Brake pedal device

Abstract

To provide a brake pedal device which possesses the fixing redundancy of a sensor component constituting at least a part of a sensor device, and can prevent a fall of the sensor component caused by the same factor.SOLUTION: A housing 6 is fixed to a vehicle. A shaft 7 is rotatably arranged around a prescribed axial core with respect to the housing 6. A brake pedal 8 is fixed to the shaft 7, and motions around the axial core of the shaft 7. Sensor devices 1, 70 output signals which have detected positions of the shaft 7 and the brake pedal 8 with respect to the housing 6, or signals which have detected loads applied to the brake pedal 8. A first fixing part 10 fixes sensor components 30, 71 constituting at least a part of the sensor device 1 and the housing 6 or the brake pedal 8. A second fixing part 20 fixes the sensor components 30, 71 and the housing 6 or the brake pedal 8 by a fixing method which is different from that of the first fixing part 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a brake pedal device mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system is known. The brake-by-wire system is a system in which an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "ECU") drives and controls a brake mechanism based on a sensor signal transmitted from a sensor device provided in the brake pedal device to perform braking of a vehicle.

[0003] The brake pedal device described in Patent Document 1 includes a brake pedal that is depressed by a driver, a housing that rotatably supports the brake pedal, and a sensor device that detects the position of the brake pedal. In Patent Document 1, the housing is called a bracket, and the sensor device is called a stroke sensor. The sensor device described in Patent Document 1 integrally has a sensor body portion that is positioned and fixed to the housing, and a sensor arm that is provided rotatably with respect to the sensor body portion and rotates in synchronization with the brake pedal. The sensor body portion outputs an electric signal according to the rotation position of the sensor arm. The sensor body portion is positioned by two protrusions with respect to the housing and fixed by two bolts. Specifically, the two bolts pass through holes provided in the housing and are screwed into screw holes provided in the sensor body portion to fix the housing and the sensor body portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the brake pedal device described in Patent Document 1, the sensor body of the sensor device is fixed to the housing using the same type of fixing method with two bolts. Generally, it is known that fixing methods using bolts can loosen due to vibration, etc., if the tightening torque is small. Therefore, if both bolts come loose due to the same cause such as vibration, the sensor device (i.e., the sensor body and sensor arm) may fall out of the housing, and the position of the brake pedal may not be detected. Specifically, even if the first bolt comes loose, the sensor device may continue to be fixed by the second bolt, but there is a risk that the second bolt may also come loose for the same reason that the first bolt came loose. Therefore, in the brake pedal device described in Patent Document 1, since the sensor body of the sensor device is fixed to the housing using the same type of method, even if it is fixed in multiple places, the fixing function may be lost due to the same reason, and there is a risk that the sensor device may fall out of the housing.

[0006] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a brake pedal device that has redundancy in the fixing of sensor components constituting at least a part of the sensor device, and that can prevent sensor components from falling off due to the same cause. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, Claim 1 From 4The invention relates to a brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes a vehicle by drive control of an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, comprising a housing (6), a shaft (7), a brake pedal (8), a sensor device (1, 70), a first fixing part (10), and a second fixing part (20). The housing is fixed to the vehicle directly or indirectly. The shaft is provided so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL) relative to the housing. The brake pedal is fixed to the shaft and operates within a predetermined angular range about the axis. The sensor device outputs a signal to the electronic control device that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing. The first fixing part fixes the sensor components (30, 71) which constitute at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal. The second fixing part fixes the sensor components to the housing or the brake pedal in a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part. Furthermore, the invention according to claim 1 is configured such that the first fixing part fixes the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing, The center of the hole, the center of the fitting projection, and the axis all coincide. The invention according to claim 2 is configured such that the first fixing part fixes the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting a plurality of protrusions (15) that project radially from a part of the inner wall of a hole (11) provided in the housing with the outer wall of a fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component, or by press-fitting a plurality of protrusions (16) that project radially from a part of the outer wall of the fitting projection with the inner wall of the hole. The invention according to claim 3 is such that the first fixing part is a part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by press-fitting, The second fixing part is the part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by snap-fit. The press-fit direction of the first fixing part and the snap-fit ​​insertion direction of the second fixing part are aligned. The first fixing part is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing. The second fixing portion is configured to fix the housing and the sensor component by a second hole (24) provided in the housing, a shaft (26) extending from the sensor component and inserting through the second hole, and a claw (27) provided at the tip of the shaft and engaging with the opening (28) of the second hole on the side opposite to the sensor component. The length of the fitting projection in the press-fitting direction is longer than the length of the shaft and claw portions in the insertion direction. The invention according to claim 4 is configured such that the first fixing part fixes the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the inner wall of the fitting hole (14) provided on the sensor component fits onto the outer side of the fitting projection (13) provided on the housing, The center of the mating projection, the center of the mating hole, and the axis all coincide.

[0008] According to this design, since the first and second fixing parts employ different fixing methods, it is prevented from the simultaneous failure of the fixing functions of both the first and second fixing parts due to the same cause. In other words, even if one of the fixing parts fails to fix for any reason, the other fixing part will not lose its fixing function, and the sensor component will continue to be fixed to the housing or brake pedal by the other fixing part. In this way, this brake pedal device has redundancy in the fixing of the sensor component and prevents the sensor component from falling off due to the same cause, enabling the sensor device to continue outputting correct detection values. Therefore, this brake pedal device can improve the reliability of the detection values ​​output from the sensor device.

[0009] Incidentally, in brake-by-wire systems, if a sensor component falls off the brake pedal device, and the correct detection value is no longer output from the sensor device to the electronic control device, there is a risk that the vehicle's braking by the electronic control device may be impaired. In contrast, the invention according to claim 1 prevents the sensor device from losing function by providing redundancy in the fixing of the sensor component, and makes it possible for the correct detection value to continue to be output from the sensor device to the electronic control device. Therefore, this brake pedal device can enhance the safety of vehicle braking in brake-by-wire systems.

[0010] In this specification, "fixed" means a state in which sensor components, etc., cannot be easily removed from the housing, etc., without special force. Examples of such fixing methods include press-fitting, snap-fitting, crimping, welding, bolting, and screwing.

[0011] The reference numerals in parentheses attached to each component indicate an example of the correspondence between that component and the specific components described in the embodiments described later. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1]It is a schematic configuration diagram of a brake-by-wire system including a side view of a brake pedal device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the shaft in the brake pedal device. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] In the IV part of FIG. 3, it is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor main body part and the housing. [Figure 5] It is an exploded view of the sensor main body part and the housing shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line VI-VI of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line VII-VII of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor main body part and the housing in the brake pedal device of the comparative example. [Figure 9] It is an exploded view of the sensor main body part and the housing shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line X-X of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line XI-XI of FIG. 9. [Figure 12] In the brake pedal device according to the second embodiment, it is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor main body part and the housing. [Figure 13] It is an exploded view of the sensor main body part and the housing shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view in the direction of the arrow along line XV-XV of FIG. 13. [Figure 16] In the brake pedal device according to the third embodiment, it is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor device and the housing. [Figure 17] It is an exploded view of the sensor device and the housing shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] It is a cross-sectional view of XVIII-XV line III of FIG. 16. [Figure 19] This is a cross-sectional view of the sensor device and housing included in the brake pedal device according to the fourth embodiment, corresponding to the part shown in Figure 18. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor device and housing in a brake pedal device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 21] Figure 20 is an exploded view of the sensor device and housing shown. [Figure 22] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method of fixing the sensor device to the housing. [Figure 23] This is a perspective view showing the portion of the sensor device included in the brake pedal device according to the sixth embodiment that is fixed to the housing. [Figure 24] This is a perspective view showing the portion of the housing of the brake pedal device according to the sixth embodiment in which the sensor device is fixed. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor device and housing in the brake pedal device according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 26] This is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor device and housing in the brake pedal device according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 27] This is a cross-sectional view parallel to the axis of the shaft in a brake pedal device according to the eighth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same or equivalent to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0014] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment is used in a brake-by-wire system 5 that brakes the vehicle. The brake-by-wire system 5 is a system in which the brake mechanism 4 brakes the vehicle through drive control by an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "ECU3") mounted on the vehicle. ECU3 is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. In particular, the brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment is used in a complete brake-by-wire system 5. A complete brake-by-wire system 5 is a system in which the components of the brake mechanism 4 (for example, the master cylinder) and the brake pedal are not mechanically connected, and the ECU3 drives and controls the brake mechanism 4 based on the output signal of the sensor device 1 provided in the brake pedal device 2 to brake the vehicle.

[0015] First, we will explain the general configuration of the brake pedal device 2 and the brake-by-wire system 5.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the brake pedal device 2 includes a housing 6, a shaft 7, a brake pedal 8, a reaction force generating mechanism 9, a sensor device 1, a press-fit part as the first fixing part 10, and a screw fixing part as the second fixing part 20.

[0017] The housing 6 is either directly fixed to the vehicle body by bolts (not shown) or indirectly fixed to the vehicle body via a base member (not shown). Specifically, the housing 6 is fixed to the dashboard panel or floor inside the vehicle. Inside the housing 6, bearings 61 and 62 are provided to rotatably support the shaft 7.

[0018] The shaft 7 is formed in a rod shape and is supported by bearings 61 and 62 provided within the housing 6. The shaft 7 is rotatable within a predetermined angular range in the circumferential direction of a circle centered on its axis CL (hereinafter referred to as "around the axis") relative to the housing 6. Therefore, the shaft 7 is provided so as to be rotatable around a predetermined axis relative to the housing 6.

[0019] The brake pedal 8 has a pedal arm 81 and a pedal pad 82. One end of the pedal arm 81 is fixed to the shaft 7, and the other end is provided with the pedal pad 82. The pedal pad 82 is the part that is pressed by the driver's foot. The brake pedal 8 rotates in both forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range around the axis of the shaft 7 when the driver presses it.

[0020] The reaction force generating mechanism 9 is composed of, for example, a spring, an actuator, etc. The reaction force generating mechanism 9 is a mechanism that generates a reaction force in response to the driver's pedaling force applied to the brake pedal 8. By equipping the brake pedal device 2 with the reaction force generating mechanism 9, it is possible to obtain the same reaction force as when the brake pedal 8 is connected to a master cylinder (i.e., when a hydraulic reaction force is obtained), even if the mechanical connection between the brake pedal 8 and the conventional master cylinder is eliminated.

[0021] Sensor device 1 detects the position (specifically, the rotation angle) of the target object relative to the housing 6, using either the shaft 7 or the brake pedal 8 as the detection target. Various types of sensors can be used for sensor device 1. For example, non-contact sensors such as inductive sensors, magnetic sensors, and optical sensors, or contact sensors such as load sensors and rotary encoders can be used for sensor device 1. The electrical signal output from sensor device 1 is transmitted to the ECU 3.

[0022] The ECU3 consists of a processor that performs control and calculation processing, a microcomputer including a memory unit such as ROM or RAM for storing programs and data, and its peripheral circuits. The memory unit is composed of a non-transitional physical storage medium. Based on the program stored in the memory unit, the ECU3 performs various control and calculation processing and controls the operation of each device connected to the output port. Specifically, the ECU3 detects the precise pedal operation amount (i.e., the amount of operation of the brake pedal 8) based on electrical signals transmitted from the sensor device 1, etc., and controls the drive of the brake mechanism 4. Note that the ECU3 is not limited to one unit; the drive of the brake mechanism 4 may be controlled by multiple ECU3s.

[0023] Various mechanisms can be employed as the brake mechanism 4. For example, the brake mechanism 4 may employ an electric brake in which an electric motor is driven by a command from the ECU 3 to press brake pads against the disc brake rotor, thereby braking each wheel. Alternatively, the brake mechanism 4 may employ a configuration in which the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid is increased by the operation of a master cylinder or hydraulic pump, driving wheel cylinders located on each wheel to operate the brake pads. Furthermore, the brake mechanism 4 can also perform normal control, ABS control, and VSC control in response to control signals from the ECU 3. ABS stands for Anti-lock Braking System, and VSC stands for Vehicle Stability Control.

[0024] Next, the sensor device 1 will be described. As mentioned above, the sensor device 1 can be of various types. In the first embodiment, the sensor device 1 will be described as an example in which a magnetic sensor is used.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, a magnetic sensor as an example of a sensor device 1 has a sensor body 30 as a first sensor component and a magnetic circuit 40 as a second sensor component.

[0026] The sensor body 30 is fixed to the housing 6. The method of fixing the sensor body 30 to the housing 6 will be described later. A magnetic detection unit 31, which is composed of a Hall IC or a magnetoresistive element, is provided in the center of the sensor body 30. The magnetic detection unit 31 is molded integrally with the resin that forms the sensor body 30. The magnetic detection unit 31 outputs a signal corresponding to the strength of the magnetic flux density that penetrates its magnetic sensing surface.

[0027] On the other hand, the magnetic circuit section 40 is composed of a magnet and a yoke and is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the radially outer region of the magnetic detection section 31. The magnetic circuit section 40 constitutes a magnetic circuit in which magnetic flux flies in a direction intersecting the direction in which the axis CL of the shaft 7 extends (hereinafter referred to as the "axial direction") inside its cylindrical shape. The magnetic circuit section 40 is fixed to the tip of the shaft 7 in a molded state by the resin that constitutes the resin fixing section 41 and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the shaft 7. As the magnetic circuit section 40 rotates, the direction of the magnetic field inside its cylindrical shape changes. As a result, the intensity of the magnetic flux density penetrating the magnetosensitive surface of the magnetic detection section 31 provided inside the magnetic circuit section 40 changes. Therefore, the magnetic detection section 31 of the sensor body section 30 is capable of outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the magnetic flux density that changes with the rotation of the shaft 7.

[0028] Incidentally, in the brake-by-wire system 5, if the sensor component of the sensor device 1 falls off the brake pedal device 2 used in the brake pedal device 2, and the correct detection value is no longer output from the sensor device 1 to the ECU 3, there is a risk that the ECU 3 will be unable to brake the vehicle. In contrast, the brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment has redundancy in the fixing of the sensor body 30, which is the first sensor component of the sensor device 1, and the housing 6, and is configured to prevent the sensor device 1 from losing its function.

[0029] The brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment includes a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20 for fixing the sensor body 30 of the sensor device 1 to the housing 6. The first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20 each fix the sensor body 30 to the housing 6 using different fixing methods. By employing different fixing methods for the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20, it is prevented that the fixing function of the first fixing part 10 and the fixing function of the second fixing part 20 will not fail simultaneously for the same reason. Various methods can be used for fixing the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20, such as press-fitting, snap-fitting, crimping, welding, bolting, and screwing.

[0030] In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which press-fitting is used as the first fixing part 10 and a tapping screw 21 is used as the second fixing part 20. That is, in the first embodiment, the first fixing part 10 is the part that fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by press-fitting (i.e., the press-fit part). On the other hand, the second fixing part 20 is the part that fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 with a tapping screw 21 (i.e., the screw fixing part).

[0031] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor body 30 and housing 6 in section IV of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is an exploded view of the sensor body 30 and housing 6. Furthermore, Figure 6 shows the sensor body 30 in the direction of the arrow VI-VI in Figure 5, and Figure 7 shows a part of the housing 6 in the direction of the arrow VII-VII in Figure 5.

[0032] In Figures 4 and 5, the axis CL of shaft 7 is shown by a dashed line, and in Figures 4 and 5, the axis CL of shaft 7 is shown as a dot. In Figures 4 to 7, the axis CL of shaft 7 coincides with the center of the sensor detection unit of the sensor body 30 (i.e., the center of the magnetic detection unit 31).

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the tapping screw 21, which serves as the second fixing part 20, is inserted through the insertion hole 22 provided in the sensor body 30 and screwed into the pilot hole 23 provided in the housing 6. Note that if the tip of the tapping screw 21 is pointed, the pilot hole 23 in the housing 6 can be omitted.

[0034] On the other hand, the press-fit portion, which serves as the first fixing portion 10, is configured to fix the sensor body portion 30 to the housing 6 by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the outer wall of the cylindrical fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body portion 30 fits into the inner wall of the cylindrical hole portion 11 provided on the housing 6. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the outer diameter D2 of the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body portion 30 is slightly larger than the inner diameter D1 of the hole portion 11 provided on the housing 6. Therefore, the inner wall of the hole portion 11 provided on the housing 6 and the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body portion 30 are press-fitted together.

[0035] Furthermore, the press-fit portion, which serves as the first fixing portion 10, is configured to fix the sensor body portion 30 and the housing 6 so that the axis CL of the shaft 7 coincides with the sensor detection center. Specifically, the center of the cylindrical hole portion 11 provided in the housing 6, the center of the cylindrical fitting projection portion 12 provided in the sensor body portion 30, and the axis CL of the shaft 7 all coincide. Therefore, by precisely positioning the center of the sensor detection portion of the sensor body portion 30 (i.e., the center of the magnetic detection portion 31) with respect to the axis CL of the shaft 7, the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 can be improved.

[0036] In this specification, when the center of the hole 11 in the housing 6, the center of the fitting projection 12 in the sensor body 30, and the axis CL of the shaft 7 coincide, this includes not only a perfect coincidence but also a state in which they are slightly misaligned within the manufacturing tolerance.

[0037] Here, in order to compare with the method of fixing the sensor body 30 to the housing 6 in the first embodiment, the method of fixing the sensor body 30 to the housing 6 in the comparative example brake pedal device 2 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

[0038] In the comparative example, press-fitting is used as the first fixing part 10, and a tapping screw 21 is used as the second fixing part 20. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing only the sensor body 30 and housing 6 of the brake pedal device 2 of the comparative example, and Figure 9 is an exploded view of the sensor body 30 and housing 6. Figure 10 shows the sensor body 30 in the direction of the arrow X-X in Figure 9, and Figure 11 shows a part of the housing 6 in the direction of the arrow XI-XI in Figure 9.

[0039] In Figures 8 and 9, the axis CL of shaft 7 is shown by a dashed line, while in Figures 10 and 11, the axis CL of shaft 7 is shown as a dot. Also, in Figure 8, the center SC of the sensor detection unit of the sensor body 30 (i.e., the center of the magnetic detection unit 31) is shown by a double-dashed line. In Figure 8, the axis CL of shaft 7 and the center SC of the sensor detection unit of the sensor body 30 are misaligned.

[0040] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, in the comparative example, the spigot structure for press-fitting the fitting projection 120 of the sensor body 30 into the hole 110 of the housing 6 constituting the first fixing part 10 is positioned radially offset from the axis CL of the shaft 7. Therefore, in the comparative example, at least two sets of the spigot structure for press-fitting the fitting projection 120 of the sensor body 30 into the hole 110 of the housing 6 are required for positioning the sensor body 30. For each of these two sets of spigot structures, the positional accuracy of the distance between the ideal central axis (i.e., the position where the axis CL of the shaft 7 is located) and the spigot structure is set. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the positional accuracy of the distances D3 and D4 between the fitting projection 120 of the sensor body 30 and the ideal central axis is set. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the positional accuracy of the distances D5 and D6 between the two holes 110 of the housing 6 and the ideal central axis is set. In this case, since press-fitting is performed using two sets of spigot structures, the positional accuracy of each of the two sets of spigot structures must be set to be large. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, in the comparative example, the misalignment between the sensor detection center SC of the sensor body 30 and the axis CL of the shaft 7 becomes large, raising concerns that the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 will deteriorate.

[0041] In contrast to such comparative examples, in the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, the center of the spigot structure formed by the hole 11 of the housing 6 constituting the first fixing part 10 and the fitting projection 12 of the sensor body part 30 coincides with the axis CL of the shaft 7. Therefore, it is possible to position the center of the sensor detection part of the sensor body part 30 (i.e., the center of the magnetic detection part 31) with high precision relative to the axis CL of the shaft 7.

[0042] The brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment described above provides the following effects. (1) The brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment is configured such that the sensor body 30, which is a first sensor component constituting the sensor device 1, is fixed to the housing 6 by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20 which employ different fixing methods. This prevents the fixing function of the first fixing part 10 and the fixing function of the second fixing part 20 from failing simultaneously due to the same cause. In other words, even if one of the fixing parts, the first fixing part 10 or the second fixing part 20, fails to fix for some reason, the other fixing part will not lose its fixing function, and the sensor body 30 will continue to be fixed to the housing 6 by the other fixing part. Therefore, this brake pedal device 2 has redundancy in the fixing of the sensor body 30 and prevents the sensor body 30 from falling off due to the same cause, so that the sensor device 1 can continue to output correct detection values. Consequently, this brake pedal device 2 can increase the reliability of the detection values ​​output from the sensor device 1.

[0043] Incidentally, in the brake pedal device 2 used in the brake-by-wire system 5, if the sensor body 30 detaches from the housing 6 and the correct detection value is no longer output from the sensor device 1 to the ECU 3, there is a risk that the ECU 3 may be unable to brake the vehicle. In contrast, the brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment has redundancy in the fixing of the sensor body 30, which prevents the sensor device 1 from losing function and allows the sensor device 1 to continue outputting the correct detection value to the ECU 3. Therefore, this brake pedal device 2 can enhance the safety of vehicle braking in the brake-by-wire system 5.

[0044] (2) The brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment is used in a complete brake-by-wire system 5 in which the components of the brake mechanism 4 that brakes the vehicle and the brake pedal 8 are not mechanically connected. According to this, the brake pedal device 2, by providing redundancy in the fixing of the sensor body 30, prevents the sensor device 1 from losing function and can enhance the safety of vehicle braking in a complete brake-by-wire system 5.

[0045] (3) In the first embodiment, the first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body part 30, which is the first sensor component, and the housing 6 by press-fitting. The second fixing part 20 fixes the sensor body part 30, which is the first sensor component, and the housing 6 by screw (specifically, tapping screw 21). According to this, generally, the brake pedal device 2 mounted on a vehicle is subjected to various environmental stresses such as vibrations transmitted from the vehicle, unintended application of external forces, stress concentration on the fixing part, and unintended exposure to water or temperature changes. In contrast, in the first embodiment, even if the press-fit of the press-fit part, which is the first fixing part 10, loosens due to such various environmental stresses, the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 remain fixed by the tapping screw 21, which is the second fixing part 20. Conversely, even if the tapping screw 21, which is the second fixing part 20, loosens due to vibration or the like, the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 remain fixed by the press-fit part, which is the first fixing part 10. Therefore, the brake pedal device 2 of the first embodiment prevents the sensor body 30 from falling off, enabling the sensor device 1 to continue outputting the correct detection value to the ECU 3, thereby improving the safety of vehicle braking in the brake-by-wire system 5.

[0046] (4) In the first embodiment, the first fixing part 10 is configured to fix the sensor body part 30 to the housing 6 by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body part 30 fits into the inside of the hole 11 provided on the housing 6, so that the axis CL of the shaft 7 and the sensor detection center coincide. According to this, the spigot structure between the hole 11 provided in the housing 6 and the fitting projection 12 provided in the sensor body 30 allows for the positioning of the sensor body 30 with only one set. When setting the positional accuracy of the distance between the center of the spigot structure (i.e., the center of the hole 11 in the housing 6 and the center of the fitting projection 12 in the sensor body 30) and the axis CL of the shaft 7 for this one set of spigot structures, it is possible to set the positional accuracy to be smaller than in the comparative example described above. Therefore, the misalignment between the center of the sensor detection part of the sensor body 30 and the axis CL of the shaft 7 can be reduced, and the center of the sensor detection part of the sensor body 30 can be positioned with high precision relative to the axis CL of the shaft 7. Consequently, the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 can be improved.

[0047] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment will now be described. The second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and a part of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 has been changed compared to the first embodiment.

[0048] As shown in Figures 12 to 15, in the second embodiment as well, the sensor body 30 and housing 6 of the sensor device 1 are fixed by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. Press-fitting is used for the first fixing part 10, and a tapping screw 21 is used for the second fixing part 20.

[0049] The press-fit portion, which serves as the first fixing portion 10, is configured to fix the sensor body portion 30 to the housing 6 by press-fitting in an spigot structure in which the inner wall of the cylindrical fitting hole portion 14 provided in the sensor body portion 30 fits into the outer wall of the cylindrical fitting projection 13 provided in the housing 6. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the inner diameter D8 of the fitting hole portion 14 provided in the sensor body portion 30 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter D7 of the fitting projection 13 provided in the housing 6. Therefore, the outer wall of the fitting projection 13 provided in the housing 6 and the inner wall of the fitting hole portion 14 provided in the sensor body portion 30 are press-fitted together.

[0050] Furthermore, the press-fit portion, which serves as the first fixing portion 10, is configured to fix the sensor body portion 30 and the housing 6 so that the axis CL of the shaft 7 and the sensor detection center coincide. Specifically, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the center of the cylindrical fitting projection 13 provided on the housing 6, the center of the cylindrical fitting hole portion 14 provided on the sensor body portion 30, and the axis CL of the shaft 7 all coincide. Therefore, it becomes possible to position the center of the sensor detection portion of the sensor body portion 30 with high precision relative to the axis CL of the shaft 7, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1.

[0051] In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the first fixing part 10 can also be configured to fix the sensor body 30 to the housing 6 by press-fitting in an interlocking structure in which the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body 30 fits into the hole 11 provided on the housing 6.

[0052] The second embodiment described above can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0053] (Third embodiment) Next, we will describe the third embodiment. The third embodiment is a modification of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20 compared to the first embodiment, etc., and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0054] As shown in Figures 16 to 18, in the third embodiment as well, the sensor body 30 and housing 6 of the sensor device 1 are fixed by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. Press-fitting is used for the first fixing part 10, and snap-fitting is used for the second fixing part 20. That is, in the third embodiment, the first fixing part 10 is the part that fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by press-fitting (i.e., the press-fitting part). On the other hand, the second fixing part 20 is the part that fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by snap-fitting (i.e., the snap-fitting fixing part).

[0055] The first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by partial press-fitting, in which multiple protrusions 15 projecting radially from a part of the inner wall of the hole 11 provided in the housing 6 fit together with the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 provided in the sensor body 30. At that time, the first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 so that the sensor detection center of the sensor body 30 and the axis CL of the shaft 7 coincide. In Figure 18, three protrusions 15 projecting radially from a part of the inner wall of the hole 11 provided in the housing 6 are shown, but the number of multiple protrusions 15 is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily.

[0056] On the other hand, the second fixing part 20 is composed of a second hole 24 provided in the housing 6 and a snap-fit ​​part 25 extending from the sensor body 30. The snap-fit ​​part 25 has a shaft portion 26 that extends from the sensor body 30 and passes through the second hole 24, and a claw portion 27 provided at the tip of the shaft portion 26. The second fixing part 20 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by engaging the claw portion 27 of the snap-fit ​​part 25 with the opening 28 of the second hole 24 in the housing 6 that is opposite to the sensor body 30. Here, the insertion direction in which the snap-fit ​​part 25 constituting the second fixing part 20 is inserted into the second hole 24 of the housing 6 and the press-fit direction in which the fitting projection 12 constituting the first fixing part 10 is press-fitted into the inside of the multiple projections 15 provided on the inner wall of the hole 11 of the housing 6 are aligned. Therefore, when fixing the sensor body 30 to the housing 6, it is possible to simultaneously press-fit the first fixing part 10 and snap-fit ​​the second fixing part 20.

[0057] The brake pedal device 2 of the third embodiment described above can provide the same effects as the first embodiment, as well as the following effects. (1) In the third embodiment, the first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body part 30, which is the first sensor component, and the housing 6 by press-fitting. The second fixing part 20 fixes the sensor body part 30, which is the first sensor component, and the housing 6 by snap-fitting. The press-fitting direction of the first fixing part 10 and the snap-fit ​​insertion direction of the second fixing part 20 are aligned. According to this, when fixing the sensor body 30 and the housing 6, it is possible to perform press-fit fixing at the first fixing part 10 and snap-fit ​​fixing at the second fixing part 20 simultaneously. Therefore, since press-fit fixing at the first fixing part 10 and snap-fit ​​fixing at the second fixing part 20 can be performed in a single step, the assembly process of the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 can be simplified and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0058] Furthermore, as described above, the brake pedal device 2 mounted on the vehicle is subjected to various environmental stresses. In contrast, in the third embodiment, even if the press-fit of the press-fit portion, which serves as the first fixing portion 10, loosens due to various environmental stresses, the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 remain fixed by the snap-fit, which serves as the second fixing portion 20. Conversely, even if the shaft portion 26 or claw portion 27 of the snap-fit ​​constituting the second fixing portion 20 is damaged due to various environmental stresses, the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 remain fixed by the first fixing portion 10. Therefore, the brake pedal device 2 of the third embodiment prevents the sensor body 30 from falling off, enabling the sensor device 1 to continuously output the correct detection value to the ECU 3, thereby improving the safety of vehicle braking in the brake-by-wire system 5.

[0059] (2) In the third embodiment, the first fixing portion 10 is configured to fix the sensor body portion 30 on the axis CL of rotation of the brake pedal 8 by partial press-fitting of a plurality of protrusions 15 that project radially inward from a part of the inner wall of the hole portion 11 and the outer wall of the fitting projection portion 12. According to this, compared to the full-circumference press-fitting described in the first and second embodiments, the partial press-fitting in the third embodiment reduces the tension acting on the sensor body 30 and housing 6, and suppresses the amount of deformation of the sensor body 30 and housing 6. Therefore, by preventing large stresses from acting on the sensor body 30, the detection accuracy of the sensor device 1 can be improved.

[0060] (Fourth Embodiment) A fourth embodiment will now be described. The fourth embodiment is a modification of the third embodiment, and a part of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 has been changed compared to the third embodiment.

[0061] As shown in Figure 19, in the fourth embodiment as well, the sensor body 30 of the sensor device 1 and the housing 6 are fixed together by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. Press-fitting is used for the first fixing part 10, and snap-fitting is used for the second fixing part 20.

[0062] The first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by partial press-fitting, in which the inner wall of the hole 11 provided in the housing 6 and a plurality of protrusions 16 projecting radially from a part of the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 provided in the sensor body 30 fit together. At that time, the first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 so that the sensor detection center of the sensor body 30 and the axis CL of the shaft 7 coincide. In Figure 19, three protrusions 16 projecting radially from a part of the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 are shown, but the number of multiple protrusions 16 is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily.

[0063] The fourth embodiment described above can also achieve the same effects as the third embodiment.

[0064] (Fifth embodiment) A fifth embodiment will now be described. The fifth embodiment is a modification of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 compared to the third and fourth embodiments.

[0065] As shown in Figures 20 to 22, in the fifth embodiment as well, the sensor body 30 of the sensor device 1 and the housing 6 are fixed by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. Press-fitting is used for the first fixing part 10, and snap-fitting is used for the second fixing part 20.

[0066] The first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by press-fitting the inner wall of the hole 11 provided in the housing 6 with the outer wall of the fitting projection 12 provided in the sensor body 30. At that time, the first fixing part 10 fixes the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 so that the sensor detection center of the sensor body 30 and the axis CL of the shaft 7 coincide. However, the first fixing part 10 may also fix the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 by partial press-fitting as described in the third and fourth embodiments above.

[0067] On the other hand, the second fixing portion 20 is composed of a second hole portion 24 provided in the housing 6 and a snap-fit ​​portion 25 (i.e., a shaft portion 26 and a claw portion 27) extending from the sensor body portion 30. The insertion direction in which the snap-fit ​​portion 25 constituting the second fixing portion 20 is inserted into the second hole portion 24 of the housing 6 and the press-fit direction in which the fitting projection 12 constituting the first fixing portion 10 is press-fitted into the inside of the hole portion 11 of the housing 6 are aligned.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 21, in the fifth embodiment, the length L1 in the press-fit direction of the fitting projection 12 constituting the first fixing part 10 is longer than the length L2 in the insertion direction of the snap-fit ​​part 25 (i.e., the shaft part 26 and the claw part 27) constituting the second fixing part 20. As a result, as shown in Figure 22, when assembling the sensor body part 30 to the housing 6 during the manufacturing process, the press-fitting of the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body part 30 to the hole 11 provided on the housing 6 begins first. This causes the sensor detection center of the sensor body part 30 to coincide with the axis CL of the shaft 7. Subsequently, as the sensor body part 30 is brought further closer to the housing 6, the insertion of the snap-fit ​​part 25 (i.e., the shaft part 26 and the claw part 27) extending from the sensor body part 30 to the second hole 24 provided on the housing 6 begins. Then, the fitting projection 12 provided on the sensor body 30 is press-fitted into the hole 11 provided on the housing 6, while at the same time, the snap-fit ​​portion 25 is inserted into the second hole 24 provided on the housing 6. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 20, the surface of the sensor body 30 facing the housing 6 and the surface of the housing 6 facing the sensor body 30 are brought into contact, thereby completing the press-fit fixing by the first fixing portion 10 and the snap-fit ​​fixing by the second fixing portion 20.

[0069] In the fifth embodiment described above, the length L1 in the press-fit direction of the fitting projection 12 constituting the first fixing part 10 is longer than the length L2 in the insertion direction of the snap-fit ​​part 25 (i.e., the shaft part 26 and the claw part 27) constituting the second fixing part 20. According to this, in the manufacturing process, the step of press-fitting the fitting projection 12 of the sensor body 30 into the hole 11 of the housing 6 can be used as a positioning tool when inserting the snap-fit ​​portion 25 into the second hole 24 of the housing 6. In other words, the step of press-fitting the fitting projection 12 of the sensor body 30 into the hole 11 of the housing 6 functions as a guide when inserting the snap-fit ​​portion 25 into the second hole 24 of the housing 6. Therefore, according to the configuration of the fifth embodiment, there is no need to provide a separate positioning structure when inserting the snap-fit ​​portion 25 into the second hole 24 of the housing 6, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0070] (Sixth Embodiment) The sixth embodiment will now be described. The sixth embodiment is a modification of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20 compared to the first embodiment, etc., and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0071] In the sixth embodiment, the sensor body 30 and housing 6 of the sensor device 1 are fixed by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. Screw fixing is used for the first fixing part 10, and press-fit fixing is used for the second fixing part 20.

[0072] Figure 23 is a perspective view showing only the portion of the sensor body 30 of the sensor device 1 of the brake pedal device 2 of the sixth embodiment that is fixed to the housing 6 (hereinafter referred to as "first portion 33"). Figure 24 is a perspective view showing only the portion of the housing 6 of the brake pedal device 2 that fixes the sensor device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "second portion 63").

[0073] By coaxially overlapping the first part 33 and the second part 63 and rotating them in the circumferential direction, the first part 33 and the second part 63 are fixed together by screwing the flange portion 34 of the first part 33 and the flange portion 64 of the second part 63 into each other. Furthermore, when fixing them by screwing, the press-fit projection 35 provided on the first part 33 presses against the flange portion 64 of the second part 63, thereby fixing the first part 33 and the second part 63 by press-fitting. In other words, the flange portions 34 and 64 provided on the first part 33 and the second part 63 respectively correspond to the first fixing part 10 that performs screw fixing, and the press-fit projection 35 provided on the first part 33 and the flange portion 64 of the second part 63 correspond to the second fixing part 20 that performs press-fit fixing.

[0074] Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the assembled state of the sensor body 30 and the housing 6. As shown in Figure 25, the flange portion 64 provided on the housing 6 and the flange portion 34 provided on the sensor body 30 are screwed together. Furthermore, the press-fit projection 35 provided on the sensor body 30 presses against the flange portion 64 provided on the housing 6. In this way, the sensor body 30 and the housing 6 are fixed together. That is, the flange portion 64 provided on the housing 6 and the flange portion 34 of the sensor body 30 that screws into it correspond to the first fixing portion 10. Also, the press-fit projection 35 provided on the sensor body 30 and the flange portion 64 of the housing 6 that is pressed by the press-fit projection 35 correspond to the second fixing portion 20.

[0075] The brake pedal device 2 of the sixth embodiment described above also has a configuration in which the sensor body 30, which is the first sensor component constituting the sensor device 1, is fixed to the housing 6 by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20, which employ different fixing methods. This prevents the fixing function of the first fixing part 10 and the fixing function of the second fixing part 20 from failing simultaneously due to the same cause.

[0076] In the description of the sixth embodiment above, it was explained that the first part 33 shown in Figure 23 is provided on the sensor body 30 and the second part 63 shown in Figure 24 is provided on the housing 6, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the first part 33 shown in Figure 23 may be provided on the housing 6 and the second part 63 shown in Figure 24 may be provided on the sensor body 30.

[0077] (Seventh Embodiment) The seventh embodiment will now be described. The seventh embodiment is a modification of the configuration of the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20 compared to the first embodiment, etc., and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0078] As shown in Figure 26, in the seventh embodiment as well, the sensor body 30 of the sensor device 1 and the housing 6 are fixed by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20. The first fixing part 10 is fixed by welding or heat crimping, and the second fixing part 20 is fixed by press fitting. The position of the welding or heat crimping for the first fixing part 10 and the position of the press-fit projection 35 for the second fixing part 20 can be set arbitrarily.

[0079] The brake pedal device 2 of the seventh embodiment described above also has a configuration in which the sensor body 30, which is the first sensor component constituting the sensor device 1, is fixed to the housing 6 by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20 that employ different fixing methods. This prevents the fixing function of the first fixing part 10 and the fixing function of the second fixing part 20 from failing simultaneously due to the same cause.

[0080] (Eighth embodiment) The eighth embodiment will now be described. The eighth embodiment is a modification of the sensor device 1 compared to the first embodiment, etc., and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc. Therefore, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0081] As shown in Figure 27, the brake pedal device 2 of the eighth embodiment employs an inductive sensor 70 as the sensor device 1. The inductive sensor 70 utilizes the principle of mutual induction to detect the position (specifically, the rotation angle) of the detected object relative to the housing 6, using the shaft 7 or brake pedal 8 as the detection target. An example of the sensor device 1, the inductive sensor 70, has a sensor body 71 as a first sensor component and a target 72 as a second sensor component.

[0082] The sensor body 71 is fixed to the housing 6 by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20, which employ different fixing methods. The methods described in the first to seventh embodiments above can be applied to the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20. A circuit board 73 is fixed to the sensor body 71, and a transmitting and receiving coil 74 (specifically, a transmitting coil and a receiving coil) and a transmitting and receiving circuit (not shown) are mounted on the circuit board 73. The transmitting coil is also called an excitation coil. Figure 29 shows the area on the circuit board 73 where the transmitting and receiving coils 74 are mounted. The transmitting and receiving circuit is composed of an integrated circuit (IC), such as an ASIC, which supplies high frequency to the transmitting coil and outputs a signal corresponding to the change in the inductance of the receiving coil.

[0083] The target 72 is fixed to the end of the shaft 7 in a position opposite the transmit / receive coil 74. The target 72 rotates in sync with the rotation of the shaft 7.

[0084] The inductive sensor 70 works by canceling the magnetic field of the transmitting coil when a conductive target 72 approaches the transmitting coil, which changes the amount of magnetic flux passing through the receiving coil. This change is then read as an output (i.e., a detected value corresponding to the angular position around the axis of the shaft 7).

[0085] The eighth embodiment described above also has a configuration in which the sensor body 71, which is the first sensor component, is fixed to the housing 6 by a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20, which employ different fixing methods. This prevents the fixing function of the first fixing part 10 and the fixing function of the second fixing part 20 from failing simultaneously due to the same cause.

[0086] (Other embodiments) (1) In the above embodiments, the brake pedal device 2 is exemplified as a so-called pendant type in which the part of the brake pedal 8 operated by the driver's foot is positioned below the axis of rotation CL in the direction of gravity when mounted on the vehicle, but it is not limited to this. The brake pedal device 2 may be, for example, a so-called organ type in which the part of the brake pedal 8 operated by the driver's foot is positioned above the axis of rotation CL in the direction of gravity when mounted on the vehicle.

[0087] (2) In each of the above embodiments, the brake pedal device 2 has been described as being used in a complete brake-by-wire system 5, but it is not limited to this. The brake pedal device 2 can also be used in a brake-by-wire system 5 in which a component of the brake mechanism 4 (e.g., a master cylinder) and the brake pedal 8 are mechanically connected, and the ECU 3 drives the brake mechanism 4 based on the output signal of the sensor device 1.

[0088] (3) In the above embodiments, the brake pedal device 2 has been described as comprising a first fixing part 10 and a second fixing part 20 for fixing a sensor component constituting at least a part of the sensor device 1 to the housing 6 or brake pedal 8, but it is not limited to this. In addition to the first fixing part 10 and the second fixing part 20, the brake pedal device 2 may also comprise a third fixing part, etc., for fixing the sensor component to the housing 6 or brake pedal 8 by a different fixing method. That is, the sensor component may be fixed to the housing 6 or brake pedal 8 by two or more different fixing methods.

[0089] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, the embodiments and parts thereof are not unrelated to each other, and can be combined as appropriate, except in cases where the combination is clearly impossible. In addition, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential, except in cases where they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or where they are clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, in the embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, numerical values, quantities, or ranges of the components of the embodiments are mentioned, the invention is not limited to those specific numbers, except in cases where they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or where they are clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Furthermore, when the shapes, positional relationships, etc., of the components, etc., are mentioned in the embodiments, the invention is not limited to those shapes, positional relationships, etc., except in cases where they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or where they are clearly limited to a specific shape, positional relationship, etc., in principle.

[0090] The features of this invention are as follows. [Claim 1] In a brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes the vehicle through drive control by an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, A housing (6) that is fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle, A shaft (7) is provided with respect to the housing so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL), A brake pedal (8) fixed to the shaft and operating within a predetermined angular range around the axis, A sensor device (1, 70) outputs a signal to the electronic control unit that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing, A first fixing part (10) that fixes sensor components (30, 71) constituting at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal, A brake pedal device comprising a second fixing part (20) that fixes the sensor component and the housing or the brake pedal in a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part. [Claim 2] The brake pedal device according to claim 1, which is used in a complete brake-by-wire system in which the components of the brake mechanism that brakes the vehicle and the brake pedal are not mechanically connected, and the electronic control device drives and controls the brake mechanism based on the output signal of the sensor device to brake the vehicle. [Claim 3] The first fixing portion is a part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by press-fitting, The second fixing portion is a part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by snap-fit, The brake pedal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the press-fit direction of the first fixing portion and the snap-fit ​​insertion direction of the second fixing portion are aligned. [Claim 4] The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing. The brake pedal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the center of the hole, the center of the fitting projection, and the axis coincide. [Claim 5] The brake pedal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting a plurality of projections (15) that project radially from a part of the inner wall of a hole (11) provided in the housing with the outer wall of a fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component, or by press-fitting a plurality of projections (16) that project radially from a part of the outer wall of the fitting projection with the inner wall of the hole. [Claim 6] The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing. The second fixing portion is configured to fix the housing and the sensor component by a second hole (24) provided in the housing, a shaft portion (26) extending from the sensor component and passing through the second hole portion, and a claw portion (27) provided at the tip of the shaft portion and engaging with the opening (28) of the second hole portion opposite to the sensor component. The brake pedal device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the length in the press-fitting direction of the fitting projection is longer than the length in the insertion direction of the shaft portion and the claw portion. [Claim 7] The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the inner wall of the fitting hole portion (14) provided on the sensor component fits onto the outer side of the fitting projection (13) provided on the housing. The brake pedal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the center of the fitting projection, the center of the fitting hole, and the axis coincide. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 1 Sensor device, 2 Brake pedal device, 3 Electronic control unit (ECU), 4 Brake mechanism, 5 Brake-by-wire system, 6 Housing, 7 Shaft, 8 Brake pedal, 10 First fixing part, 20 Second fixing part, 30 Sensor body (first sensor component), 70 Inductive sensor (sensor device), 71 Sensor body (first sensor component), CL Axis.

Claims

1. In a brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes the vehicle through drive control by an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, A housing (6) that is fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle, A shaft (7) is provided with respect to the housing so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL), A brake pedal (8) fixed to the shaft and operating within a predetermined angular range around the axis, A sensor device (1, 70) outputs a signal to the electronic control device that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing, A first fixing part (10) that fixes sensor components (30, 71) constituting at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal, The system includes a second fixing part (20) that fixes the sensor component and the housing or the brake pedal using a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part, The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing. A brake pedal device in which the center of the hole, the center of the fitting projection, and the axis coincide.

2. A brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes the vehicle by drive control of an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, A housing (6) that is fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle, A shaft (7) is provided with respect to the housing so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL), A brake pedal (8) fixed to the shaft and operating within a predetermined angular range around the axis, A sensor device (1, 70) outputs a signal to the electronic control device that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing, A first fixing part (10) that fixes sensor components (30, 71) constituting at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal, The system includes a second fixing part (20) that fixes the sensor component and the housing or the brake pedal using a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part, The brake pedal device is configured such that the first fixing portion fixes the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting a plurality of protrusions (15) that project radially from a part of the inner wall of a hole (11) provided in the housing with the outer wall of a fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component, or by press-fitting a plurality of protrusions (16) that project radially from a part of the outer wall of the fitting projection with the inner wall of the hole.

3. A brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes the vehicle by drive control of an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, A housing (6) that is fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle, A shaft (7) is provided with respect to the housing so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL), A brake pedal (8) fixed to the shaft and operating within a predetermined angular range around the axis, A sensor device (1, 70) outputs a signal to the electronic control device that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing, A first fixing part (10) that fixes sensor components (30, 71) constituting at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal, The system includes a second fixing part (20) that fixes the sensor component and the housing or the brake pedal using a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part, The first fixing portion is a part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by press-fitting, The second fixing portion is a part that fixes the sensor component and the housing by snap-fit, The press-fit direction of the first fixing part and the snap-fit ​​insertion direction of the second fixing part are aligned. The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the outer wall of the fitting projection (12) provided on the sensor component fits into the inside of the hole (11) provided on the housing. The second fixing portion is configured to fix the housing and the sensor component by a second hole (24) provided in the housing, a shaft (26) extending from the sensor component and passing through the second hole, and a claw (27) provided at the tip of the shaft and engaging with the opening (28) of the second hole on the side opposite to the sensor component. A brake pedal device wherein the length of the fitting projection in the press-fitting direction is longer than the length of the shaft portion and the claw portion in the insertion direction.

4. A brake pedal device used in a brake-by-wire system (5) in which a brake mechanism (4) brakes the vehicle by drive control of an electronic control device (3) mounted on the vehicle, A housing (6) that is fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle, A shaft (7) is provided with respect to the housing so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range about a predetermined axis (CL), A brake pedal (8) fixed to the shaft and operating within a predetermined angular range around the axis, A sensor device (1, 70) outputs a signal to the electronic control device that detects the positions of the shaft and the brake pedal relative to the housing, A first fixing part (10) that fixes sensor components (30, 71) constituting at least a part of the sensor device to the housing or the brake pedal, The system includes a second fixing part (20) that fixes the sensor component and the housing or the brake pedal using a fixing method different from that of the first fixing part, The first fixing portion is configured to fix the sensor component on the axis by press-fitting in a spigot structure in which the inner wall of the fitting hole portion (14) provided in the sensor component fits into the outer side of the fitting projection (13) provided in the housing, A brake pedal device in which the center of the fitting projection, the center of the fitting hole, and the axis coincide.

5. A brake pedal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is used in a complete brake-by-wire system in which the components of the brake mechanism that brakes the vehicle and the brake pedal are not mechanically connected, and the electronic control device drives and controls the brake mechanism based on the output signal of the sensor device to brake the vehicle.

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