Foldable electronic pedal apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable electronic pedal device, which is configured to have a foldable function capable of popping up and hiding the pedal and an electronic pedal function, and is equipped with a high-load spring module (700) and a hysteresis lever (900) so that the pedal force, stroke, and hysteresis operating force required differently for each vehicle type can be tuned.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable electronic pedal device, and more specifically, to a technology for a foldable electronic pedal device equipped with both a foldable function and an electronic pedal function. Background Technology

[0002] An autonomous vehicle is a smart vehicle equipped with autonomous driving technology that allows it to find its way to a destination on its own without the driver having to directly operate the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, or brakes.

[0003] When autonomous driving becomes a common reality, drivers will be able to select an autonomous driving mode where the vehicle drives itself to the destination without the driver having to drive directly.

[0004] In autonomous driving mode, the driver must be able to stretch their legs and rest comfortably. Therefore, if the pedals (accelerator pedal, brake pedal) located in the space under the driver's seat remain exposed inside the cabin, it may interfere with the driver's rest or pose a risk of accidents due to unwanted misoperation of the pedals.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to develop technology for a pedal device that exposes the pedal pad so that it protrudes toward the driver to enable operation in manual driving mode, and blocks the exposure of the pedal pad to prevent operation by the driver in autonomous driving situations to ensure safety, such as comfortable rest and prevention of erroneous operation.

[0006] In addition, in smart vehicles capable of autonomous driving, an electronic pedal device can be used that does not have a mechanical connection structure, such as a cable, between the pedal and the acceleration system or between the pedal and the braking system.

[0007] The matters described above as background technology are intended only to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an acknowledgment that they constitute prior art already known to those skilled in the art. Prior art literature

[0008] Republic of Korea Published Patent Application No. 10-2020-0070946 The problem to be solved

[0009] The present invention is a foldable electronic pedal device equipped with both a foldable function and an electronic pedal function, and aims to enable its use in autonomous vehicles.

[0010] In addition, the pedal device of the present invention is configured as an organ type to improve the driver's operating feel and minimize ankle fatigue. It is equipped with a high-load spring module and a hysteresis lever to enable tuning of pedal effort, stroke, and hysteresis operating force, which vary depending on the vehicle model, thereby enabling cost reduction. Furthermore, another objective is to achieve package reduction and cost reduction through the simplification of the configuration. means of solving the problem

[0011] The foldable electronic pedal device of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose comprises: a pedal housing; a pedal pad rotatably coupled to the pedal housing via a hinge pin and operated by a driver; a stroke sensor fixed to the pedal housing and connected to the pedal pad, which generates a signal related to the pedal function when the pedal pad rotates; an actuator fixed to the pedal housing and which generates power for the pop-up or hidden state of the pedal pad; and a link mechanism and a spring module installed to connect the pedal pad and the actuator.

[0012] It is characterized by further including a PCB that is fixed to the above-mentioned pedal housing and has a function to control the operation of an actuator.

[0013] The above pedal pad is characterized by comprising: a box-shaped pad portion having a pad surface operated by the driver's foot; and a pedal arm portion having one end connected to the pad portion and the other end connected to a stroke sensor and a hinge pin.

[0014] The above pedal housing has a housing hole through which a pad portion passes; and when the pedal pad rotates by the power of the actuator and the pad portion protrudes to the outside of the pedal housing through the housing hole, the pedal pad becomes a pop-up state that can be operated by the driver.

[0015] The above pedal housing has a housing hole through which the pad portion passes; and when the pedal pad rotates by the power of the actuator and the pad portion is inserted into the interior of the pedal housing through the housing hole, the pedal pad becomes hidden so that it is blocked from exposure toward the driver.

[0016] The above link mechanism is characterized by comprising: a rotary lever rotatably coupled to the pedal housing with respect to a lever pin between the pedal pad and the spring module, with the lower end of the spring module rotatably coupled to the front end; a connecting link rotatably coupled while connecting the pad portion and the rear end of the rotary lever; and a spring link rotatably coupled while connecting the upper end of the spring module and a gear member that transmits power to the actuator.

[0017] It further includes a stopper projection formed to protrude inwardly from the front surface of the pedal housing; and the stopper projection is characterized by constraining the pop-up position of the pedal pad as it contacts a spring link while the pedal pad is in a pop-up state.

[0018] When the above spring link is in contact with the stopper projection, and a central axis connecting the upper and lower centers of the spring module and a link axis connecting the lower center of the spring module and the upper center of the spring link are determined, the upper center of the spring module is installed in a state where it is moved further toward the stopper projection than the upper center of the spring link.

[0019] It is characterized by further including a hysteresis lever that is arranged to extend along the above-mentioned rotary lever, is rotatably coupled at one end to the lower end of a connecting link, and at the other end is composed of a friction part that contacts the lever pin while wrapping around the circumference of the lever pin in an arc shape, and the end of the friction part is rotatably coupled to the rotary lever and generates hysteresis when the pedal pad rotates.

[0020] The above hysteresis lever is characterized by being formed of a plastic material that is extended in a straight line and has elasticity.

[0021] The friction part of the hysteresis lever is characterized by always maintaining contact with the lever pin due to the spring force of the above spring module.

[0022] The above-mentioned pedal pad rotates so that the pad portion is inserted into the pedal housing due to rotation by driver operation, and the hysteresis lever receives the rotation of the pad portion through a connecting link and rotates around the point of connection with the rotation lever, and is characterized in that hysteresis is implemented by the frictional force generated by the contact between the friction portion of the hysteresis lever and the lever pin during the rotation of the hysteresis lever.

[0023] The connection between the lower end of the connecting link and the rear end of the rotating lever is formed by the connection of a link projection formed on the connecting link and a lever hole formed on the rotating lever; and is characterized in that the diameter of the lever hole is formed to be larger than the diameter of the link projection.

[0024] It is characterized by the fact that when the link projection moves within the lever hole during normal rotational operation of the pedal pad by driver operation, the frictional force of the friction part of the hysteresis lever is increased through the elastic deformation of the hysteresis lever, thereby enabling the increase of hysteresis.

[0025] The above-mentioned spring module is characterized by preventing excessive rotation of the hysteresis lever when the pedal pad rotates in a state where the spring force is abnormally excessively large or the shape of the hysteresis lever is abnormally excessively deformed, as the link projection contacts the lower side of the lever hole.

[0026] The above pedal pad is characterized by having an organ-type structure in which the lower end of the pedal arm is rotatably connected to the lower rear end of the pedal housing via a hinge pin, and the upper pad portion rotates back and forth around the lower hinge pin.

[0027] It is characterized by being usable as an accelerator pedal device or as a brake pedal device. Effects of the invention

[0028] The foldable electronic pedal device according to the present invention is configured to have a foldable function capable of popping up and hiding the pedal and an electronic pedal function, and has the effect of being useful in autonomous vehicles.

[0029] In addition, the pedal device of the present invention is configured as an organ type to improve the driver's operating feel and minimize ankle fatigue. By equipping it with a high-load spring module and a hysteresis lever, it is possible to tune the pedal force, stroke, and hysteresis operating force required differently for each vehicle model, thereby enabling cost reduction. Furthermore, the simplification of the configuration allows for package reduction and cost savings. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0030] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a foldable electronic pedal device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a combined view of FIG. 1, showing the pedal pad in a popped-up state. FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1 showing the internal structure of the pedal device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing of FIG. 3 with the actuator and PCB removed. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pedal housing removed in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the link mechanism and spring module in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a drawing of the state in which the pad portion is inserted into the pedal housing by operating the pedal pad in FIG. 4. FIGS. 8 to 10 are drawings for explaining the relationship between the link projection of a connecting link and the lever hole of a rotating lever according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a drawing of a hidden state in which the pad portion is inserted into the pedal housing by the operation of the actuator according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0031] Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in this specification or application are merely illustrative for the purpose of explaining embodiments according to the present invention, and embodiments according to the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments described in this specification or application.

[0032] Since embodiments according to the present invention may be subject to various modifications and may take various forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in this specification or application. However, this is not intended to limit embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, and it should be understood that they include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0033] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components shall not be limited by said terms. For the sole purpose of distinguishing one component from another, for example, without departing from the scope of rights according to the concept of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0034] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. Conversely, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "exactly between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," should be interpreted in the same way.

[0035] The terms used herein are merely for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the described features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this specification.

[0037] A control unit (controller) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be implemented through a non-volatile memory (not shown) configured to store data relating to an algorithm configured to control the operation of various components of a vehicle or software instructions for executing said algorithm, and a processor (not shown) configured to perform the operation described below using the data stored in said memory. Here, the memory and the processor may be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single chip integrated with each other. The processor may take the form of one or more processors.

[0038] Hereinafter, a foldable electronic pedal device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be examined with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] The foldable electronic pedal device according to the present invention is equipped in an autonomous vehicle and has a foldable function in which, in a manual driving mode where the driver drives directly, the pedal pad is exposed and protrudes toward the driver to enable operation by the driver, and in an autonomous driving situation, the pedal pad is exposed and hidden so that operation by the driver is impossible for safety purposes, such as comfortable rest and prevention of misoperation.

[0040] The pedal device according to the present invention is an electronic system that generates a signal when the pedal pad is operated to activate an acceleration system or a braking system.

[0041] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11, the foldable electronic pedal device according to the present invention comprises: a pedal housing (100) fixedly installed in the lower space of the driver's seat; a pedal pad (300) rotatably coupled to the pedal housing (100) via a hinge pin (200) and operated by the driver; a stroke sensor (400) fixed to the pedal housing (100) and connected to the pedal pad (300), and generating a signal related to the pedal function when the pedal pad (300) rotates; an actuator (500) fixed to the pedal housing (100) and generating power for the pop-up state or hidden state of the pedal pad (300); and a link mechanism (600) and a spring module (700) installed to connect the pedal pad (300) and the actuator.

[0042] The pedal housing (100) is formed in a box shape with an empty interior, and a pedal pad (300), a stroke sensor (400), an actuator (500), a link mechanism (600), a spring module (700), and a PCB (printed circuit board) and a hysteresis lever, etc., described later are installed in the interior space, and covers (110) are attached to both sides in a detachable structure.

[0043] The pedal pad (300) includes a pad portion (310) formed in a box shape and equipped with a pad surface (311) operated by the driver's foot; and a pedal arm portion (320) connected to the pad portion (310) at one end and connected to a stroke sensor (600) at the other end and connected to a hinge pin (200).

[0044] The pad portion (310) and the pedal arm portion (320) are formed to be connected in an L shape when viewed from the side, thereby enabling the configuration of an organ-type pedal device.

[0045] That is, the pedal pad (300) is an organ-type structure in which the lower end of the pedal arm (320) is rotatably connected to the lower rear end of the pedal housing (100) via a hinge pin (200), and the upper pad part (310) rotates back and forth around the lower hinge pin (200). The organ-type structure pad has the advantage of improving convenience and the sense of operation when the driver operates it, and minimizing ankle fatigue compared to the pendant-type structure.

[0046] The pad portion (310) is inserted into the pedal housing (100) or protrudes from the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120) formed in the pedal housing (100) according to the rotation of the pedal pad (300), and the pedal arm portion (320) is configured to always be located inside the pedal housing (100) regardless of the rotation of the pedal pad (300).

[0047] The pedal pad (300) is connected so that the lower end of the pedal arm (320) can rotate in the forward and backward directions relative to the pedal housing (100) around the hinge pin (200), and when the pedal arm (320) rotates forward, the pad portion (310), which is spaced upward from the hinge pin (200), is inserted into the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120) formed in the pedal housing (100), and when rotated backward, it protrudes from the pedal housing (100) toward the rear where the driver is located and is exposed.

[0048] The upper and lower surfaces of the pad portion (310) are formed in an arc shape with the same trajectory as the radius of rotation of the pedal pad (300) centered on the hinge pin (200), thereby maintaining a constant gap with the housing hole (120) formed in the pedal housing (100), so that the ingress of foreign matter can be prevented as much as possible.

[0049] The pad portion (310) is installed to pass through the housing hole (120) formed in the pedal housing (100) so that it is inserted into the pedal housing (100) or protrudes from the pedal housing (100) depending on the rotation of the pedal pad (300), and the pedal arm portion (320) is always located inside the pedal housing (100) regardless of the rotation of the pedal pad (300) so that contact with the driver is blocked.

[0050] Therefore, when the driver operates the pedal pad (300) with their foot, only the pad surface (311) of the pad portion (310) exposed from the pedal housing (100) can be operated, and the pedal arm portion (320) located inside the pedal housing (100) cannot be operated because contact with the driver's foot is blocked, thereby preventing the driver from operating it incorrectly.

[0051] When the pedal pad (300) rotates by the power of the actuator (500) and the pad portion (310) protrudes out of the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120), the pedal pad (300) becomes a pop-up state that can be operated by the driver (see FIG. 2 to FIG. 4). Conversely, when the pad portion (310) is inserted into the interior of the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120), the pedal pad (300) becomes a hidden state in which exposure to the driver is blocked (see FIG. 11). Through this, the pedal device according to the present invention can implement a foldable function when the actuator (500) is operated.

[0052] The lower end of the pedal arm portion (320) of the pedal pad (300) is rotatably connected to the rear lower side of the pedal housing (100) via a hinge pin (200), an actuator (500) is installed on the front upper side of the pedal housing (100), and a link mechanism (600) and a spring module (700) are installed to connect the pad portion (310) of the pedal pad (300) and the actuator (500).

[0053] The stroke sensor (400) is equipped with a sensor lever (410) that is rotatably coupled, and the sensor lever (410) is coupled with a sensor pin (330) provided in the pedal pad (300), and when the pedal pad (300) rotates relative to the pedal housing (100), the sensor lever (410) rotates through the sensor pin (330).

[0054] The sensor pin (330) is positioned above the hinge pin (200) coupled to the pedal arm (320) and is formed to protrude to each side of the pedal arm (320).

[0055] The sensor pin (330) is formed to protrude to both sides from the pedal arm portion (320) between the pad portion (310) and the hinge pin (200).

[0056] As the sensor pin (330) is provided on the pedal arm (320), the position of the stroke sensor (400) can be brought closer to the pedal arm (320), thereby allowing for an overall reduction in size.

[0057] The stroke sensor (400) has the role of detecting whether the pedal pad (300) returns to its initial position when the pedal pad (300) rotates, and the role of detecting the rotation of the pedal pad (300) when the driver steps on and operates the pedal pad (300).

[0058] The stroke sensor (400) is equipped with a permanent magnet and a PCB facing the permanent magnet, so that when the pedal pad (300) rotates due to the driver's operation, the rotation angle of the pedal pad (300) is detected through the change in magnetic field strength according to the change in position of the permanent magnet, and a signal related to the pedal function is generated.

[0059] The stroke sensor (400) can be either an APS (Accelerator Position Sensor) that generates a signal related to acceleration or a BPS (Brake Position Sensor) that generates a signal related to braking.

[0060] Accordingly, the electronic pedal device according to the present invention may be used as either an accelerator pedal device or a brake pedal device, or as both an accelerator pedal device and a brake pedal device.

[0061] The stroke sensor (400) according to the embodiment of the present invention is a contact type sensor connected to the pedal pad (300) through a sensor lever (410) which is a mechanical structure, but can also be configured as a non-contact type sensor consisting only of a permanent magnet and a PCB as needed.

[0062] The actuator (500) may be composed of a rotary motor, and the motor shaft may be formed as a worm gear, and the worm gear may be meshed with a gear member (510), and the gear member (510) may be coupled with a spring link of a link mechanism (600) described later so that the power of the actuator (500) can be transmitted to the spring link of the link mechanism (600) through the gear member (510).

[0063] The actuator (500) and the gear member (510) are covered and protected by a housing (520), and the housing (520) is installed to be fixed to the pedal housing (100).

[0064] The link mechanism (600) comprises: a rotating lever (620) rotatably coupled to the pedal housing (100) with the lower end of the spring module (700) rotatably coupled to the front end of the pedal pad (300) and the spring module (700) with the lever pin (610) at the center; a connecting link (630) rotatably coupled while connecting the rear end of the pad portion (310) and the rotating lever (620); and a spring link (640) rotatably coupled while connecting the upper end of the spring module (700) and a gear member (510) that transmits power to the actuator (500).

[0065] A lever shaft (130) is provided on one side of the pedal housing (100), and a lever pin (610) is fitted and connected to the lever shaft (130), and the lever pin (610) is fitted and connected to a rotating lever (620).

[0066] A rotating lever (620) has a hole formed between the rear end and the front end into which a lever pin (610) is inserted, and the lever pin (610) is inserted through the hole to form a connection, and based on the connected lever pin (610), the lower end of the spring module (700) is rotatably connected to the front end and the lower end of the connecting link (630) is rotatably connected to the rear end.

[0067] One end of the first pin (810) is rotatably connected to the upper end of the spring link (640), and the other end of the first pin (810) passes through the housing (520) and is rotatably connected to the gear member (510).

[0068] The lower end of the spring link (640) is rotatably connected to the upper end of the spring module (700) via the second pin (820).

[0069] The lower end of the spring module (700) is rotatably connected to the front end of the rotation lever (620) via the third pin (830).

[0070] According to the present invention, a stopper projection (140) is formed on the front surface of the pedal housing (100) to protrude inward, and the stopper projection (140) contacts the spring link (640) in a popped-up state as shown in FIG. 4, thereby restricting the popped-up position of the pedal pad (300).

[0071] That is, the above stopper projection (140) constrains the pop-up state position of the pedal pad (300) by contacting the spring link (640) when the pedal pad (300) rotates to change from a hidden state to a pop-up state.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 4, when the spring link (640) is in contact with the stopper projection (140), the center axis (L1) connecting the upper and lower centers of the spring module (700) and the link axis (L2) connecting the lower center of the spring module (700) and the upper center of the spring link (640) are determined, the structure is characterized by the fact that the upper center of the spring module (700), i.e., the center of the second pin (820), is installed in a state where it is moved further toward the stopper projection (140) than the upper center of the spring link (700), i.e., the center of the first pin (810).

[0073] In this way, when the spring link (640) is in contact with the stopper projection (140) and the center of the second pin (820) is installed so that it is moved further toward the stopper projection (140) than the center of the first pin (810), the spring link (640) receives a supporting force toward the stopper projection (140) due to the load generated as the driver operates the pedal pad (300). Through this, the load generated when operating the pedal pad (300) is not transmitted toward the actuator (500), thereby providing the advantage of improving the durability of the actuator (500) and the gear member (510).

[0074] The spring module (700) is a high-load spring module installed in the vertical direction at the inner front position of the pedal housing (100), and its upper end is rotatably connected to the lower end of the spring link (640) via the second pin (820), and its lower end is rotatably connected to the front end of the rotation lever (620) via the third pin (830).

[0075] The pedal device of a vehicle requires a high load for safety during operation, and for this purpose, an embodiment according to the present invention is configured to use a high-load spring module (700), and the required pedal force can be achieved by using the high-load spring module (700).

[0076] The heavy load spring module (700) can be configured to implement a damping force by having two or more springs and two or more dampers arranged in series.

[0077] The pedal device according to the present invention further includes a hysteresis lever (900) that generates hysteresis when the pedal pad (300) rotates.

[0078] The hysteresis lever (900) is arranged to extend along the rotation lever (620) and is rotatably coupled to the lower end of the connecting link (630) at one end, and the other end is composed of a friction part (910) that contacts the lever pin (610) while wrapping around the lever pin (610) in an arc shape, and the end of the friction part (910) is installed in a structure that is rotatably coupled to the rotation lever (620).

[0079] That is, the upper end of the connecting link (630) is inserted into the pad portion (310) of the pedal pad (300) and is rotatably connected via the fourth pin (840), and the lower end of the connecting link (630) and the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) are rotatably connected via the fifth pin (850).

[0080] The lower end of the connecting link (630) is formed into a U-shaped groove, and after the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) is inserted into the groove, the lower end of the connecting link (630) and the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) are joined together via the fifth pin (850).

[0081] A hole through which a fifth pin (850) passes is formed at the bottom of the connecting link (630) and the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900), and the diameters of the holes formed at the bottom of the connecting link (630) and the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) are all formed as perfect circles so as to match the diameter of the fifth pin (850).

[0082] At the bottom of the connecting link (630), a link projection (631) is formed to protrude to both sides, and at the rear end of the rotating lever (620), a lever hole (621) into which the link projection (631) is inserted is formed as a U-shaped groove.

[0083] The lower end of the connecting link (630), which is coupled to the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) by the fifth pin (850), is inserted into the groove of the rear end of the rotation lever (620). At this time, as the link projection (631) is inserted into the lever hole (621), the lower end of the connecting link (630), the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900), and the rear end of the rotation lever (620) are joined together.

[0084] Meanwhile, the diameter of the lever hole (621) is formed to be larger than the diameter of the link projection (631), so that the link projection (631) can move within the lever hole (6210).

[0085] In this manner, with the rear end of the hysteresis lever (900) connected to the lower end of the connecting link (630), the front end of the hysteresis lever (900) is arranged to extend forward along the rotation lever (620), and the friction part (910) provided at the front end of the hysteresis lever (900) contacts the outer circumference of the lever pin (610) connected to the rotation lever (620) in an arc shape, and the end of the friction part (910) is rotatably connected to the rotation lever (620) and the sixth pin (860) on the outside of the lever pin (610).

[0086] The hysteresis lever (900) according to the present invention is formed of a plastic material that is extended in a straight line and has elasticity, so that hysteresis can be generated by frictional force through contact with the lever pin (610) when the pedal pad (300) is operated, and for this purpose, the friction part (910) of the hysteresis lever (900) always maintains a state of contact with the lever pin (610) by the spring force of the spring module (700).

[0087] In the pedal device according to the present invention, when the pad portion (310) is in an initial state protruding outside the pedal housing (100) as shown in FIG. 4, and the pad portion (310) is rotated into the pedal housing (100) by the rotation of the pedal pad (300) by driver operation as shown in FIG. 7, the hysteresis lever (900) receives the rotation of the pad portion (310) through the connecting link (630) and rotates around the connection point with the rotation lever (620), i.e., the sixth pin (860), and hysteresis is realized by the frictional force generated by the contact between the friction portion (910) of the hysteresis lever (900) and the lever pin (610) when the hysteresis lever (900) rotates.

[0088] In addition, the pedal device according to the present invention is structured such that the diameter of the lever hole (621) is larger than the diameter of the link projection (631), allowing the link projection (631) to move within the lever hole (621). As a result, when the pedal pad (300) is rotated normally by driver operation, the link projection (631) moves within the lever hole (621), thereby increasing the frictional force of the friction part (910) of the hysteresis lever (900) through the elastic deformation of the hysteresis lever (900), and thus having the advantage of increasing hysteresis.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 4, when the pad portion (310) is in an initial state protruding outside the pedal housing (100), the link projection (631) moves to the upper side of the lever hole (621) as shown in FIG. 8 or is positioned in the center of the lever hole (621).

[0090] In this state, when the pedal pad (300) rotates normally due to driver operation, the link projection (631) moves within the lever hole (621), and at this time, the hysteresis lever (900) undergoes elastic deformation. When the hysteresis lever (900) undergoes elastic deformation, the contact force between the friction part (910) of the hysteresis lever (900) and the lever pin (610) increases, thereby increasing the friction force, and through the increase in friction force, the hysteresis can be increased.

[0091] However, when the pedal pad (300) rotates in a state where the spring force of the spring module (700) is abnormally excessive or the shape of the hysteresis lever (900) is abnormally excessively deformed, the link projection (631) comes into contact with the lower side of the lever hole (621) as shown in FIG. 10, thereby preventing excessive rotation of the hysteresis lever (900).

[0092] If the hysteresis lever (900) rotates excessively when the pedal pad (300) is operated, the contact force between the friction part (910) and the lever pin (610) becomes excessively large, causing friction force greater than necessary. In this case, the return speed of the hysteresis lever (900) and the pedal pad (300) is delayed, thereby increasing the risk of malfunction in the smooth operation of the pedal device.

[0093] The pedal device according to the present invention further includes a PCB (1000) that is fixed to the pedal housing (100) and has a function to control the operation of an actuator (700).

[0094] The PCB (1000) can perform not only the operation control function of the actuator (700) but also the role of diagnosing faults and communicating with pedal-related parts via CAN.

[0095] And. The unexplained reference numeral 1100 shown in FIG. 1 is an inner bracket installed to be located within the pedal housing (100), and a stroke sensor (400) can be fixedly installed on the inner bracket.

[0096] FIGS. 2 to 4 show a pop-up state in which the pad portion (310) of the pedal pad (300) protrudes outward from the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120), and in the pop-up state, the driver can manually operate the pedal pad (300).

[0097] FIG. 11 is a hidden state in which the spring link (640) rotates by the power of the actuator (500), the spring module (700) is pulled upward, the rotation lever (620) and the connecting link (630) are pulled, and the pedal pad (300) rotates around the hinge pin (200) so that the pad portion (310) is inserted into the interior of the pedal housing (100) through the housing hole (120).

[0098] When in a hidden state, the pedal pad (300) is blocked from exposure to the driver, making it impossible to operate by the driver.

[0099] When the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, a hidden state is implemented, and when the pedal is hidden, the space under the driver's seat becomes a wide space free from pedal interference, allowing the driver to take a comfortable rest in relaxation mode, and also, safety can be improved by preventing accidental operation of the pedal in autonomous driving situations.

[0100] As explained above, the foldable electronic pedal device according to the present invention is configured to have a foldable function capable of popping up and hiding the pedal and an electronic pedal function, and has the advantage of being useful in autonomous vehicles.

[0101] In addition, the pedal device of the present invention is configured as an organ type to improve the driver's operating feel and minimize ankle fatigue. It is equipped with a high-load spring module and a hysteresis lever, enabling tuning of the pedal force, stroke, and hysteresis operating force required differently for each vehicle model, thereby allowing for cost reduction. Furthermore, the simplification of the configuration offers the advantage of reducing the package size and lowering costs.

[0102] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in relation to specific embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the technical spirit of the invention as provided by the following claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0103] 100 - Pedal Housing 110 - Cover 120 - Housing hole 130 - Lever shaft 140 - Stopper protrusion 200 - Hinge pin 300 - Pedal pad 310 - Pad section 311 - Pad surface 320 - Pedal arm 330 - Sensor pin 400 - Stroke sensor 410 - Sensor lever 500 - Actuator 510 - Gear component 520 - Housing 600 - Link mechanism 610 - Lever pin 620 - Rotating lever 621 - Lever hole 630 - Connecting link 631 - Link rotation 640 - Spring Link 700 - Spring Module 810 - Pin 1 820 - Pin 2 830 - 3rd pin 840 - 4th pin 850 - Pin 5 860 - Pin 6 900 - Hysteresis Lever 910 - Friction Part 1000 - PCB 1100 - Inner bracket L1 - The central axis connecting the upper and lower centers of the spring module L2 - Link axis connecting the lower center of the spring module and the upper center of the spring link

Claims

Claim 1 A foldable electronic pedal device characterized by comprising: a pedal housing; a pedal pad rotatably coupled to the pedal housing and operated by a driver; an actuator fixed to the pedal housing and generating power for a pop-up or hidden state of the pedal pad; a link mechanism and a spring module installed to connect the pedal pad and the actuator; wherein the actuator, the link mechanism, and the spring module are disposed inside the pedal housing; and wherein the link mechanism comprises a rotary lever rotatably coupled to the pedal housing with respect to a lever pin between the pedal pad and the spring module, with one end of the spring module rotatably coupled to the front end; a connecting link rotatably coupled while connecting the rear end of the pedal pad and the rotary lever; and a spring link, one end of which is rotatably coupled to the other end of the spring module, and the other end of which is connected to the actuator so as to receive power from the actuator, and configured to transmit power to the other end of the spring module according to the operation of the actuator. Claim 2 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising a PCB fixed to the pedal housing and having a function to control the operation of an actuator. Claim 3 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 1, further comprising a stroke sensor fixed inside the pedal housing, connected to a pedal pad, and generating a signal related to a pedal function when the pedal pad rotates; wherein the pedal pad comprises: a box-shaped pad portion having a pad surface operated by the driver's foot; and a pedal arm portion having one end connected to the pad portion and the other end connected to the stroke sensor and having a hinge pin coupled thereto. Claim 4 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 3, wherein the pedal housing has a housing hole through which a pad portion passes; and when the pedal pad rotates by the power of the actuator and the pad portion protrudes to the outside of the pedal housing through the housing hole, the pedal pad becomes a pop-up state that can be operated by a driver. Claim 5 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 3, wherein a housing hole is formed in the pedal housing through which a pad portion penetrates; and when the pedal pad rotates by the power of the actuator and the pad portion is inserted into the interior of the pedal housing through the housing hole, the pedal pad becomes a hidden state in which exposure to the driver is blocked. Claim 6 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting link is configured to connect the pad portion of the pedal pad and the rear end of the rotation lever; and the actuator and the other end of the spring link are connected via a gear member, so that the power of the actuator is transmitted to the other end of the spring link via the gear member. Claim 7 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 6, further comprising a stopper projection formed to protrude inwardly from the front surface of the pedal housing; wherein the stopper projection constrains the pop-up position of the pedal pad as it contacts a spring link while the pedal pad is in a pop-up state. Claim 8 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 7, characterized in that, when a central axis connecting the upper and lower centers of a spring module and a link axis connecting the lower center of a spring module and the upper center of a spring link are determined while the spring link is in contact with a stopper projection, the upper center of the spring module is installed in a state where it is moved further toward the stopper projection than the upper center of the spring link. Claim 9 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 6, further comprising a hysteresis lever that is arranged to extend along the rotary lever, has one end rotatably coupled to the lower end of a connecting link, and the other end is composed of a friction part that contacts the lever pin while wrapping around the circumference of the lever pin in an arc shape, and the end of the friction part is rotatably coupled to the rotary lever and generates hysteresis when the pedal pad rotates. Claim 10 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 9, characterized in that the hysteresis lever is formed of a plastic material that is extended in a straight line and has elasticity. Claim 11 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 9, characterized in that the friction part of the hysteresis lever always maintains a contact state with the lever pin by the spring force of the spring module. Claim 12 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 9, characterized in that when the pedal pad rotates by driver operation and the pad portion is inserted into the pedal housing, the hysteresis lever receives the rotation of the pad portion through a connecting link and rotates around a point of connection with the rotation lever, and hysteresis is achieved by the frictional force generated by the contact between the friction portion of the hysteresis lever and the lever pin during the rotation of the hysteresis lever. Claim 13 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 9, wherein the connection between the lower end of the connecting link and the rear end of the rotating lever is formed by the connection of a link projection formed on the connecting link and a lever hole formed on the rotating lever; and wherein the diameter of the lever hole is formed to be larger than the diameter of the link projection. Claim 14 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 13, characterized in that, during normal rotational operation of the pedal pad by driver operation, the link projection moves within the lever hole, thereby increasing the frictional force of the friction part of the hysteresis lever through elastic deformation of the hysteresis lever, so as to increase hysteresis. Claim 15 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 13, wherein the link mechanism is configured such that a link projection of a connecting link is movable within a lever hole of a rotating lever; and is configured to restrict the rotation of the hysteresis lever and prevent further rotation of the hysteresis lever when the link projection contacts the lower side of the lever hole. Claim 16 A foldable electronic pedal device according to claim 3, characterized in that the pedal pad has an organ-type structure in which the lower end of the pedal arm is rotatably coupled to the lower rear end of the pedal housing via a hinge pin, and the upper pad portion rotates back and forth around the lower hinge pin. Claim 17 delete

Images