Pedal support structure

Abstract

To provide a pedal support structure in which a pedal bracket supporting a brake pedal can smoothly come off from a vehicle member when receiving a load obliquely from a front.SOLUTION: A pedal bracket is connected with a dash panel and a vehicle body member at a vehicle body rear side relative to the dash panel. The vehicle body member and the pedal bracket are connected through a spherical joint including an inner ball and an outer ring which rotatably supports the inner ball around a center thereof. The inner ball is fixed to the vehicle body member. The pedal bracket has a slit opening to a vehicle body front side, an upper side and a lower side, and the outer ring is fitted to the slit. The inner ball freely rotates relative to the outer ring in the spherical joint. A direction of the aperture of the slit at the vehicle body front side is changed according to a load direction at the time of collision so that the pedal bracket easily comes out from the outer ring.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a pedal support structure that supports a brake pedal by a pedal bracket that is connected to a dash panel and to a vehicle body member located rearward of the dash panel. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a brake pedal support structure. In this structure, the brake pedal is supported by a pedal bracket. The pedal bracket is connected to a dash panel and a vehicle body member (instrument panel reinforcement) rearward of the dash panel. The pedal bracket has an upper wall portion attached to a mounting surface formed on the vehicle body member. An opening is formed in the upper wall portion. The vehicle body member has a clip nut fixed to the mounting surface so as to open rearward, and an inclined surface that slopes downward from the rear end of the mounting surface toward the rear. A portion of the upper wall portion that defines the rear of the opening is clamped by the clip nut, and the upper wall portion has a guide portion that is in surface contact with the clip nut from the outer side in the vehicle width direction and extends in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0003] In the support structure of Patent Document 1, when the dash panel deforms rearward due to a load applied from the front, such as in a head-on collision, the upper wall of the pedal bracket smoothly disengages from the clip nut. In other words, the pedal bracket disengages from the vehicle body member. When the dash panel deforms rearward, the brake pedal also moves rearward along with the deformation of the dash panel. If the brake pedal remains connected to the vehicle body member at this time, there is a risk that the receding brake pedal will interfere with the driver. By releasing the pedal bracket from the vehicle body member, the pedal bracket and the rear side of the brake pedal are freed, reducing interference with the driver. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-192874 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the support structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the upper wall portion of the pedal bracket is provided with a guide portion that makes surface contact with the clip nut from the outer side in the vehicle width direction and extends in the front-to-rear direction. When a load is applied from the front to the rear of the vehicle, the pedal bracket moves smoothly along the guide portion and can easily detach from the clip nut (i.e., the vehicle component). However, when a load is applied from the diagonal front, the extension direction of the guide portion and the load direction no longer coincide, reducing the probability that the pedal bracket will smoothly detach from the clip nut (i.e., the vehicle component). This specification provides a structure that allows a pedal bracket that supports a brake pedal to smoothly detach from a vehicle component even when a load is applied from the diagonal front. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The pedal support structure disclosed in this specification supports a brake pedal with a pedal bracket connected to a dash panel and to a vehicle body member rearward of the dash panel. The vehicle body member and the pedal bracket are connected via a spherical joint including an inner ball and an outer ring supporting the inner ball rotatably about its center. The inner ball is fixed to the vehicle body member, and the pedal bracket has slits opening toward the front, top, and bottom of the vehicle body, and the outer ring fits into the slits.

[0007] In a spherical joint, the inner ball can freely rotate relative to the outer ring. Therefore, the pedal bracket rotates depending on the direction of the load during a collision. The direction of the slit's opening toward the front of the vehicle also changes depending on the direction of the load during a collision, making it easier for the outer ring to detach from the pedal bracket. With the above support structure, the pedal bracket supporting the brake pedal can smoothly detach from the vehicle member even when a load is applied from the diagonal front.

[0008] Details and further improvements of the technology disclosed in this specification are described in the following "Description of Embodiments of the Invention." [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the support structure of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the upper rear part of the pedal bracket and the spherical joint (a view of the spherical joint separated from the pedal bracket). [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the upper rear part of the pedal bracket and the spherical joint. [Figure 4] Fig. 4(A) is a plan view of the pedal bracket before a collision load F is applied, and Fig. 4(B) is a plan view of the pedal bracket after the collision load is applied. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotation of the pedal bracket around a horizontal axis. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A pedal support structure 2 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of the pedal support structure 2. The pedal support structure 2 is composed of a pedal bracket 10, a spherical joint 20, and a guide plate 6. In the coordinate system in the drawing, "front," "left," and "up" refer to the front, left side, and top of the vehicle, respectively.

[0011] The pedal bracket 10 is a metal fitting that supports the brake pedal 5, and is fixed to the dash panel 3 and the instrument panel reinforcement 4. The dash panel 3 is a partition plate that separates the engine room from the cabin of the automobile. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 is one of the components (vehicle body components) that ensure the strength of the vehicle body. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 is a beam that extends in the vehicle width direction, and both ends are connected to the A-pillars. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 is located rearward of the dash panel 3 in the vehicle body.

[0012] The front part of the pedal bracket 10 is fixed to the dash panel 3, and the upper rear part of the pedal bracket is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 4 via a spherical joint 20. A guide plate 6 is provided to the instrument panel reinforcement 4, and the spherical joint 20 is fixed to the guide plate. The guide plate 6 is a plate that faces the upper rear part of the pedal bracket 10. A tab 7 is provided on the upper surface of the guide plate 6, and the tab 7 comes into surface contact with the outer periphery of the cylindrical instrument panel reinforcement 4, thereby integrating the guide plate 6 with the instrument panel reinforcement 4.

[0013] As will be described in detail later, the spherical joint 20 includes a spherical inner ball 21 and an outer ring 22 that rotatably supports the inner ball 21. The outer ring 22 is press-fitted into a slit (described later) in the pedal bracket 10. A rod 23 extends from the upper end of the inner ball 21 and is fixed to the guide plate 6 (i.e., the instrument panel reinforcement 4) with a bolt 8.

[0014] As described above, the pedal bracket 10 supports the brake pedal 5 so that the brake pedal 5 swings around the shaft 15. Note that the illustration of the transmission mechanism that transmits the swing of the brake pedal 5 to the braking device is omitted in the figure.

[0015] The structure around the spherical joint 20 will be described in detail. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the upper rear part of the pedal bracket 10 and the spherical joint 20. Fig. 2 is a view of the spherical joint 20 separated from the pedal bracket 10. As mentioned above, the tip of the rod 23 of the spherical joint 20 is connected to the guide plate 6 of the instrument panel reinforcement 4, but the upper part of the rod 23, the instrument panel reinforcement 4, and the guide plate 6 are not shown in the illustration.

[0016] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the upper rear portion of the pedal bracket 10 and the spherical joint 20. Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the pedal bracket 10 cut along a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction (the "left" axis direction of the coordinate system in the figure) and passing through the center CP of the inner ball 21.

[0017] 2, the pedal bracket 10 includes an upper plate 11 and a pair of side plates 12. A shaft 15 is fixed to the pair of side plates 12, and the brake pedal 5 is supported by the shaft 15 so as to be able to swing.

[0018] The upper plate 11 of the pedal bracket 10 is provided with a slit 13 that is open at the top, bottom, and front of the vehicle. The opening of the slit 13 facing forward of the vehicle is referred to as a slit front opening 14. The width of the slit front opening 14 is smaller than the maximum width of the slit 13 in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] The spherical joint 20 is fitted into the slit 13. As mentioned above, the spherical joint 20 includes an inner ball 21 and an outer ring 22 that rotatably supports the inner ball 21. The outer shape of the outer ring 22 is cylindrical, and this cylinder is fitted into the slit 13 of the pedal bracket 10. More precisely, the outer ring 22 is press-fitted into the slit 13 and fixed to the pedal bracket 10.

[0020] As mentioned above, the width of the slit front opening 14 is smaller than the maximum width of the slit 13 in the vehicle width direction, so the outer ring 22 (spherical joint 20) fitted into the slit 13 does not easily come off. However, if a strong load (typically a collision load) is applied, the outer ring 22 (spherical joint 20) may come off the slit 13.

[0021] A space SP sufficient for the spherical joint 20 to be placed therein is secured in front of the slit front opening 14 of the pedal bracket 10.

[0022] 3, the inner surface of the outer ring 22 is curved so as to be in surface contact with the spherical surface of the inner ball 21. The surface contact between the spherical surface of the inner ball 21 and the inner surface of the outer ring 22 allows the outer ring 22 to freely rotate around the center CP of the inner ball 21. The outer ring 22 can rotate around any of three orthogonal axes (roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis).

[0023] Because the pedal bracket 10 is fixed to the outer ring 22, the pedal bracket 10 and the brake pedal 5 can freely rotate around the center CP of the inner ball 21 together with the outer ring 22. However, as mentioned above, because the pedal bracket 10 is fixed to the dash panel 3, it normally does not rotate.

[0024] The advantages of the pedal support structure 2 are explained below. A feature of the pedal support structure 2 is that the pedal bracket 10 is connected to the instrument panel reinforcement 4 via the spherical joint 20. When the dash panel 3 deforms rearward, such as when the vehicle receives a collision load from the diagonal front, the pedal bracket 10 may rotate around the center CP while moving backward. The outer ring 22 of the spherical joint 20 is fitted into a slit 13 that opens at the front. When a collision load is applied from the side of the slit front opening 14, the pedal bracket 10 easily detaches from the spherical joint 20. A marginal space SP is secured in front of the slit front opening 14. The marginal space SP does not prevent the spherical joint 20 from completely detaching from the slit 13. When the pedal bracket 10 is completely detached from the spherical joint 20 that is fixed to the rigid instrument panel reinforcement 4, the rear portion of the pedal bracket 10 and the brake pedal 5 are freed from the rigid instrument panel reinforcement 4. If the pedal bracket 10 and the brake pedal 5, which are still restrained by the instrument panel reinforcement 4, move backward as the dash panel 3 deforms rearward, they may interfere strongly with the driver. If the pedal bracket 10 and the brake pedal 5 are released from the restraint of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 when they move backward, interference with the driver is alleviated.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows an example of the movement of the pedal bracket 10 when a collision load F is applied from the diagonal front left. FIG. 4(A) is a plan view of the pedal bracket 10 before the collision load F is applied. FIG. 4(B) is a plan view of the pedal bracket 10 after the collision load is applied. Note that the guide plate 6 is shown by a virtual line in FIG. 4. Also, although the guide plate 6 extends rearward beyond the instrument panel reinforcement 4, this portion (the portion extending rearward beyond the instrument panel reinforcement) is not shown. In FIG. 4(B), the virtual line labeled 10a represents the pedal bracket 10 before the collision load is applied.

[0026] Before a collision load is applied, the slit front opening 14 faces the front of the vehicle. When a collision load F is applied from the diagonal front left, the dash panel 3 (not shown in FIG. 4) deforms diagonally rearward to the right, and in response to the deformation of the dash panel 3, the pedal bracket 10 may also rotate around the center CP (center of the inner ball 21) in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4(B). As a result, the slit front opening 14 faces the direction in which the collision load F is coming. The pedal bracket 10 moves in the direction of the collision load F. The outer ring 22 moves relatively, as if being pushed out of the slit 13 through the slit front opening 14. As a result, the pedal bracket 10 comes off the outer ring 22 (spherical joint 20). The pedal bracket 10 becomes more likely to come off the spherical joint 20 even when a collision load F is applied from the diagonal front.

[0027] A sufficient space SP is secured in front of the slit front opening 14 to accommodate the spherical joint 20, and the pedal bracket 10 is completely released from the constraint of the spherical joint 20 (i.e., the instrument panel reinforcement 4). The pedal bracket 10 and brake pedal 5, which move backward, are completely free from the constraint of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 and do not interfere strongly with the driver.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotation of the pedal bracket 10 around a horizontal axis. For example, when a dash panel 3 (not shown in FIG. 5) is lifted upward due to a collision load, the pedal bracket 10 rotates around the center CP in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5. If the dash panel 3 further deforms rearward, the pedal bracket 10 receives a rearward collision load. The spherical joint 20 disengages from the pedal bracket 10 through the slit front opening 14. A surplus space SP is secured in front of the slit front opening 14, so the spherical joint 20 is not prevented from completely disengaging from the slit 13. As a result, the pedal bracket 10 and brake pedal 5, which are moving backward, are completely freed from the constraint of the instrument panel reinforcement 4.

[0029] A guide plate 6 is disposed above and behind the pedal bracket 10. The guide plate 6 curves downward as it moves rearward (see Figure 3). The pedal bracket 10, now freed from the restraint of the instrument panel reinforcement 4, is guided by the guide plate 6 and moves rearward and downward. This reduces the possibility that the pedal bracket 10 (and the brake pedal 5) will come into contact with the driver in the event of a frontal collision.

[0030] Points to note regarding the technology described in the embodiment will be described. The pedal bracket 10 is connected to the dash panel 3 and also to a vehicle body member located rearward of the dash panel 3. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 in the embodiment is an example of a vehicle body member located rearward of the dash panel 3. The pedal bracket 10 may be attached via a spherical joint 20 to a vehicle body member other than the instrument panel reinforcement 4 that is located rearward of the dash panel 3.

[0031] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technology exemplified in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of these objectives alone is technically useful. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 2: Pedal support structure 3: Dash panel 4: Instrument panel reinforcement 5: Brake pedal 6: Guide plate 7: Tab 8: Bolt 10: Pedal bracket 11: Upper plate 12: Side plate 13: Slit 14: Slit front opening 15: Shaft 20: Spherical joint 21: Inner ball 22: Outer ring 23: Rod

Claims

[Claim 1] A pedal support structure that supports a brake pedal by a pedal bracket that is connected to a dash panel and is connected to a vehicle body member located rearward of the dash panel, The vehicle body member and the pedal bracket are connected via a spherical joint including an inner ball and an outer ring that supports the inner ball rotatably around its center, the inner ball is fixed to the vehicle body member, The pedal bracket has slits that open to the front, top, and bottom of the vehicle body, and the outer ring is fitted into the slits. Pedal support structure.

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