Vehicle control means

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control pedal improved in operability of control operation of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An operation pedal capable of controlling an accelerator operation and a brake operation of a vehicle by a rotation operation, a vehicle control shaft connected to a back surface of the operation pedal and rotatably provided integrally with the operation pedal, an interlocking rotation plate connected to a vicinity of the other end portion of the vehicle control shaft and rotatably provided integrally with the vehicle control shaft, and a vehicle control shaft provided between the operation pedal and the interlocking rotation plate; And a Cipus spring for energizing the vehicular control shaft so that the operation pedal has a predetermined elevation angle with respect to the whole length direction of the vehicular, and the accelerator control or the brake control of the vehicular can be performed by transmitting the rotating operation of the hybrid pedal to the interlocking rotary plate via the vehicular control shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control means relating to the braking and accelerating operations of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, vehicle operation related controls, such as accelerator and brake operation, have been performed using an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal that are side by side located in front of the floor of the driver's seat. In this conventional configuration, the operation to move the vehicle forward and the operation to stop the vehicle are performed by operating the pedals located relatively close to each other, which has led to incorrect operation of the vehicle due to pressing the wrong pedal.

[0003] As a solution to prevent such pedal misapplication, a vehicle control device has been disclosed that realizes accelerator and brake operations with a single pedal.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control means that has a brake pedal provided on the floor of the driver's seat and an accelerator pedal rotatably mounted on the brake pedal, integrating the brake and accelerator pedals. With this configuration, the vehicle's accelerator can be operated by rotating the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle's brakes can be operated by stepping on the brake pedal. In this way, by distinguishing between the accelerator operation and the brake operation as pedal rotation and pedal stepping, it is disclosed that the vehicle's brake and accelerator operations can be performed without confusion.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle control means that includes an accelerator / brake pedal that integrates accelerator and brake operations, a base with a pedal fulcrum that rotatably supports the accelerator / brake pedal, and an accelerator hose and a brake hose connected to the front and rear ends of the accelerator / brake pedal, respectively. With this configuration, the vehicle's accelerator and brake operations can be switched depending on the direction in which the accelerator / brake pedal is rotated. The document also discloses that when controlling the vehicle's movement, the configuration in which rotating the accelerator / brake pedal toward the toe (forward) is considered to be accelerator operation, and rotating the accelerator / brake pedal toward the heel (backward) is considered to be brake operation allows the vehicle's driving operation to be in line with human instincts, preventing driver erroneous operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-094096 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-352228 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, such conventional vehicle control means has the following problems. In the vehicle control means described in Patent Document 1, accelerator operation is defined as "rotating" the pedal, and brake operation is defined as "pressing" the pedal. As such, the vehicle control means is a control means that combines two different types of pedal operation, "rotating" and "pressing," so if a driver tries to perform either operation in an instant, there is a risk of operating the pedal incorrectly.

[0008] Furthermore, in the vehicle control means described in Patent Document 2, the accelerator hose that controls the accelerator and the brake hose that controls the brake operation are located below the rotating accelerator / brake pedal, so if an object falls in front of and below the driver's seat, there is a risk that the accelerator hose or the brake hose may be erroneously operated by the fallen object, causing incorrect operation of the vehicle.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a vehicle control means that improves the operability of vehicle control operations and reduces erroneous vehicle operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The vehicle control means of the present invention comprises an operating pedal that can control the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle by rotational movement, a vehicle control shaft that is connected to the back of the operating pedal and is capable of rotating integrally with the operating pedal, a linked rotating plate that is connected near the other end of the vehicle control shaft and is capable of rotating integrally with the vehicle control shaft, and a keep spring that is provided on the vehicle control shaft between the operating pedal and the linked rotating plate and biases the vehicle control shaft so that the operating pedal is at a predetermined angle of elevation relative to the overall length of the vehicle, and by transmitting the rotational movement of the operating pedal to the linked rotating plate via the vehicle control shaft, it is possible to control the accelerator or brake of the vehicle.

[0011] In another aspect of the vehicle control means of the present invention, the operating pedal has a horizontal angle adjustment unit that can adjust the horizontal angle and an elevation angle adjustment unit that can adjust the vertical angle, and the horizontal angle adjustment unit and the elevation angle adjustment unit make it possible to adjust the horizontal angle and the initial vertical angle of the operating pedal according to the driver's physique.

[0012] Another aspect of the vehicle control means of the present invention is characterized in that the interlocking rotating plate has a brake arm and an accelerator arm extending approximately radially from the circumferential surface of the approximately circular interlocking rotating plate body, and the brake arm and accelerator arm are arranged in opposing positions on the interlocking rotating plate body.

[0013] A vehicle control means according to another aspect of the present invention comprises an operating pedal that can control the accelerator and brake operations of a vehicle by rotating it, a rotating shaft that is connected to the back of the operating pedal and is capable of rotating integrally with the operating pedal, a rotation sensor that is connected to one end of the rotating shaft and converts the rotational movement of the rotating shaft into an electrical signal and transmits it to a control part of the vehicle, and a keep spring that is connected to the other end of the rotating shaft and biases the back of the operating pedal so that the operating pedal is at a predetermined angle of elevation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the vehicle control means of the present invention, the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle are controlled by the rotation of the operation pedal, so that the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle can be controlled with one pedal, improving pedal operability. Furthermore, by controlling the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle with one pedal, the operation of switching from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal is not required, and the braking distance of the vehicle when braking can be significantly reduced.

[0015] In addition, by configuring the rotational movement of the operating pedal to rotate the interlocking rotating plate via the vehicle control shaft, the operating pedal, which functions as the force point, can be located a certain distance from the interlocking rotating plate, which is the point of action, allowing the accelerator and brake operations to be performed with little force.

[0016] In addition, since the operating pedal has a keep spring that biases the vehicle control shaft toward a preset initial position, when the operating pedal is in the initial position, neither the accelerator nor the brake is operated on the vehicle, thereby ensuring safety.

[0017] In addition, according to another aspect of the vehicle control means of the present invention, the initial position of the operating pedal can be adjusted in horizontal and vertical angles, so that the initial position of the operating pedal can be adjusted according to the driver's physique, thereby improving the operability of the operating pedal.

[0018] In addition, according to another aspect of the vehicle control means of the present invention, the brake arm and accelerator arm extend from the circumferential surface of the rotating plate body in a substantially radial direction of the rotating plate body, thereby enabling fine adjustment of accelerator operation and brake operation.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control device includes an operation pedal that controls the accelerator and brake operations of a vehicle by rotating the operation pedal, a rotary shaft connected to the back of the operation pedal and rotatable integrally with the operation pedal, a rotation sensor connected to one end of the rotary shaft that converts the rotation of the rotary shaft into an electrical signal and transmits the signal to a vehicle control unit, and a keep spring connected to the other end of the rotary shaft that biases the back of the operation pedal so that the operation pedal is at a predetermined elevation angle. This configuration allows the entire vehicle control device to be compact and improves the operability of the operation pedal. Furthermore, since the only part of the vehicle control device that the driver operates is the operation pedal, there is no need to switch pedals, and erroneous operation of the operation pedal can be reduced. Furthermore, since the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle can be controlled by electrical signals from the rotation sensor, the entire vehicle control device can be compact and no other components are required at the driver's feet, further reducing erroneous operation of the operation pedal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic overall view showing a vehicle control means according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side view showing a vehicle control means according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic side view showing an operation pedal according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic plan view showing an operation pedal according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a mounting base according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the mounting base according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a shaft-side coupler according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a left side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a right side view. [Figure 8] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a base-side connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a left side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a right side view. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a base-side fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a left side view and (b) is a plan view. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a vehicle control shaft according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a right side view. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic overall plan view showing a vehicle control means according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic overall side view showing a vehicle control means according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The present invention aims to realize the accelerator and brake operations of a vehicle with a single operating pedal, and to improve the operability of the pedal that controls the vehicle by providing an interlocking rotating plate for accelerator control or brake control at a position a certain distance away from the operating pedal, thereby reducing the risk of erroneous operation of the vehicle.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, the accelerator and brake operations of a vehicle are realized with a single operating pedal, and the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle are controlled using electrical signals, thereby making the entire vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle compact, improving the operability of the operating pedal and reducing erroneous operation of the vehicle.

[0023] A vehicle control means P according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. In this first embodiment, the up-down direction in Figure 1 corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle V, the left-right direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle V, and the up-down direction in Figure 2 corresponds to the up-down direction of the vehicle.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control means P according to the first embodiment has an operation unit 1 that performs accelerator and brake operations on the vehicle, a transmission unit 2 that transmits the accelerator and brake operations of the operation unit 1 to a control unit 3, and the control unit 3 that receives the accelerator and brake operations of the operation unit 1 via the transmission unit 2 and performs accelerator control or brake control on the vehicle V.

[0025] The operation unit 1 has an operation pedal 10 which functions as an input unit for accelerator or brake operation by the driver, a mounting base 11 which protrudes in the thickness direction of the operation pedal 10 from the center of the back surface of the operation pedal 10, and an elevation angle adjustment unit 12 which is connected to one end of the mounting base 11 and adjusts the elevation angle of the operation pedal 10 relative to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle V via the mounting base 11.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the operating pedal 10 is formed in a shape that roughly follows the shape of a foot when viewed from above, and has, from the front to the rear, an accelerator operating portion 13, a position determining portion 14, and a brake operating portion 15.

[0027] The accelerator operating unit 13 is composed of an accelerator operating unit main body 13a on which the arch of the foot and the toes are placed, and a front restricting portion 13b provided on the front peripheral edge of the accelerator operating unit main body 13a. The accelerator operating unit main body 13a is configured so that its width gradually narrows from its base end to its tip end, and the front restricting portion 13b protrudes upward along the outer peripheral edge 13c of the accelerator operating unit main body 13a. The front restricting portion 13b is provided over substantially the entire outer peripheral edge 13c of the accelerator operating unit main body 13a and protrudes upward by a length substantially equal to the thickness of the accelerator operating unit 13. In other words, the front restricting portion 13b is formed to be approximately twice as thick as the accelerator operating unit main body 13a. The thickness of the front regulating portion 13b is not limited to approximately twice the thickness of the accelerator operating unit main body 13a, and may be formed to any thickness as long as a regulating step is formed between the accelerator operating unit main body 13a and the front regulating portion 13b to prevent the driver's foot from slipping forward from the accelerator operating unit main body 13a when the driver steps on the accelerator operating unit 13.

[0028] The position determining portion 14 has a position portion 14a provided at approximately the center of the operating pedal 10 in the fore-and-aft direction, a positioning step portion 14b formed at the rear end portion of the position portion 14a, and a horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c on the rear side of the position portion 14a, which is formed by cutting out a portion of the rear side of the operating pedal 10.

[0029] The position section 14a is formed to bulge upward and has horizontal angle adjustment sections 14d, 14d arranged side by side in the approximate center in the front-to-rear direction. In a plan view, the horizontal angle adjustment section 14d is formed in a roughly elliptical arc shape with its longitudinal direction being the circumferential direction of a circle centered at the center section C1 of the position section 14a, and penetrates the position section 14a in the thickness direction. The horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c is formed on the back surface of the operation pedal 10 in the approximate center in the front-to-rear direction, in a concave shape extending in the thickness direction of the position section 14a in a direction roughly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the operation pedal 10, i.e., along the lateral direction of the operation pedal 10. The horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c is formed in a roughly rectangular shape in a bottom view.

[0030] The brake operation unit 15 includes a brake operation unit main body 15a on which the arch to heel of the foot is placed, and a rear-side restricting portion 15c provided along a rear-end peripheral portion 15b of the brake operation unit main body 15a. The brake operation unit main body 15a is formed with a substantially constant left-right width from the position determining portion 14 to the rear end. The rear-side restricting portion 15c is provided on the rear-end peripheral portion 15b of the outer periphery of the brake operation unit main body 15a and protrudes upward by a length substantially equal to the thickness of the brake operation unit 15. In other words, the rear-side restricting portion 15c is formed to be substantially twice as thick as the brake operation unit main body 15a. Note that, like the front-side restricting portion 13b, the rear-side restricting portion 15c is not limited to being substantially twice as thick as the brake operation unit main body 15a. The rear regulating portion 15c may be formed to any thickness as long as a regulating step is formed between the brake operating unit main body 15a and the rear regulating portion 15c to prevent the driver's foot from slipping rearward from the brake operating unit main body 15a when the driver steps on the brake operating unit 15.

[0031] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the mounting base portion 11 has a base main body 11a that is connected to the horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c of the position determining portion 14, an insertion hole portion 11b that is formed so as to penetrate the base main body 11a in the left-right direction, an engaging protrusion 11c that protrudes from either the left or right end of the base main body 11a, and a mounting hole portion 11d that is drilled in a direction perpendicular to the insertion hole portion 11b and that is formed so as to penetrate from the bottom surface of the base main body 11a to the insertion hole portion 11b.

[0032] The mounting base 11 is connected to approximately the center of the horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c. The base main body 11a extends in the left-right direction along the front and rear side walls of the horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c and has a pedal connecting portion 11e formed in a substantially box shape and a semi-cylindrical shaft insertion portion 11f protruding from the pedal connecting portion 11e in the thickness direction of the operation pedal 10. The pedal connecting portion 11e and the shaft insertion portion 11f have widths that are approximately the same as the left-right width of the operation pedal 10, and are smaller in front-to-rear width than the horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c. In the first embodiment, the front-to-rear width of the base main body 11a is approximately two-thirds of the front-to-rear width of the horizontal angle adjustment recess 14c.

[0033] The insertion hole 11b is formed to penetrate the base body 11a from left to right ends. The insertion hole 11b has a center axis C2 at the boundary between the pedal connecting portion 11e and the shaft insertion portion 11f, and is formed with a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a of the transmission unit 2. This allows the mounting base 11 to move in the vehicle width direction along the vehicle control shaft main body 20a.

[0034] The fitting protrusion 11c is provided at either the left or right end of the base body 11a. The fitting protrusion 11c protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction of the base body 11a when the vehicle control shaft 20 is inserted through the insertion hole portion 11b. The fitting protrusion 11c is provided along the outer peripheral edge portion of the shaft insertion portion 11f and is formed in a substantially box shape.

[0035] The mounting hole 11d is formed in a substantially circular shape in a plan view and extends from the upper surface of the pedal connecting portion 11e to the vicinity of the insertion hole 11b. The mounting hole 11d extends in a direction perpendicular to the insertion hole 11b and has a female thread on its inner circumferential surface. The mounting hole 11d is not in communication with the insertion hole 11b.

[0036] The operation pedal 10 and the mounting base 11 are fixed together by inserting fixing means such as bolts through horizontal angle adjustment portions 14d, 14d provided on the position determining portion 14 and screwing their tips into mounting holes 11d of the pedal connecting portion 11e. The operation pedal 10 is rotatable within a certain range in the horizontal direction around the center C1 of the position portion 14a along the horizontal angle adjustment portions 14d, 14d provided side by side on the left and right. In other words, the operation pedal 10 can be rotated horizontally around the center C1 while maintaining a horizontal state by the horizontal angle adjustment portions 14d, 14d, and fixed to the mounting base 11 at any horizontal angle.

[0037] 1, the elevation angle adjustment unit 12 has a shaft-side coupler 16 and a base-side coupler 17 provided on the inner side of the mounting base 11 in the vehicle width direction, and a base-side fixture 18 provided on the outer side of the mounting base 11 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the mounting base 11 is sandwiched between the shaft-side coupler 16, the base-side coupler 17, and the base-side fixture 18.

[0038] As shown in Figures 7(a) to (c), the shaft-side coupler 16 has a connector body 16a that is approximately circular and has a thickness in the left-right direction, an anti-rotation recess 16b that is formed in a concave shape in the thickness direction of the connector body 16a at approximately the center of the connector body 16a, an axis insertion hole 16c that is drilled in a approximately circular shape from the inner end of the anti-rotation recess 16b in the thickness direction of the shaft-side coupler 16 to the other end of the connector body 16a, and a plurality of fitting recesses 16d that are provided at regular intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral edge of the other end of the connector body 16a.

[0039] The connector body 16a is a disk body with a hollow central portion formed in the left-right direction as its thickness direction. One end face of the connector body 16a has a rotation prevention recess 16b that fits onto the vehicle control shaft 20 (described later) to restrict rotation of the connector body 16a. The rotation prevention recess 16b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and extends to substantially the center of the connector body 16a in the thickness direction.

[0040] The other end surface of the connector body 16a also has a substantially circular shaft insertion hole 16c bored in the thickness direction of the connector body 16a at approximately the center thereof, and multiple fitting recesses 16d provided at regular intervals circumferentially along the outer periphery of the connector body 16a. The shaft insertion hole 16c is bored in the thickness direction of the connector body 16a from the other end surface of the connector body 16a to the anti-rotation recess 16b. In other words, the anti-rotation recess 16b and the shaft insertion hole 16c are connected, and in a side view, the diameter of the shaft insertion hole 16c is formed to be approximately the same length as the length of the side of the anti-rotation recess 16b. In other words, in a side view of the connector body 16a, the shaft insertion hole 16c is inscribed in the anti-rotation recess 16b. By configuring the connector body 16a in this manner, a restricting step 16e can be formed in the approximately center of the thickness direction of the connector body 16a. The restricting step 16e is a portion for defining the fitting depth when the rotation preventing recess 16b is fitted into a rotation restricting portion 20d formed on the vehicle control shaft 20, which will be described later.

[0041] The fitting recesses 16d are provided at regular intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral edge of the other end of the connector body 16a. In a side view, the fitting recesses 16d are formed in a generally rectangular shape, and are recessed to a depth of approximately one-third of the thickness of the connector body 16a. While the first embodiment illustrates an example in which five fitting recesses 16d are provided, the number of fitting recesses 16d is not particularly limited as long as the fitting position with the base-side connector 17 can be adjusted.

[0042] As shown in Figures 8(a) to (c), the base-side connector 17 has a connector main body 17a with an internal hollow portion formed with approximately the same outer diameter as the mounting base portion 11, an engagement protrusion 17b protruding from one end of the connector main body 17a, and a base-side engagement recess 17c provided at the other end of the connector main body 17a.

[0043] The connector body 17a is formed in a disk shape with an internal hollow portion whose thickness is in the left-right direction, and has a shaft insertion hole 17d in approximately the center in a side view. The shaft insertion hole 17d is formed in an approximately circular shape and penetrates the connector body 17a from one end to the other end. The shaft insertion hole 17d is formed with a diameter slightly larger than that of the vehicle control shaft 20, which will be described later. This allows the connector body 17a to easily move in the vehicle width direction along the vehicle control shaft 20.

[0044] The fitting protrusion 17b is provided along the outer peripheral edge of one end of the coupler main body 17a. The fitting protrusion 17b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in side view. The fitting protrusion 17b is fitted into the fitting recess 16d of the shaft-side coupler 16 to integrate the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17. In other words, the fitting protrusion 17b and the fitting recess 16d are formed in substantially the same shape, and fitting the fitting protrusion 17b into the fitting recess 16d restricts relative rotation between the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17.

[0045] A plurality of base-side fitting recesses 17c are provided at regular intervals on the outer peripheral edge of the other end of the connector main body 17a. The base-side fitting recesses 17c are formed concavely along the thickness direction of the connector main body 17a and are formed in a substantially rectangular shape in side view. The base-side fitting recesses 17c are formed by providing holes in the connector main body 17a that extend over a length that is approximately one-third of the thickness of the connector main body 17a. In the first embodiment, seven base-side fitting recesses 17c are provided on the other end of the connector main body 17a. As with the fitting recess 16d described above, the number of base-side fitting recesses 17c is not particularly limited as long as they are provided so that the fitting recesses 16d and the base-side fitting recesses 17c can be fitted together.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the base-side fixture 18 is formed in a disk shape with a hollow portion in the center in side view and is composed of a substantially circular fixture body 18a. The fixture body 18a has a shaft insertion hole 18b formed in the substantially central portion in side view along the thickness direction of the fixture body 18a and a non-slip portion 18c provided around the entire outer periphery. The shaft insertion hole 18b has a female thread on the inner periphery. The non-slip portion 18c is formed in a substantially triangular shape in side view along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the fixture body 18a. In other words, the base-side fixture 18 is formed in a substantially gear-like shape with a threaded portion for fixing to the vehicle control shaft 20. The shaft insertion hole 18b of the base-side fixture 18 is threadedly engaged with a male thread 20e provided at the tip (outer side in the vehicle width direction) of the vehicle control shaft 20.

[0047] As described above, the elevation angle adjustment unit 12 is composed of multiple members, and the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17 are integrally connected by fitting the fitting protrusion 17b of the base-side coupler 17 into the fitting recess 16d of the shaft-side coupler 16. The mounting base unit 11 has its fitting protrusion 11c fitted into its base-side fitting recess 17c, thereby integrally connecting the base-side coupler 17 and the mounting base unit 11.

[0048] Furthermore, by providing the mounting base 11 between the base-side coupler 17 and the base-side fixture 18 and threading the shaft insertion hole 18b of the base-side fixture 18 into the male thread 20e at the tip of the vehicle control shaft 20, the risk of the fitted state between the base-side coupler 17 and the mounting base 11 being released is reduced as much as possible. In other words, the operation pedal 10 is connected to the vehicle control shaft 20 via the mounting base 11 and the elevation angle adjustment unit 12, so that the rotation of the operation pedal 10 is reliably transmitted to the vehicle control shaft 20. Note that the convex and concave fitting shapes of the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17 may be configured in the opposite relationship. For example, a concave portion may be formed in the base-side coupler 17 and a convex portion may be formed in the shaft-side coupler 16, so that the base-side coupler 17 and the shaft-side coupler 16 are integrated by fitting the convex and concave portions together. Furthermore, the convex and concave fitting shapes of the base-side coupler 17 and the mounting base 11 may also be configured in the opposite relationship. For example, the base-side coupler 17 may have a convex portion on the surface having the base-side fitting recess 17c, and the mounting base 11 may have a concave portion on the surface that comes into contact with the base-side coupler 17, and the base-side coupler 17 and the mounting base 11 may be configured to be integrated by fitting the convex portion and the concave portion together. In this way, the fitting relationship between the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17, and the fitting relationship between the base-side coupler 17 and the mounting base 11 may be configured in any way as long as the components are formed to be integrated with each other.

[0049] Furthermore, the shaft-side coupler 16 and the base-side coupler 17 are configured to have a plurality of fitting recesses 16d and a plurality of base-side fitting recesses 17c, so that the position of the pedal connecting portion 11e of the mounting base portion 11 relative to the vehicle control shaft 20 can be adjusted according to the fitting position between the fitting protrusion 17b provided on the base-side coupler 17 and the fitting recess 16d, and the fitting position between the fitting protrusion 11c provided on the mounting base portion 11 and the base-side fitting recess 17c of the base-side coupler 17. In other words, by adjusting the fitting position between the protrusion and recess of each member, the elevation angle of the operating pedal 10 relative to the traveling direction of the vehicle can be adjusted. Furthermore, the elevation angle adjustment section 12 is formed from multiple components, namely, the shaft side connector 16, the base side connector 17, and the base side fixing device 18, and by simply changing the thickness of the base side connector 17, the position of the mounting base section 11 provided between the base side connector 17 and the base side fixing device 18 can be moved along the vehicle width direction.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission unit 2 has a vehicle control shaft 20 arranged along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle V, a biasing means 21 that biases the vehicle control shaft 20 toward its initial position, and a bearing unit 22 that is provided on the floor surface of the vehicle V at approximately the center of the vehicle width direction and between the biasing means 21 and the operating unit 1.

[0051] As shown in Figures 1 and 10, the vehicle control shaft 20 has a vehicle control shaft main body 20a extending along the vehicle width direction, a central shaft protrusion portion 20b extending along the radial direction of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a at approximately the center of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a, and a base mounting portion 20c extending outward in the vehicle width direction from one end of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a.

[0052] The vehicle control shaft 20 is engaged and fixed to the operation pedal 10 of the operation unit 1 via a pedestal mounting portion 20c provided at the end on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and is rotatably supported near the center and at the other end by bearing portions 22. In other words, the vehicle control shaft 20 is supported in a cantilever manner by the two bearing portions 22, 22.

[0053] The center shaft protrusion 20b is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided so as to extend forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle at the initial fixed position of the vehicle control shaft body 20a.

[0054] The base mounting portion 20c is a cylindrical portion extending along the vehicle width direction from approximately the center of the outer end face portion of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a in the vehicle width direction toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and has a rotation restriction portion 20d provided at the base end portion that connects to the vehicle control shaft main body 20a, and a male screw portion 20e provided near the tip end.

[0055] Rotation restricting portion 20d is a portion that extends radially outward from base mounting portion 20c and is formed into a substantially rectangular shape in side view, as shown in Figure 10(b). Rotation restricting portion 20d is formed so that one side is shorter than the diameter of vehicle control shaft main body 20a and does not protrude from the outer peripheral edge of vehicle control shaft main body 20a in side view. Rotation restricting portion 20d is formed to be substantially the same size as or slightly smaller than anti-rotation recess 16b provided in shaft-side coupler 16 described above, so that shaft-side coupler 16 can be easily coupled to vehicle control shaft 20.

[0056] The male screw portion 20e is formed by threading a male screw into the outer peripheral surface of the base mounting portion 20c. The shaft insertion hole 18b of the base side fixture 18 is screwed into this male screw portion 20e.

[0057] The biasing means 21 includes a vehicle body protrusion 23 formed in a generally rod-like shape with a circular cross section that extends horizontally from the inner lateral side of the footrest A provided on the floor of the vehicle V toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a keep spring 24 that is fixedly connected to the vehicle control shaft 20. The keep spring 24 is formed, for example, of a torsion coil spring, with one end engaging with the center shaft protrusion 20b of the vehicle control shaft 20 and the other end engaging with the vehicle body protrusion 23. In this manner, the biasing force of the keep spring 24 enables the vehicle control shaft main body 20a to return to its initial position even if the vehicle control shaft main body 20a rotates from its initial position toward either the accelerator operating unit 13 or the brake operating unit 15 of the operating pedal 10. Note that the keep spring 24 may be formed of any biasing means other than a torsion coil spring as long as it can rotatably bias the vehicle control shaft main body 20a to the initial position of the vehicle control shaft 20.

[0058] The bearing portion 22 has a central bearing portion 25 provided on the floor surface of the vehicle V near the operating pedal 10 which is connected and fixed to one end of the vehicle control shaft 20, and an end bearing portion 26 located approximately in the center of the vehicle V in the vehicle width direction, i.e., in the area between the driver's seat DS and the passenger seat PS.

[0059] The central bearing 25 and the end bearings 26 are configured by, for example, rolling bearings, which allow the rotation of the control pedal 10 to be smoothly transmitted to the control unit 3 without impeding the rotation of the vehicle control shaft body 20a.

[0060] The transmission unit 2 is configured as described above, and supports the vehicle control shaft 20 for transmitting the rotational movement of the operation pedal 10 in a cantilever manner between the central bearing 25 and the end bearings 26. Furthermore, by configuring the vehicle control shaft 20 to be rotatably supported near the operation pedal 10 via the central bearing 25, it is possible to minimize the risk of the vertical position of the operation pedal 10 fluctuating even when the driver places his / her foot on the operation pedal 10, thereby minimizing the risk of impairing the operability of the operation pedal 10.

[0061] 1, the control unit 3 is provided in a plan view in the approximate center of the vehicle V in the vehicle width direction, that is, in the area between the driver's seat DS and the passenger seat PS (for example, below the console box), slightly forward of the vicinity of the shift lever S. The control unit 3 has an interlocking rotary plate 30 for controlling accelerator and brake operations, and an accelerator hose AH and a brake hose BH connected to the interlocking rotary plate 30 for controlling the accelerator or brake of the vehicle.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 2, the interlocking rotating plate 30 has a rotating plate body 31 provided near the other end of the vehicle control shaft 20, an accelerator arm 32 provided on the periphery of the rotating plate body 31, and a brake arm 33.

[0063] In a side view, the rotating plate main body 31 is formed in a substantially circular plate shape with its thickness direction aligned with the vehicle width direction of the vehicle V, and has an engagement hole formed in its substantially central portion and penetrating in the left-right direction. A key groove is formed in the engagement hole, and the rotating plate main body 31 is configured to be rotatable integrally with the vehicle control shaft 20 via the key groove. The rotating plate main body 31 has an accelerator arm 32 and a brake arm 33 on its peripheral edge, which extend substantially radially outward from the rotating plate main body 31. The accelerator arm 32 is provided on the lower side of the peripheral edge of the rotating plate main body 31. The brake arm 33 is provided on the upper side of the peripheral edge of the rotating plate main body 31. The accelerator arm 32 and the brake arm 33 are provided in substantially opposing positions on the peripheral edge of the rotating plate main body 31. In the first embodiment, the angle formed by the accelerator arm 32 and the brake arm 33 is approximately 160 degrees. This allows only one of the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle V to be performed, and prevents the accelerator hose AH and the brake hose BH from being pulled backward at the same time, thereby preventing the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle V from occurring simultaneously.

[0064] An accelerator hose AH and a brake hose BH are respectively connected to the distal ends of the accelerator arm 32 and the brake arm 33 formed integrally with the peripheral edge of the rotating plate main body 31. The distal end of the accelerator hose AH is connected to a section that controls the amount of air intake to the engine, and the distal end of the brake hose BH is connected to a section related to brake control of the vehicle V.

[0065] 2, when the brake arm 33 tilts rearward, the brake hose BH connected to the tip of the brake arm 33 is pulled rearward, thereby applying the brakes to the vehicle V. Furthermore, when the accelerator arm 32 rotates rearward about the central axis C2 of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a, that is, when the operating pedal 10 rotates forward about the central axis C2 in a side view, the accelerator hose AH is pulled rearward, increasing the amount of air supplied to the engine and increasing the traveling speed of the vehicle V.

[0066] In this way, in the first embodiment, the accelerator arm 32 and the brake arm 33 of the rotating plate main body 31 are configured to extend radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the rotating plate main body 31, so that the accelerator and brake operations of the vehicle V can be performed with little force even if the amount of rotation of the operating pedal 10 around the central axis C2 of the vehicle control shaft main body 20a is small.

[0067] The vehicle control means P according to the first embodiment is configured as described above, and by providing the horizontal angle adjustment unit 14d and the elevation angle adjustment unit 12 in the operating unit 1, the operating pedal 10 can be adjusted in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, and the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) of the operating pedal 10, and can be adjusted in the vehicle width direction along the vehicle control axis 20. This allows the operating pedal 10 to be adjusted arbitrarily in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, and the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) to suit the physique of the driver operating the vehicle V, and the operating pedal 10 can be adjusted to a position that suits the driver, thereby improving the operability of the operating pedal 10.

[0068] In addition, by configuring the control unit 3 that controls the running of the vehicle V to be located approximately in the center of the vehicle width direction, the interlocking rotating plate 30 can be finely adjusted with a small amount of rotation of the operating pedal 10, and the accelerator and brake operations can be performed with little force, thereby improving the operability of the operating pedal 10.

[0069] Furthermore, since the configuration allows accelerator operation and brake operation of the vehicle V to be realized with a single operating pedal 10, there is no need to take the foot off the operating pedal 10 and change pedals when switching from accelerator operation to brake operation or from brake operation to accelerator operation, thereby shortening the time required to switch operations and improving the operability of pedal operation. In particular, when operating to stop the vehicle, the time required to change pedals is shortened, and the braking distance of the vehicle can be shortened.

[0070] In addition, the accelerator operation and brake operation of the vehicle V are unified into the rotational movement of a single operating pedal 10, and accelerator operation and brake operation can be switched by changing the rotation direction, thereby reducing the risk of confusing accelerator operation and brake operation as much as possible and improving the operability of pedal operation.

[0071] In addition, the accelerator of the vehicle V is operated by stepping on the accelerator operation part 13 of the operation pedal 10 with the toe, and the brake is operated by stepping on the brake operation part 15 of the operation pedal 10 with the heel. This configuration allows the movements of a person when moving to match the movements of the vehicle V's driving control, thereby minimizing the risk of erroneous operation of the operation pedal 10 in an emergency.

[0072] Furthermore, by configuring the control unit 3 to be located between the driver's seat DS and the passenger seat PS, the control unit 3 is not exposed, eliminating the risk that an object falling from the driver's seat will operate the accelerator hose AH or brake hose BH, causing the driver to operate the vehicle in an unexpected manner, thereby improving the operability of the vehicle.

[0073] Furthermore, by providing a configuration in which the operating unit 1 and the control unit 3 are spaced apart by a certain distance, accelerator and brake operations can be realized with small forces, improving the operability of the vehicle.

[0074] Furthermore, by extending the accelerator arm 32 and the brake arm 33 radially outward from the rotary plate body 31, the amount of operation of the accelerator hose AH and the brake hose BH can be finely controlled.

[0075] Furthermore, the part related to the driving control of the vehicle V is realized by one pedal of the operating pedal 10, and the other parts are covered by the step part A, so that the parts related to the driving control of the vehicle V other than the operating part 1 are covered, thereby preventing erroneous operation due to objects falling from the driver's seat DS, etc.

[0076] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the vehicle control means P according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] The vehicle control means P' in the second embodiment is configured to be able to perform accelerator control and brake control of the vehicle without using an accelerator hose AH or a brake hose BH. Specifically, the accelerator control and brake control of the vehicle are controlled by controlling the direction and amount of rotation of the operating pedal 10 with electric signals, and the configuration of the transmission unit 2 in the first embodiment is omitted, and the operation of the vehicle V is controlled by the operation unit 4 and the control unit 5.

[0078] The vehicle control means P' has an operation unit 4 that operates the accelerator and brake of the vehicle V, and a control unit 5 that receives the accelerator and brake operations of the operation unit 4 and transmits an accelerator control signal or a brake control signal for the vehicle V to the vehicle control unit. Note that the operation unit 4 has substantially the same configuration as the operation unit 1 described in the first embodiment except for the configuration in which an elevation angle adjuster 41 is protruding from the bottom side of the accelerator operation unit 13 to engage a keep spring 62 that maintains the operation pedal 10 in the initial state, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0079] The operating unit 4 has a fastening hole in the approximate center of the back side of the accelerator operating unit main body 13a, into which the elevation angle adjuster 41 is screwed. The elevation angle adjuster 41 has a screw portion 41a for screwing into the hole and a fixing portion 41b for fixing a keep spring 62 (described later), and extends downward perpendicular to the accelerator operating unit main body 13a.

[0080] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the control unit 5 has a fixing means 50 that rotatably supports the operating pedal 10 within the vehicle cabin, and a control means 60 that is provided at the tip of the fixing means 50 near the operating pedal 10.

[0081] The fixing means 50 has a fixing arm 51 connected and fixed to the inside of the vehicle V, and a pedal support part 52 connected to the tip of the fixing arm 51. The fixing arm 51 extends while curving rearward from the front end of the vehicle V, and is formed hollow inside.

[0082] The pedal support portion 52 has left and right side surface portions 52a, 52b arranged opposite each other, and a front surface portion 52c connecting the front ends of the left and right side surface portions 52a, 52b. The left and right side surface portions 52a, 52b and the front surface portion 52c form a generally U-shape in plan view that is open on the rear side. The left and right side surface portions 52a, 52b have rolling bearings in their approximate centers in side view, and the rotary shaft 53 is rotatably mounted on these bearing portions.

[0083] The rotating shaft 53 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a substantially circular cross section extending along the left-right direction, and is provided in a manner that protrudes outward from the left and right side surfaces 52a, 52b of the pedal support part 52. The rotating shaft 53 has fastening holes at positions spaced a certain distance left-right from the center in a plan view. The rotating shaft 53 is integrated with the operating pedal 10 by inserting a fixing means such as a bolt into the horizontal angle adjustment part 14d of the operating pedal 10 and threading its tip into the fastening hole. In other words, the rotating shaft 53 is configured to rotate in synchronization with the rotation of the operating pedal 10.

[0084] The control means 60 has a rotation sensor 61 that is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 53 protruding from the left side surface portion 52a located inside the vehicle cabin of the left and right side surface portions 52a, 52b and that converts the direction and amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 53 into electrical signals, and a keep spring 62 that is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 53 protruding from the right side surface portion 52b located outside the vehicle cabin on the opposite side from the rotation sensor 61 and that urges the operating pedal 10 in the direction of the initial fixed position.

[0085] The rotation sensor 61 transmits an electric signal corresponding to the direction and amount of rotation of the rotary shaft 53 caused by operating the operating pedal 10 to the control part of the vehicle V. The rotation sensor 61 has a signal line 63 for transmitting the electric signal. One end of the signal line 63 is connected to the rotation sensor 61, and the signal line 63 is connected to the control part of the vehicle V by passing from the pedal support part 52 through the inside of the fixed arm 51, etc.

[0086] As in the first embodiment, the keep spring 62 is formed of a torsion coil spring, and the main body of the spring is attached to the rotary shaft 53, one end is engaged and fixed to the right side surface 52b of the pedal support portion 52, and the other end is engaged and fixed to the elevation angle adjuster 41 provided on the back surface of the accelerator operating portion 13 of the operating pedal 10. When the operating pedal 10 rotates and is displaced from its initial position, the keep spring 62 generates a biasing force that attempts to return the operating pedal 10 to the elevation angle of the initial position. As a result, when the operating pedal 10 is not operated, the operating pedal 10 maintains its initial state and does not send any accelerator control or brake control signal to the control portion of the vehicle V, preventing unexpected operation of the vehicle V.

[0087] The vehicle control means P' is configured as described above, and by controlling the accelerator and brake controls of the vehicle V using electrical signals, the number of parts in the entire vehicle control means P' can be reduced, simplifying the entire vehicle control means P'.

[0088] Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, accelerator control and brake control of the vehicle V can be achieved by rotating the operating pedal 10 around the rotation axis 53, and there is no need to change steps when switching between accelerator control and brake control, or between brake control and accelerator control, thereby improving the operability of the vehicle.In addition, by rotating the operating pedal 10 forward around the rotation axis 53 to operate the accelerator of the vehicle V, and rotating the operating pedal 10 backward around the rotation axis 53 to operate the brake of the vehicle V, various operations are directly linked to instinctive human actions, thereby reducing the risk of erroneous operation of the operating pedal 10.

[0089] The fixed arm 51 may be configured to stand on the bottom surface of the vehicle interior as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 12. In other words, the fixed arm 51 may be configured in any way as long as it can rotatably support the operating pedal 10.

[0090] In addition, in the first and second embodiments, a right-hand drive vehicle in which the driver's seat is located on the right side in the direction of vehicle travel is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to a left-hand drive vehicle in which the driver's seat is located on the left side in the direction of vehicle travel.

[0091] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but also includes configurations in which the components disclosed in the above-described embodiments are mutually substituted or the combinations are changed, known inventions, and configurations in which the components disclosed in the above-described embodiments are mutually substituted, etc. Furthermore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but extends to the matters set forth in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1 Control section 2 Transmission section 3. Control Unit 4 Control section 5. Control section 10 Operation pedal 11 Mounting base 11a Base body 11b Insertion hole portion 11c Fitting protrusion 11d Mounting hole 11e Pedal connection part 11f Shaft insertion part 12 Elevation angle adjustment section 13 Accelerator operation section 13a Accelerator operation unit body 13b Front regulation part 13c Outer edge 14 Position Regulations 14a Position Section 14b Positioning step 14c Horizontal angle adjustment recess 14d Horizontal angle adjustment section 15 Brake operation unit 15a Brake operating unit body 15b Rear edge 15c Rear regulation part 16 Shaft side connector 17 Base side connector 18 Base side fixing device 20 Vehicle Control Axis 20a Vehicle control shaft body 20b Center shaft protrusion 20c Base mounting part 20d Rotation restriction part 21. Actuation means 22 Bearing section 23 Body protrusions 24 Keep Spring 25 Central bearing part 26 End bearing part 30 Interlocking Rotating Plate 31 Rotating plate body 32 Accelerator Arm 33 Brake arm 41 Elevation angle adjuster 50 Fixing means 51 Fixed arm 52 Pedal support 53 Rotation axis 60 Control Means 61 Rotation Sensor 62 Keep Spring 63 Signal Line θ angle A Stepping section AH Accelerator hose BH brake hose P,P´ vehicle control means V vehicle

Claims

1. an operating pedal that can control the accelerator and brake operations of a vehicle by rotating it; a vehicle control shaft connected to a rear surface of the operation pedal and rotatable integrally with the operation pedal; a linking rotary plate connected to the vicinity of the other end of the vehicle control shaft and rotatable integrally with the vehicle control shaft; a keep spring provided on the vehicle control shaft between the operation pedal and the interlocking rotary plate, the keep spring biasing the vehicle control shaft so that the operation pedal is at a predetermined elevation angle with respect to the overall length of the vehicle; and Vehicle control means for transmitting the rotational movement of the operation pedal to the interlocking rotary plate via the vehicle control shaft, thereby enabling accelerator control or brake control of the vehicle.

2. The operation pedal is a horizontal angle adjustment unit that allows adjustment of the horizontal angle of the operation pedal; an elevation angle adjustment unit that adjusts the angle of the operation pedal in the up and down direction; and The horizontal angle adjustment unit and the elevation angle adjustment unit make it possible to adjust the horizontal angle and the initial angle in the up-down direction of the operation pedal according to the physique of the driver.

2. The vehicle control means according to claim 1.

3. The interlocking rotating plate is On the periphery of the roughly circular interlocking rotating plate body a brake arm and an accelerator arm extending in a substantially radial direction of the interlocking rotary plate body; The brake arm and the accelerator arm are provided at opposing positions on the interlocking rotary plate body.

3. The vehicle control means according to claim 1 or 2.

4. an operating pedal that can control an accelerator operation and a brake operation of a vehicle by rotating; a rotation shaft connected to a rear surface of the operation pedal and provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the operation pedal; a rotation sensor provided at one end of the rotary shaft for converting a rotational movement of the rotary shaft into an electrical signal and transmitting the electrical signal to a control unit of the vehicle; a keep spring connected to the other end of the rotary shaft and biasing the back surface of the operation pedal so that the operation pedal is at a predetermined elevation angle; A vehicle control means comprising:

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