Footrest

Abstract

To obtain a footrest that allows you to rest your foot in the same position as your heel when the accelerator pedal is pressed down. [Solution] The footrest 12 is composed of a mounting portion 30 and a contact portion 32. The mounting portion 30 is provided with a tread surface 42 that slopes upward toward the vehicle as it moves toward the front of the vehicle, and the contact portion 32 is provided with an upper surface 50 that connects to the lower end 42B of the tread surface 42, and the upper surface 50 is formed substantially parallel to the floor panel 14. When the driver places their right foot 46 on the mounting portion 30 of the footrest 12, the driver rotates their toes to the right around the heel O of their right foot 46, and brings the sole of their right foot 46 into contact with the tread surface 42. In this state, the side of the driver's right foot 46 comes into contact with the corner 48A formed by the upper surface 50 and the side wall portion 48. This makes it possible to limit the rotational position of the driver's right foot 46 and suppress displacement of the heel O of the right foot 46.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a footrest.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in Patent Document 1, as a footrest of a vehicle, there is provided a footrest for the right foot for placing the right foot of a driver when the driver is not stepping on the accelerator pedal. In this prior art, the footrest surface on which the foot is placed is inclined upward toward the upper side of the vehicle as it goes toward the front side of the vehicle, and the lower end of the footrest surface is inclined downward as it goes toward the left side. A side wall formed on the rear side of the vehicle of the footrest surface connected to the lower end of the footrest surface is further provided, and this side wall is inclined to the left as it goes downward.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] With the above configuration, in the above prior art, it is possible to place the foot on the footrest surface (tread surface) of the footrest while keeping the position of the heel when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a footrest that can place the foot as it is at the position of the heel when the accelerator pedal is depressed, with a configuration different from the above prior art.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The footrest according to the first embodiment is a footrest provided to the right of the accelerator pedal with respect to the direction of vehicle travel, and comprises a resting portion comprising: a resting portion on which the driver's foot can be placed and which is inclined toward the vehicle upward as it moves toward the front of the vehicle, and a first side wall portion extending toward the vehicle forward from the left end of the inclined surface; a contact portion comprising: a second side wall portion adjacent to the rear side of the resting portion on the vehicle downward side of the resting portion and on which the side of the driver's foot can be brought into contact, and which forms substantially the same plane as the first side wall portion; and an upper surface connected to the upper end of the second side wall portion and the lower end of the inclined surface and formed substantially parallel to the floor panel.

[0007] The footrest according to the first embodiment is provided to the right of the accelerator pedal with respect to the direction of vehicle travel, and is equipped with a resting portion and a contact portion. The resting portion is on which the driver's foot can be rested, and the contact portion is located on the lower side of the vehicle of the resting portion, adjacent to the rear side of the vehicle of the resting portion, and is on which the side of the driver's foot can make contact.

[0008] Here, the mounting section is composed of an inclined surface and a first side wall. The inclined surface is formed to slope upward toward the vehicle as it moves toward the front of the vehicle, and the first side wall extends toward the front of the vehicle from the left end of the inclined surface. The contact section is composed of a second side wall and an upper surface. The second side wall forms substantially the same plane as the first side wall provided on the mounting section, and the upper surface connects to the upper end of the second side wall and the lower end of the inclined surface, and is formed substantially parallel to the floor panel.

[0009] When the driver places their foot on the footrest, since the footrest is located to the right of the accelerator pedal, the driver rotates their toes to the right, pivoting on their heel, and brings the sole of their foot into contact with the inclined surface. Furthermore, the contact point of the driver's foot with the side of the foot restricts the position (angle of rotation) of the driver's foot.

[0010] In this embodiment, a corner is formed at the contact portion between the upper surface, which is formed substantially parallel to the floor panel, and the second side wall portion. As the side of the driver's foot contacts this corner, the position where the side of the foot contacts remains unchanged, thereby limiting the rotational position of the driver's foot and suppressing displacement of the heel.

[0011] Furthermore, the "mounting portion" and the "contact portion" may be formed as a single unit or as separate parts. Also, "forming substantially the same surface" here means that the first side wall portion formed in the mounting portion and the second side wall portion formed in the contact portion are formed continuously and connected in a substantially flush state, and surfaces that are continuously connected in both planar and curved surfaces may be formed.

[0012] The footrest according to the second embodiment is formed in which the second side wall portion is curved so as to protrude toward the interior of the vehicle when viewed from above.

[0013] In the footrest according to the second embodiment, the second side wall is formed in a curved shape so as to protrude toward the interior of the vehicle when viewed from above. Compared to a comparative example, for example, when the second side wall is formed in a corner shape so as to protrude toward the interior of the vehicle when viewed from above, the amount of protrusion toward the interior of the vehicle can be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the ease of entry and exit for occupants.

[0014] The third embodiment of the footrest is such that, in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the inclined surface is located further rearward than the accelerator pedal.

[0015] In the third embodiment of the footrest, the inclined surface is located further rearward than the accelerator pedal, making it possible to suppress interference of the foot with the resting area when the foot is resting on the accelerator pedal. In addition, because the inclined surface is located further rearward than the accelerator pedal, accidental pressing between the accelerator pedal and the footrest can be prevented.

[0016] The fourth embodiment of the footrest is a footrest according to any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the brake pedal is positioned further rearward than the accelerator pedal, and the inclined surface is positioned further rearward than the brake pedal.

[0017] In the fourth embodiment of the footrest, the brake pedal is positioned further rearward than the accelerator pedal, and the inclined surface provided on the mounting portion is also positioned further rearward than the brake pedal. This suppresses snagging on the mounting portion when operating the accelerator pedal, further preventing accidental pressing between the accelerator pedal and the footrest. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] As described above, with the footrest according to the present invention, the foot can be placed directly on the heel in the position when the accelerator pedal is pressed down. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of the driver's side of vehicle 10 equipped with a footrest according to this embodiment, as seen from the left rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the footrest. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the relative positions of the footrest, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The footrest according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, arrows FR indicate the front side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, arrows UP indicate the upper side in the vehicle's vertical direction, and arrows RH indicate the right side in the vehicle's width direction. Hereafter, when simply referring to the longitudinal, vertical, and left-right directions, unless otherwise specified, they refer to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the left-right direction of the vehicle (vehicle width direction).

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the floor panel 14 on the driver's side of the vehicle 10 equipped with the footrest 12 for the right foot according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the left rear diagonal side of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, for example, the vehicle 10 is a right-hand drive vehicle, and the driver's seat is set on the right side of the vehicle.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, in order from the left, the footrest 16 for the left foot, the brake pedal 18, the accelerator pedal 20, and the tread surface (inclined surface) 42 of the footrest 12 for the right foot are arranged at predetermined intervals along the vehicle width direction.

[0023] The footrest 16 for the left foot and the footrest 12 for the right foot are provided on the floor panel 14 side, and the brake pedal 18 and the accelerator pedal 20 are each of a suspended type and provided on the dash panel 22 side. Note that the accelerator pedal 20 is not limited to the suspended type, and may be a so-called organ type that rotates about the lower end as an axis.

[0024] Also, when viewed from the side of the vehicle, the footrest 16 for the left foot is arranged on the most front side, and the accelerator pedal 20 is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the footrest 16. And, as shown in FIG. 3, the brake pedal 18 is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the accelerator pedal 20, and the tread surface 42 of the footrest 12 is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the brake pedal 18. And the tread surfaces 42 of the accelerator pedal 20, the brake pedal 18, and the footrest 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, for example, the accelerator pedal 20 has a rectangular plate shape with the vehicle front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction, and is inclined upward toward the vehicle upper side as it goes toward the vehicle front side. On the surface of the accelerator pedal 20, a plurality of groove portions 24 formed along the vehicle front-rear direction are arranged along the vehicle width direction.

[0026] Furthermore, the brake pedal 18 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate, wider than the accelerator pedal 20 in the vehicle width direction and shorter in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and is inclined upwards towards the vehicle as it approaches the front of the vehicle. Multiple grooves 26 formed along the vehicle width direction are arranged along the vehicle longitudinal direction on the surface of the brake pedal 18.

[0027] Furthermore, the footrest 16 is shaped like a rectangular plate and is formed to be longer in the vehicle's longitudinal direction than the accelerator pedal 20. Multiple inclined grooves 28 are arranged along the vehicle's longitudinal direction on the surface of the footrest 16, sloping downwards as they extend outwards in the vehicle's width direction.

[0028] The specifications of the accelerator pedal 20, brake pedal 18, and footrest 16 are not limited to those described above. For example, the dimensions of the accelerator pedal 20 in the vehicle width direction may differ between the front and rear sides. In addition, multiple circular holes may be formed on the surface of the accelerator pedal 20, or circular holes and grooves may be formed. Furthermore, a separate component with an anti-slip function may be attached to the surface of the accelerator pedal 20. The same applies to the brake pedal 18 and footrest 16.

[0029] (Footrest configuration) Now, let's discuss footrest 12.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, as an example, the footrest 12 according to this embodiment is composed of a mounting portion 30, a contact portion 32, and a mounting portion 34, and is integrally formed from resin. The mounting portion 34 is referred to as a cowl side trim and can be attached to the outside in the vehicle width direction from the dash panel 22 and along the opening edge 36A of the front door 36.

[0031] Therefore, the mounting portion 34 is provided with a curved portion 38 that has an R shape that conforms to the shape of the opening edge 36A, and this curved portion 38 covers the opening edge 36A of the front door 36. Furthermore, a vertical wall portion 40 extends toward the front of the vehicle from the inner end (corner portion) 38A located on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the curved portion 38, and a mounting portion 30 and a contact portion 32 are provided on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the vertical wall portion 40.

[0032] The mounting section 30 is composed of a tread surface 42 and a side wall (first side wall) 44. The tread surface 42 is inclined upwards towards the vehicle as it approaches the front of the vehicle, allowing the driver's right foot 46 to be placed on it. The tread surface 42 has approximately the same inclination angle as the surface of the accelerator pedal 20, and is formed with a predetermined gap (for example, about 30-40 mm) between it and the accelerator pedal 20.

[0033] On the other hand, the side wall portion 44 extends from the left end 42A of the tread surface 42 toward the front of the vehicle to the dash panel 22. A fixing portion 41 is formed at the tip of this side wall portion 44 so as to follow the surface of the dash panel 22, and the mounting portion 30 is fixed to the dash panel 22 via this fixing portion 41.

[0034] Here, the dashed line P shown in Figure 1 indicates the position of the driver's right foot 46 when the driver's right foot 46 is pressed down on the accelerator pedal 20, and the dashed line Q indicates the position of the driver's right foot 46 when the driver's right foot 46 is placed on the tread surface 42 of the footrest 12. In other words, in this embodiment, the driver can perform either pressing down on the accelerator pedal 20 or placing their right foot 46 on the footrest 12 simply by rotating the toes of their right foot 46 along the vehicle width direction, with the heel O as the pivot point.

[0035] On the other hand, the contact portion 32 is provided on the lower and rear side of the vehicle of the mounting portion 30, and extends around the corner 38A where the curved portion 38 and the vertical wall portion 40 intersect, and extends to the side of the curved portion 38. Furthermore, the contact portion 32 is composed of a side wall portion 48 and an upper surface 50.

[0036] The side wall portion 48 hangs down to the floor panel 14, and its surface is continuous with (approximately the same as) the side wall portion 44 provided on the mounting portion 30. The upper surface 50 is connected to the upper end (corner portion) 48A of the side wall portion 48 and the lower end 42B of the tread surface 42, and is formed approximately parallel to the floor panel 14. The side of the driver's right foot 46 can come into contact with the contact portion 32.

[0037] (The function and effects of the footrest) Next, the operation and effects of the footrest according to this embodiment will be described.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the footrest 12 is provided to the right of the accelerator pedal 20 with respect to the direction of vehicle travel, and the footrest 12 is equipped with a mounting portion 30 and a contact portion 32. As shown by the dashed line Q, the mounting portion 30 is designed so that the back of the driver's right foot 46 can contact (replace) it, and the contact portion 32 is located on the lower side of the vehicle of the mounting portion 30, adjacent to the rear side of the mounting portion 30, and is designed so that the side of the driver's right foot 46 can contact it.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the mounting portion 30 of the footrest 12 is composed of a tread surface 42 and a side wall portion 44. The tread surface 42 is formed to be inclined toward the upper side of the vehicle as it moves toward the front side of the vehicle, and the side wall portion 44 extends toward the front side of the vehicle from the left end 42A of the tread surface 42. The contact portion 32 is composed of a side wall portion 48 and an upper surface 50, the side wall portion 48 forming substantially the same plane as the side wall portion 44 provided on the mounting portion 30, and the upper surface 50 connecting to the upper end 48A of the side wall portion 48 and the lower end 42B of the tread surface 42, and is formed substantially parallel to the floor panel 14.

[0040] When the driver places their right foot 46 on the tread surface 42 formed on the mounting portion 30 of the footrest 12, since the footrest 12 is located to the right of the accelerator pedal 20, the driver rotates their toes to the right around the heel O of their right foot 46, bringing the sole of their right foot 46 into contact with the tread surface 42. In this state, the side of the driver's right foot 46 comes into contact with the contact portion 32, thereby limiting the position (rotation angle) of the driver's right foot 46.

[0041] Here, as a comparative example, although not shown in the diagram, if the contact surface where the side of the driver's foot makes contact is an inclined surface that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves downward towards the vehicle, it is possible to restrict the rotational position of the driver's foot, but depending on the amount of inward protrusion in the vehicle width direction, it may compress the interior space.

[0042] On the other hand, in this embodiment, a corner 48A is formed at the contact portion 32 of the footrest 12 by the upper surface 50 and the side wall portion 48, which are formed substantially parallel to the floor panel 14. As the side of the driver's right foot 46 contacts this corner 48A, the position in which the side of the right foot 46 contacts does not change, thus limiting the rotational position of the driver's right foot 46 and suppressing displacement of the heel O of the right foot 46. In other words, in this embodiment, the right foot 46 can be placed on the footrest 12's tread surface 42 while the heel O is in the position when the accelerator pedal 20 is pressed down.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side wall portion 48 of the contact portion 32 of the footrest 12 is formed in a curved shape so as to protrude inward into the passenger compartment 52 when viewed from above the vehicle. As a comparative example, for example, if the side wall portion 48 is formed in a corner shape so as to protrude inward into the passenger compartment when viewed from above the vehicle (not shown), the contact portion 32 in this embodiment can reduce the amount of protrusion into the passenger compartment 52, thereby improving the ease of entry and exit for passengers. In addition, by reducing the amount of protrusion into the passenger compartment 52, the interior space can be expanded, making it possible for the driver to rest their right foot 46 on the floor panel 14 when relaxing.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tread surface 42 of the footrest 12 is formed with a predetermined gap in the vehicle width direction between it and the accelerator pedal 20, as shown in Figure 1, and as shown in Figure 3, the tread surface 42 is located on the rearward side of the vehicle compared to the accelerator pedal 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown by the dashed line P in Figure 1, it is possible to suppress interference of the right foot 46 with the resting portion 30 when the right foot 46 is resting on the accelerator pedal 20.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the tread surface 42 of the footrest 12 is positioned with a gap between it and the accelerator pedal 20 towards the rear of the vehicle, thereby preventing accidental pressing between the accelerator pedal 20 and the tread surface 42 of the footrest 12. Moreover, in this embodiment, the brake pedal 18 is positioned with a gap between it and the accelerator pedal 20 towards the rear of the vehicle, and the tread surface 42 provided on the mounting portion 30 is located even further rearward than the brake pedal 18.

[0046] In other words, when viewed in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, in this embodiment, the brake pedal 18 is positioned further rearward than the accelerator pedal 20, and the tread surface 42 is positioned even further rearward than the brake pedal 18. Therefore, in this embodiment, when operating the accelerator pedal 20, it is possible to suppress snagging on the tread surface 42 and further prevent accidental pressing between the accelerator pedal 20 and the footrest 12.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, when the driver presses down on the accelerator pedal 20 from a position where the driver's right foot 46 is resting on the foot surface 42, the foot surface 42 is positioned further rearward than the accelerator pedal 20. This suppresses interference with the accelerator pedal 20, allowing the driver to move the toes of their right foot 46 smoothly.

[0048] (Supplementary information for this embodiment) In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 10 is a right-hand drive vehicle with the driver's seat located on the right side of the vehicle. However, it is not limited to a right-hand drive vehicle; it may also be a left-hand drive vehicle with the driver's seat located on the left side. In this case, the footrest 12 is attached to the center console side. Therefore, the mounting portion 34 is not necessarily required for the footrest 12.

[0049] Furthermore, while the footrest 12 in the above embodiment may be pre-installed on the vehicle 10, it can also be attached to the vehicle 10 separately as an add-on.

[0050] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which the footrest 12 has a mounting portion 30, abutment portion 32, and mounting portion 34 integrally formed from resin, it is not necessarily required that they be integrally formed. The mounting member, abutment member, and mounting member may each be formed separately and then integrated by welding or other means.

[0051] Furthermore, the surface of the footrest 12's tread surface 42 in this embodiment may be flat or uneven. Also, although the tread surface 42 is shown with approximately the same width dimension along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, it is not limited to this width dimension, as it can be an inclined surface that slopes upward towards the vehicle as it approaches the front of the vehicle.

[0052] Furthermore, although the side wall portion 48 of the contact portion 32 hangs down to the floor panel 14, it is not necessarily required that it hang down to the floor panel 14, and a gap may be provided between the floor panel 14 and the contact portion 32.

[0053] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be used in appropriate combinations with one embodiment, and of course, the invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 10 vehicles 12 Footrest 14 Floor Panels 18 Brake pedal 20 Accelerator pedal 30 Mounting section 32 Contact part 42 Tread (sloped surface) 44 Side wall section (first side wall section) 48 Side wall section (second side wall section) 50 Top 52 Cabin

Claims

1. A footrest located to the right of the accelerator pedal, relative to the direction of vehicle travel, The driver's feet can be placed on it. A sloping surface that is inclined upwards towards the front of the vehicle, A first side wall portion extending from the left end of the inclined surface toward the front of the vehicle, A mounting section comprising, The mounting portion is located on the lower side of the vehicle, adjacent to the rear side of the mounting portion, and is positioned so that the side of the driver's foot can come into contact with it. A second side wall portion that forms substantially the same surface as the first side wall portion, The upper end of the second side wall and the lower end of the inclined surface are connected to the upper surface which is formed substantially parallel to the floor panel, A contact portion comprising, A footrest equipped with this feature.

2. The footrest according to claim 1, wherein the second side wall portion is curved and formed to protrude toward the interior of the vehicle when viewed from above.

3. The footrest according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is located further rearward than the accelerator pedal.

4. The footrest according to claim 3, wherein the brake pedal is positioned further rearward than the accelerator pedal, and the inclined surface is positioned further rearward than the brake pedal.

Images