion to the center of the pedal sheet. Therefore, the pedal sheet is not biased toward one of the pair of side walls at the lower end portion of the pedal arm and is arranged in a well-balanced manner. Thereby, deformation and the like of the pedal arm when the pedal sheet is depressed can be suppressed to a small value, and torsional rigidity can be secured.

[0039] According to the third invention, the pedal arm is configured such that the width increases as it goes toward the lower end where the pedal sheet is attached in a front view in which the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction. Thereby, at the lower end portion of the pedal arm, the pair of side walls are arranged at positions closer to the left and right side ends of the pedal sheet. That is, the side walls can be arranged near directly below the load application points of the load of the pedal sheet. Therefore, it is possible to increase the strength of the lower end portion of the pedal arm against the load received by the depression operation of the pedal sheet, and it is possible to improve the torsional rigidity.

[0040] According to the fourth invention, the pair of side walls of the pedal arm have different wall surface sizes. The side wall located on the side in the direction in which the pedal arm bends is configured to have a larger side wall area because the load received when the vehicle operation pedal is depressed is larger. Thereby, the strength of the side wall on the side where the pedal arm bends is improved, and it is possible to secure torsional rigidity.

[0041] According to the fifth invention, the present invention can be preferably implemented in a vehicle brake pedal device. That is, it is possible to provide a vehicle brake pedal that can secure torsional rigidity and reduce weight.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0042] 1 Foot-operated brake device 2 Brake pedal (vehicle operation pedal) 3 Pedal arm 4 Pedal seat 5 Boss part 6 Central plane 7a Left side wall 7b Right side wall 8 Boss hole 9 Clevis hole (through hole) 10 Bending part 12 Support bracket 13 Support shaft 14 Transmission mechanism 16 Clevis 17 Connecting hole 18 Transmission shaft L Offset amount X Center of the pedal seat Y1 Rotation axis Y2 Center line in the width direction

Claims

1. A vehicle operation pedal rotatably supported via a support shaft on a support bracket of a vehicle body, comprising: a pedal arm having an elongated shape extending in the vertical direction and having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction; a pedal sheet attached to the lower end of the pedal arm; wherein the pedal arm has a pair of side walls extending in the longitudinal direction on both left and right sides forming the U-shaped cross-section of the pedal arm; boss holes formed at the upper end sides of the respective pair of side walls, into which the support shaft is inserted; through holes formed below the boss holes in the respective pair of side walls, into which a transmission shaft for connecting to a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the pedal arm is inserted; a bent portion where the center line in the width direction passing between the pair of side walls of the pedal arm is bent in the width direction between the boss hole and the through hole; and is a vehicle operation pedal having the above.

2. The vehicle operation pedal according to claim 1, wherein the pedal arm has a straight connection from the bent portion to the center of the pedal sheet along the center line in the width direction, and is a vehicle operation pedal.

3. The vehicle operation pedal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pedal arm widens in a fan shape from the bent portion to the pedal sheet in a front view where the line of sight coincides with the rotation direction, and is a vehicle operation pedal.

4. The vehicle operation pedal according to claim 3, wherein one of the pair of side walls of the pedal arm, which is located on the side in the direction in which the pedal arm bends at the bent portion, has a larger wall surface than the other side wall, and is a vehicle operation pedal.

5. The vehicle operation pedal according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle operation pedal is equipped in a vehicle brake pedal device, and is a vehicle operation pedal.

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