Reconfigurable pedal set for simulated driving

Abstract

A pedal assembly and method for swapping default position of a pedal for providing input to a racing simulation The pedal assembly comprising a pedal having a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to the pedal into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal foot arranged at a first end of the pedal, and a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, the pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of the pedal. The assembly further comprising a guiding plate for configuring the default position of the pedal, the guiding plate comprising an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot. The guiding plate further has a wedge protruding from the upward surface for optionally receiving the pedal foot such that said pedal becomes arranged at a first default position, and the guiding plate may be rotated 180 degrees such that the pedal foot will not be able to contact the wedge whereby the pedal becomes arranged in a second default position. The pedal assembly further comprises an axle defining the pivot axis, connection means for receiving the axle, and biasing means for biasing the pedal toward a default position.

Description

[0001] RECONFIGURABLE PEDAL SET FOR SIMULATED DRIVING

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of simulated driving or sim-racing in particular pedals for use in simulated driving.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Simulation system for simulating driving a car is used for gaming as well as for training persons involved in driving vehicles such as racing car drivers or police car drivers.

[0006] Such simulations may provide the user with an opportunity to obtain driving experience in a setting which may be both more accessible and safer than the real driving conditions e.g. race car driving or police car chases. In addition to concerns relating to operator safety and vehicle damage, training through actual vehicle operation has other pitfalls. In particular, the cost of instructor time may be prohibitive and / or excessive wear on the vehicles may introduce additional costs. Furthermore, a specific vehicle such as a racing car or truck, may simply not be available for training purposes.

[0007] A driving simulator can be defined as a system that simulates the operating conditions of a vehicle. The set up for simulating a vehicle will usually include at least a subset of the typical automobile controls such as a steering wheel, a gear shift, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal. In some simulation set-ups also called sim-racing rigs, more components will be present that enhance the simulation experience by making it more similar to the real world conditions, e.g. by providing a seat similar to that of a race car and arranging the components relative to each other as they would be in a race car, e.g. by angling the user relative to a screen in the same manner as the driver would be angled relative to the wind shield of a race car.

[0008] However, the more specialized the used components are, the more costly the set-up will become in turn decreasing the number of users who may gain access to the simulation. Components configured to support a user seated in a sim-racing rig having a frame for correctly angling a screen, a driving wheel and pedals relative to a race car seat will be costly and are typically not usable outside the sim-racing rig as the components will be either integrated or configured to be operated within a limited range of positions. Many components made for the use of sim-racing rigs are thus unusable outside of specialised set-ups making them less accessible to a broad spectrum of users or making difficult if not impossible to use the same components in various different setups or at different locations. Due to the costs sim-racing rigs may frequently be shared and each user may have their own preferences regarding settings and choice of components to ensure that the simulated training may be transferrable to the skills needed in the field, but exchanging them by adjusting settings to accommodate such preferences is cumbersome, time-consuming or even impossible. And if the adjustments are possible the components may not be usable away from the specific sim-racing rig it was mounted in.

[0009] Some sim-racing rigs may enable the adjustment of the arrangement of the components relative to each other, however this includes adjusting entire racks being moved and repositioned making it a cumbersome process and it will affect all users of the sim-racing rig.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Numerous objects and advantages, which will be evident from the description of the present invention, are according to a first aspect of the present invention obtained by:

[0012] A pedal assembly for providing input to a driving simulation, the pedal assembly comprising: a pedal for receiving user input, the pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to the pedal, by a user, into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal foot arranged at a first end of the pedal, a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, the pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of the pedal, and; a guiding plate for configuring the default position of the pedal, the guiding plate comprising an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot, a wedge protruding from the upward surface for optionally receiving the pedal foot such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position, and; an axle, the axle defining the pivot axis, connection means for receiving the axle, biasing means for biasing the pedal toward a default position.

[0013] Preferably by a pedal assembly for providing input to a racing simulation, said pedal assembly comprising: a pedal for receiving user input, said pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to said pedal, by a user, into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal foot arranged at a first end of said pedal, a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, said pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of said pedal, and; a guiding plate for configuring the default position of said pedal, said guiding plate comprising an upward surface for contacting said pedal foot, a wedge protruding from said upward surface for receiving said pedal foot such that said pedal becomes arranged at a first default position, an axle, said axle defining said pivot axis, connection means for receiving said axle, biasing means for biasing said pedal toward a default position.

[0014] By a pivot axis is understood the axis of rotation around which the pedal will rotate when it is mounted as part of the pedal assembly and a user depresses the pedal by applying pressure to the pedal face plate. The pivot axis will align with the longitudinal direction of the axle as the axle connects the pedal to the rest of the pedal assembly. The pedal face plate may also be considered the head of the pedal and it should be understood that it is the full structure at the second end of the pedal rather than a single surface. In some variants the pedal face plate may be a separate plate attached to the pedal arm, in other variants the pedal face plate may be integrated with the pedal arm.

[0015] By a default position of the pedal is understood the rotational position of the pedal when the user applies no force to the pedal. In other words the default position defines the angle of departure of the pedal, being the angle between the plane of the guiding plate and the plane perpendicular to the contact point of the pedal, i.e. to the most efficient direction of application of force to the pedal to depress the pedal during operation such that most rotation is obtained from minimum force application. When the user applies sufficient force to the contact plate of a pedal of the pedal assembly, the pedal may rotate away from the default position. When the force applied to the pedal is released, the pedal will return to the default position e.g. due to biasing means biasing the pedal back towards the default position. The direction of rotation which the pedal may move in when a user applies force to the pedal is considered the forward direction of rotation for the purposes of this application.

[0016] By a pedal for a driving simulation may be understood any of a throttle a brake, or a clutch. Input given to the pedal may be detected in a number of ways known in the art e.g. by determining how far the pedal has rotated from the default position or by determining the magnitude of the force applied to the pedal. A driving simulation may also be referred to as a racing simulation, simulation racing or sim-racing.

[0017] By a pedal foot is understood the area of the pedal between the first end of the pedal and a line parallel to the first end of the pedal through the pivot axis. In other words it is the area of the pedal below the pivot axis, when the pedal is placed with the second end resting on a planar support.

[0018] By a guiding plate is understood a structure that may be mounted to contact the underside of the pedal foot. Depending on the orientation of the guiding plate relative to the pedal, the pedal foot may either contact the wedge of the guiding plate or the upward surface away from the wedge. The guiding plate limits how far the pedal may rotate around the pivot axis. Namely the contact point between the pedal toe and the wedge or the upwards surface of the plate away from the wedge determines the angle of departure of the pedal, i.e. the possible rotation in the direction away from the rotation occurring when force is applied to the pedal by a user.

[0019] The wedge protruding from the upward surface is configured for receiving the pedal foot in a manner such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position. It will only be intermittent, i.e. when it is of interest for the user to have the pedal in the first default position that the pedal foot will in fact contact the wedge. At other times, the pedal may be arranged such that the pedal foot contacts the upward surface of the of the guiding plate, i.e. when the user wishes for the pedal to be arranged in a second default position. The wedge may be configured for receiving the pedal foot by the mutual angling of the wedge and at least part of the pedal foot as well as the curvature and / or slope of the top surface of the wedge and at least part of the pedal foot allowing stable contact between the two, e.g. by having segments be flush when the pedal is in the first default position such that the contact force between the part of the pedal foot contacting part of the wedge and that part of the wedge is substantially evenly distributed.

[0020] By the wedge of the guiding plate is understood a structure protruding from the plane of the guiding plate, with the plane of the guiding plate being the plane which coincides with most of the upward surface of the guiding plate. The wedge protrudes in the direction towards the pedal when the pedal is connected to the guiding plate. The wedge comprises a leading edge being lower than the trailing edge, by which is understood that the trailing edge protrudes further from the plane of the guiding plate than the leading edge of the wedge. When the pedal is assembled with the guiding plate the leading edge will be closer to the pedal than the trailing edge, regardless of the choice of orientation of the guiding plate. The wedge may have a raised base by which is understood that the leading edge may rise from a pedestal being a square base for all of the wedge. In other variants the leading edge of the wedge may coincide with the plane of the guiding plate.

[0021] The angle of departure of the first default position is smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position. The rotation of the pedal may be said to be stopped sooner when the pedal foot is contacting the wedge of the base plate than when the pedal may rotate until the foot contacts the planer part of the guiding plate away from the wedge.

[0022] In a preferred variant the guiding plate comprises a contact zone wherein no structure protruding from the upward surface of the guiding plate protrudes further than the wedge. It is preferred that the contact zone extends the same distance from the projection line of the rotary axis as the trailing edge of the wedge on the opposite side of the projection line than the wedge. The contact zone may preferably have the same width as the wedge.

[0023] The user may choose between the first default position and the second default position by choosing between the two possible orientation of the pedal relative to the guiding plate when the pedal is connected to the guiding plate via the axle and the connection means. Hence, it is understood that by the wedge being for optionally receiving the foot of the pedal, the optionality comes from the possibility of two orientations of the guiding plate relative to the pedal. The pedal will contact the wedge only when the first of these orientations is chosen. Hence, the wedge may be considered for contacting the pedal foot when the pedal is arranged in the first default position.

[0024] Hence it is the arrangement of the guiding plate and the wedge which enables the user to choose between the two different default positions of the pedal. The mutual relation and dimensioning of the wedge, guiding plate and pedal foot all contribute to the possibility of the two different orientations as well as the possible angles of the first default position and the second default position.

[0025] The provision of multiple default positions is in particular relevant to allow the pedal assembly to support use in different configurations accommodating the pedal being placed on different types of supports.

[0026] By the pedal face plate is understood the part of the pedal which a user is to depress by applying force to it with their foot i.e. the plate arranged at the second end of the pedal.

[0027] By an upward surface of the guiding plate for contacting said pedal foot may be understood the surface which faces the pedal when the pedal assembly is connected for use. When the guiding plate and the pedal are arranged such that the pedal may rest at a first default position the pedal foot will contact the upward surface of the wedge. When the guiding plate and the pedal are arranged such that the pedal may rest at a second default position the foot of the pedal will contact the upwards surface of the guiding plate away from the wedge.

[0028] One benefit of this feature is that it enables precise control over the angle of departure. The surface also helps to maintain proper alignment during use, ensuring smooth rotation around the pivot axis.

[0029] By an axle for connecting said pedal to said guiding plate may be understood a rod either integrated with the pedal or separate which may connect to the guiding plate in a manner allowing the pedal to rotate relative to the guiding plate. The axle coincides with the pivot axis. By connection means is understood a structure for receiving the axle such that it is possible for the pedal to rotate around the pivot axis. The connection means may be any known structure e.g., a clevis, an axle bed, or a bore which may receive the axle. It is understood that the connection of the axle and the connection means is a temporary connection, such that it may be released by the user to reconfigure the orientation of the guiding plate relative to the pedal to change between the first and second default positions of the pedal.

[0030] One benefit of the connection using an axle and connection means is that it enables precise control over the rotation of the pedal arm and allows for easy change of the angle of departure. The axle also serves as a connection point between the pedal and guiding plate, ensuring easy alignment and connection of the components.

[0031] In a preferred variant the axle connects the pedal to the guiding plate. This may be facilitated by the connection means or part of the connection means being comprised in the guiding plate.

[0032] By biasing means is understood a structure biasing the pedal to rotate in the backwards direction, i.e. the direction opposite the rotation caused by a user applying pressure to the pedal. The biasing means may be a separate component creating biasing e.g. a biasing spring connected directly to the pedal, and / or the biasing means may be part of another component, e.g. part of resistance means connected to simulate the feel of operating a pedal for driving a car.

[0033] By a support is understood the place where the pedal assembly is placed for use during a racing simulation. In some preferrable use cases the support will be a floor, such as the floor in front of a couch or a chair where the user will typically be sitting substantially upright. In other equally preferrable use cases the support will be part of a sim-racing rig for seating the user and mounting pedals, wheel and possibly audiovisual systems for the racing simulation. Many sim-racing rigs are configured to have the user lying down more than they would in a chair as this is more like the position which a race driver would occupy in a vehicle. To allow a comfortable and optimally operable angling of the user’s foot when pressing the pedal of a pedal assembly it is necessary that the default position of pedal face plate is accessible to the user which is achieved by a suitable angle of departure. When the user is seated in a chair or couch with the pedal assembly on a support such as a floor, it will thus be beneficial to have the angle of departure small enough that the head of the pedal may be pressed with the sole of the foot of the user and the contact point between the users foot and the pedal face plate is sufficiently large. Thus, the first default position of the pedal assembly is suitable for these use cases where the support is the floor in front of a chair or couch. Similarly the second default position is beneficial for use with sim-rigs where the user is prone as it allows easy application of force to the pedal. Some sim- rigs are configured to allow adjustment of the support for a pedal or pedal assembly such that the angle may be adjusted to suit the user. However, for many sim-rigs such adjustment is cumbersome and may even require the mutual adjustment of other angles of the sim-rig e.g., the placement and / or angling of the steering wheel. Thus the pedal assembly having a pedal and a guiding plate enables simplified and easy configuration of the default position of the pedal where only the orientation of the guiding plate needs to be changed to choose between the two default positions of the pedal.

[0034] An additional benefit of being able to adjust the pedal assembly for use in multiple configurations is that the user may practice and get accustomed with the same specific pedal building muscle memory fitting the exact pedal with the relevant resistance, shape and feel in multiple situations. This is particularly relevant if the user only has intermittent access to a sim-racing rig, but can bring their own pedal assembly with them to practice at home without the sim-racing rig when placing the pedal assembly on the floor.

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal comprises the pedal axle whereby the axle is an integrated axle.

[0036] By an integrated axle may be understood that the pedal and the axel are made as a single component, such that the pedal does not move relative to the axle but with the axle relative to a connection means such as an axle bed. The longitudinal axis of the integrated axle coincides with the axis of rotation for the pedal.

[0037] One benefit of this feature is that it simplifies the design and manufacturing process, reducing costs and increasing reliability. Having fewer components also simplifies the assembly of the components, making it more user friendly which is particularly relevant as the user may want to intermittently disassemble the pedal assembly to reorient the guiding plate and change the default position of the pedal.

[0038] According to a further variant of the first aspect of the invention is provided a pedal assembly for providing input to simulated driving, the pedal assembly comprising: a pedal for receiving user input, the pedal comprising: o a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to the pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis, o a pedal foot arranged at a first end of the pedal, o a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, the pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of the pedal, and; a base plate for receiving the pedal, the base plate comprising: o a bottom surface for resting on a support , o a top surface for facing and receiving the pedal, and; a guiding plate for configuring the default position of the pedal, the guiding plate comprising o an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot o a wedge protruding from the upward surface for optionally receiving the pedal foot such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position, o lower connection means for supporting an axle together with the upper connection means, and: an axle for connecting said pedal to a base plate, the axle defining said pivot axis, biasing means for biasing the pedal toward a default position.

[0039] According to a further variant of the first aspect of the invention, is provided a pedal assembly for providing input to a racing simulation, the pedal assembly comprising: a pedal for receiving user input, the pedal comprising: o a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to the pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis, o a pedal foot arranged at a first end of the pedal, o a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, the pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of the pedal, o an axle for connecting the pedal to a base plate, the axle defining the pivot axis, and; a base plate for receiving the pedal, the base plate comprising: o a bottom surface for resting on a support , o a top surface for facing and receiving the pedal, o upper connection means for receiving the axle, and; a guiding plate for configuring the default position of the pedal, the guiding plate comprising o an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot o a wedge protruding from the upward surface for optionally receiving the pedal foot such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position o lower connection means for clasping the axle together with the upper connection means, and; biasing means for biasing the pedal toward a default position.

[0040] According to a further variant of the invention the angle of departure of the first default position is smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position.

[0041] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the angle of departure of the first default position ranges from 20-65 degrees, more preferably between 25-45 degrees such as 35 degrees, and the angle of departure of a second default position ranges from 60-90 degrees, more preferably between 75-90 degrees preferably 90 degrees, and the angle of departure of the first default position being smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position.

[0042] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the angle of departure, being the angle between the plane of the guiding plate and the plane perpendicular to the contact point of the pedal, of said first default position falls within the range of 20-65 degrees, more preferably within 25-45 degrees such as being 35 degrees, and the angle of departure of a second default position falls within the range of 60-90 degrees, more preferably within 75-90 degrees preferably 90 degrees, and the angle of departure of said first default position being smaller than the angle of departure of said second default position. The angle of departure may equivalently be seen as the angle between the plane of the guiding plate and the plane of the pedal face. The plane of the pedal face typically being the perpendicular to the movement of the users foot when pressing the pedal. The plane of the guiding plate will typically be parallel to the plane of the surface which the guiding plate is located which will in turn be horizontal for many use cases but which may also be angled if the pedal assembly and guiding plate are arranged on a sim-racing rig.

[0043] By the angle of departure of the first default position ranging from 20-65 degrees may be understood the angle of departure being a single angle falling within this range. By the angle of departure of the second default position ranging from 60-90 degrees may be understood the angle of departure being a single angle falling within this range.

[0044] The first angle of departure and the second angle of departure are mutually chosen such that the angle of departure of the first default positing is smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position. In a preferrable variant the angle of departure of the first default position is within 25-45 degrees such that it is suitable for a user sitting on a chair or couch with a seat substantially parallel to the floor, while the angle of departure of the second default position is within the range of 75-90 degrees, such that it is suitable for use in a configuration where the seat of the user is angled relative to the floor, e.g. in a sim-rig.

[0045] It will be understood by the person skilled in the art that multiple configurations of mutual angles and shapes of the foot of the pedal and the wedge of the guiding plate may achieve the desired effect of having angles of departure of the first default position and the second default position falling within the described ranges. Thus, the final angling of the wedge and / or shape of the pedal foot may be configured with other design principles in mind as well, such as constraints of the distribution of mass and or the hight and bulk of the structures.

[0046] The ideal angle of departure may depend on the user and the specific set-up where the pedal assembly is used. What is most important is that the user may apply force to the pedal by stretching their leg and / or ankle without needing to assume extreme positions. Hence, two separate default positions allows for different suitable use cases without the user needing to fine-tune settings. This makes reconfiguration of the pedal assembly easy such that it does not become a significant barrier to using the pedal assembly in different configurations.

[0047] By providing multiple default positions and adjustable angles of departure, the pedal assembly can be tailored to suit various gaming environments and user preferences.

[0048] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal assembly comprises a base plate for receiving said pedal, the base plate comprising: a bottom surface for resting on a support and a top surface for facing and receiving said pedal.

[0049] By a base plate may be understood a structural component designed to receive and support the pedal and the guiding plate. The base plate may be arranged to connect multiple sets of pedals and base plates e.g., a speeder and a brake or a speeder, a brake and a clutch may be positioned next to each other held in place by the same base plate. The base plate may further be arranged to shield off parts of the pedal assembly from the user, such that the risk of damaging electronics or moving parts is diminished and such that the user may not be caught on or hurt by loading springs or pinched by joints of moving parts.

[0050] One benefit of the base plate is that it enables control over the position of the one or more pedals and the one or more guiding plates relative to each other. The top surface of the base plate can be configured to face and receive the pedal in a specific manner, ensuring consistent performance and user experience.

[0051] The bottom surface of the base plate allows for resting on a support, providing additional stability and preventing any unwanted movement or vibrations that could affect the overall operation of the pedal assembly. The bottom surface of the base plate may comprise protrusions for the base plate to rest on a planar support such as a floor or a plate of a simulation rig, and / or it may provide mounting features such as indents to further ensure secure position of the pedal assembly on a sim-racing rig. Thus the base plate both protects the rest of the pedal assembly and ensures easy placement of the pedal assembly on various types of supports.

[0052] According to a further variant of the first aspect of the invention, the base plate may comprise the mounting means of the pedal assembly. By having a base plate with integrated mounting means for receiving axles of one or more pedals, it may be possible to use a base plate and pedals of known simulation systems connecting the components in a usual manner with no or minimal modifications by including a guiding plate to configure the default position of the pedal.

[0053] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the connection means comprising lower connection means being part of the guiding plate and upper connection means being part of the base plate, such that when said pedal assembly is assembled the axle will be interposed between the upper connection means and the lower connection means.

[0054] By a connection means comprising lower connection means being part of said guiding plate and upper connection means being part of said base plate may be understood that the overall connection means for receiving the axle of the pedal is created in cooperation between the guiding plate and the base plate.

[0055] By having the base plate and the guiding plate cooperate to form the connection means the release of the guiding plate and rearrangement of the guiding plate relative to the pedal and the base plate is made simple and user friendly.

[0056] A benefit of this configuration of the connection means is that it enables a more compact design for the pedal assembly, as the connection means can be designed to minimize space while still providing sufficient stability and support.

[0057] In a preferred variant the upper connection means and the lower connection means each form a semi-circle, such that when the pedal assembly is assembled the connection means will form a circle around the axle, the axle preferably being an integrated axle of the pedal, thereby keeping the pedal in place and allowing the rotation of the pedal around the pivot axis relative to the guiding plate and the base plate.

[0058] According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the outline of the guiding plate has at least a rotational symmetry order of two. By the rotational symmetry of the guiding plate being of the order of two is understood that there are at least two positions where the outline will be identical. Only the outline needs to have a rotational symmetry as the structures protruding from the upward surface, such as the wedge, will be asymmetric to provide different functionality when the base plate is rotated.

[0059] A benefit of the rotational symmetry of the outline of the guiding plate is that the orientation of the guiding plate relative to the pedal may be chosen to be one of two positions placing the wedge either in front of or behind the pedal. Thus, the choice of the default position of the pedal, i.e. the angle of departure of the pedal, may be made simply by rotation of the guiding plate from one position to its rotationally symmetric position. This makes the system easy for the user to configure and minimises the risk of error in mounting or alignment when changing between the default positions.

[0060] In a preferred variant the guiding plate comprises connection means for receiving the axle of the pedal such that the alignment of the axle relative to the guiding plate is guided by the connection means, or the part of the connection means, integrated in the guiding plate. For such variants the alignment of the pedal is ensured for both of the two rotationally symmetric positions of the guiding plate.

[0061] According to a preferred variant, the base plate comprises a first section and a second section divided by the projection line of the rotation axis onto the guiding plate, the first section comprising the wedge, and the outline of the guiding plate has at least a rotational symmetry order of two such that for at least one rotational position the outline of the first section will map onto the former outline of the second section when the guiding plate is rotated.

[0062] Such arrangement of the first and second section divided by the projection line for the guiding plate with a rotational symmetry of two ensures the alignment of the guiding plate relative to the pedal regardless of which of the symmetric rotational positions the guiding plate assumes. Hence, for a first rotational position the first section having the wedge protruding will contact the pedal foot providing a first default position for the pedal. For the second rotational position of the guiding plate the second section will contact the pedal foot providing a second default position of the pedal. According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal assembly further comprising a locking plate for connecting the guiding plate to the base plate by interposing the guiding plate between the base plate and the locking pate and subsequently fastening the locking plate to the base plate.

[0063] By a locking plate may be understood a component for connecting the guiding plate to the base plate and keeping the components in place relative to each other. A locking plate may also be called a support plate as it supports and stabilises the other components of the pedal assembly this is independent of the support on which the pedal assembly may be arranged.

[0064] One benefit of the locking plate is that it provides a secure connection between the guiding plate and the base plate, ensuring that the pedal assembly remains stable and in its intended position. The locking plate serving as an intermediary component that prevents any unwanted movement or disengagement between the guiding plate and the base plate.

[0065] Furthermore, the locking plate allows for easy adjustment of the default position of the pedal, as the user can simply release the locking plate to free the guiding plate and rotate it 180 degrees before reassembling the pedal assembly by once more connecting the locking plate. Thus the component of the pedal assembly which the user has to interact with during the change of default position is minimised.

[0066] In a preferred variant the locking plate is a metal plate, such as a steel plate.

[0067] By having the locking plate made of a metal, preferably steel, the locking plate has the additional effect of providing the pedal assembly with strength and weight. The locking plate thus shifts the centre of masse of the base plate downward closer to the support on which the pedal assembly is placed as the locking plate is close to the lowest point of the pedal assembly being fastened below the guiding plate relative to gravity when the pedal assembly is placed on a support for use. Furthermore, the locking plate decreases the risk of bending of the guiding plate. The locking plate provides stiffness and stability to withstand the force applied to the pedal assembly by a user applying pressure to the pedal face plate. According to a further embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal foot comprising a pedal toe and a pedal heel the pedal toe being longer than the pedal heel, and the leading edge of the wedge being arranged at a clearance distance from the projection line of the pivot axis onto the guiding plate, the clearance distance being longer than the length of the pedal heel and the clearance distance being shorter than the length of the pedal toe, such that when the pedal arm is arranged having the pedal toe facing the wedge the pedal foot will contact the wedge, whereby the pedal arm may be arranged at a first default angle relative to the guiding plate when the pedal toe contacts the wedge, while the pedal arm may be arranged at a second default angle relative to the guiding plate when the pedal toe is contacting the upward surface away from the wedge.

[0068] By dimensioning the pedal foot such that the pedal toe is longer than the pedal heel and the guiding plate such that the clearance distance between the projection line and the leading edge of the wedge is between the length of the heel and the toe, it is ensured that the guiding plate may put the pedal in the first or the second default position by the 180 degree turning of the guiding plate in the same plane. As this arrangement of the pedal foot and the guiding plate enables the pedal foot to contact the wedge when the pedal is arranged with the pedal toe facing the wedge, thereby allowing the pedal arm to assume a first default angle relative to the base plate.

[0069] In other words as the pedal toe is longer than the clearance distance of the guiding plate the pedal foot will contact the wedge when the pedal and the guiding plate are arranged with the pedal toe facing the wedge. When the pedal toe contacts the wedge the presence of the wedge will limit the rotation of the pedal around the pivot axis thereby bringing the pedal to a first default position.

[0070] As the pedal heel is shorter than the clearance distance of the guiding plate and the pedal foot, the pedal heel will not contact the wedge, when the guiding plate and the pedal are arranged such that the pedal heel points towards the wedge, i.e. when the pedal toe points directly away from the wedge, thus the pedal being biased to rotate in the direction of the pedal toe when no pressure is applied to it, will be limited by the plane of the guiding plate being able to rotate further than when the pedal toe contacts the wedge, thereby the pedal assumes the second default position. Hence, the dimensioning of the pedal foot and the clearance distance provides an adjustable range of motion for the pedal, as the clearance distance between the leading edge of the wedge and the projection line affects the maximum rotation of the pedal arm. This flexibility in movement allows users to customize their experience and configure the pedal assembly for the specific use case and their set-up.

[0071] In a preferred variant the clearance distance is 0.2-0.8 time the length of the pedal toe, preferably 0.3-0.6 times the length of the pedal toe.

[0072] Finally, the combination of these features allows said pedal foot to be arranged at either a first default position or a second default position relative to the base plate, depending on whether the pedal toe is contacting the wedge or not. This dual functionality enables users to easily switch between different modes to adjust their setup according to changing conditions.

[0073] According to a further variant of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal assembly comprises a pedal stop for limiting the maximum rotation of the pedal arm.

[0074] According to a further variant of the first aspect of the invention, the pedal comprises a joining plate for connecting said pedal to a resistance unit.

[0075] According to a further aspect of the invention, separate components for use in the pedal assembly described above may provide the above objects and advantages are such that they may at least in part be obtained by:

[0076] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a pedal for use in a pedal assembly, the pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to the pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal foot arranged at a first end of the pedal, the pedal foot having a pedal toe and a pedal heel, the pedal toe being longer than the pedal heel.

[0077] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a pedal for use in a pedal assembly, the pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to said pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, said pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of said pedal, and a pedal foot arranged at a first end of said pedal, said pedal foot having a pedal toe, said pedal toe facing in the same direction as the pedal face plate, and a pedal heel, said pedal heel facing in the opposite direction of the pedal face plate, wherein said pedal toe is longer than said pedal heel.

[0078] By the pedal toe facing in the same direction as the pedal face plate may also be understood that the pedal toe will be closer to the user than the pedal heel when the pedal is arranged for use in a pedal assembly according to the present invention.

[0079] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a pedal for use in a pedal assembly comprising an integral axel.

[0080] The pedal itself may have any features as described for the pedal as part of the pedal assembly.

[0081] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a guiding plate for use in a pedal assembly, the guiding plate comprising: an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot, a wedge protruding from the upward surface for optionally receiving the pedal foot such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position.

[0082] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a guiding plate for use in a pedal assembly, the guiding plate comprising: an upward surface for contacting said pedal foot, a wedge protruding from said upward surface for receiving said pedal foot such that said pedal becomes arranged at a first default position.

[0083] The guiding plate itself may have any features as described for the guiding plate as part of the pedal assembly.

[0084] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the above objects and advantages are obtained by:

[0085] A method for adjusting the default position of a pedal for a driving simulation, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pedal assembly according to the first aspect of the invention, and choosing between a first default position and a second default position by choosing between a first orientation of the pedal relative to the guiding plate and a second orientation of the pedal relative to the guiding plate such that the direction of rotation of the pedal relative to the wedge is opposite for the first orientation and the second orientation, and connecting said pedal to said guiding plate arranged in either the first orientation or the second orientation according to their choice.

[0086] By choosing between a first default position and a second default position is understood that the user must determine which angle of departure is most suited for the intended use, e.g. where the pedal assembly will be used, such that the pedal assembly may be connected according to that choice.

[0087] By the direction of rotation of the pedal relative to the wedge being opposite for the first orientation of the pedal and for the second orientation of the pedal may be understood that if the direction of rotation around the pivot axis is considered fixed relative to the wedge, if the pedal rotates clockwise around the pivot axis for the first orientation, then for the second orientation the pedal will rotate counterclockwise around the reoriented pivot axis.

[0088] According to a further variant of the second aspect of the invention, the method further comprises the step of providing a base plate and arranging the pedal such that the pedal face plate and the pedal foot are located on opposite sides of the top surface of the base plate.

[0089] According to a further variant of the second aspect of the invention, the method further comprises the step of providing a locking plate and arranging the guiding plate between the base plate whereupon the locking plate is releasably fixed to at least the base plate.

[0090] It will be understood to the person skilled in the art that the method may be reapplied to reorient the pedal assembly for different uses. In such as case providing a pedal assembly may be realised by disassembly part of a pedal assembly such that the pedal and the guiding plate are disconnected and may be reoriented before being reassembled in accordance with a new choice made by the user. For such a variant and where the pedal assembly comprised both a base plate and a locking plate the method of adjusting the default position of the pedal for a driving simulation may be considered to comprise the following sequential steps: releasing a locking plate of a pedal assembly, such that the guiding plate and the pedal may be moved relative to each other, reorienting the guiding plate relative to the pedal, reconnecting the locking plate such that the guiding plate and the pedal are held in place relative to each other in a default orientation chosen by the user to ensure that the pedal is arrange in a chosen default position.

[0091] SHORT LIST OF THE DRAWINGS

[0092] In the following, examples of embodiments are described according to the invention, where:

[0093] Figs. 1a and 1b illustrate the two typical use cases of the pedal assembly according to the invention.

[0094] Figs. 2a and 2b illustrate the two default configurations of an embodiment of the pedal assembly, respectively.

[0095] Fig. 3 illustrates a single pedal and a guiding plate arranged in the first default position.

[0096] Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a guiding plate for use in the pedal assembly.

[0097] Figs. 5a and 5b show top views of an embodiment of a guiding plate having rotational symmetry of the order two shown in the two rotationally symmetric positions.

[0098] Figs. 6a and 6b show a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a pedal assembly illustrating how the pedal foot is arranged relative to the guiding plate in the first and second default positions.

[0099] Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the base plate for use in the pedal assembly.

[0100] Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of a locking plate for use in the pedal assembly. Fig. 9 shows how a locking plate and a guiding plate may be arranged relative to each other.

[0101] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] The invention will now be explained in more detail below by means of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0103] The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms than depicted below, and should not be construed as limited to any examples set forth herein. Rather, any examples are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure.

[0104] Figs. 1a and 1b show two typical use cases of the pedal assembly 10 being suitable for the first default position (shown in fig. 1a) and the second default position (shown in Fig. 1b), respectively.

[0105] Fig. 1a illustrates a pedal assembly 10 being configured such that the pedal is in a first default position where the angle of departure v falls within the range of 20-65 degrees. For the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 1a the angle of departure v is approximately 57 degrees. The angle of departure v is the angle between the foremost part of the pedal face plate 53 and the support 1 on which the pedal assembly 10 is arranged during use.

[0106] The first default position is particularly suited for use cases where a user 2 sits upright relative to the support 1, e.g. when the back support of the furniture which the user 2 is situated has a seat angle w within the range of 65-90 degrees relative to the support 1 which may e.g. be the case for a chair or a couch.

[0107] Fig. 1b illustrates a pedal assembly 10 being configured such that the pedal is in a second default position where the angle of departure v falls within the range of 60-90 degrees. For the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 1b the angle of departure v is approximately 76 degrees. The second default position is particularly suited for use cases where a user 2 tilted relative to the support 1, which is frequently the case for sim-sports rigs emulating the positioning of a racing car. The second default position is such particularly suited for use with arrangements where the user 2 is situated at a seat angle w within the range of 35-50 degrees relative to the support 1.

[0108] It is understood that for all embodiment of the invention the angle of departure of the first default position is smaller than the angle of the second default position.

[0109] By changing the angle of departure v it is ensured that the user 2 may operate the one or more pedals of the pedal assembly in a suitable manner as force may be applied mainly by the extension of the leg of the user 2. The change of the angle of departure v of the pedal assembly 10 ensures that the change of angle of the ankle of the user 2 between various cases may be decreased thereby increasing the feasible number of use cases for the pedal assembly over.

[0110] Figs. 2a and 2b illustrate a pedal assembly according to an embodiment of the inventions shown in the first default position and the second default position respectively. The pedal assembly comprises a pedal 50 having a pedal arm 51, a pedal face plate 53 arranged at a second end of the pedal 50”, and a pedal foot arranged at the first end of the pedal 50’ (see e.g. Fig. 6a and 6b).

[0111] In some preferred embodiments as the one shown inf Figs. 2a and 2b the pedal 50 may further comprise a connecting plate 65 for connecting the pedal to a resistance unit 20. The resistance unit may e.g. be a brake unit providing resistance to the force applied by a user to the pedal 50. A resistance unit may e.g. comprising a spring to be compressed or a hydraulic system. Resistance units 20 may also comprise sensors for determining how the pedal 50 is operated, e.g. the amount of force applied to the pedal 50 or the rotation of the pedal around the pivot axis. Sensors may also be integrated with the pedal assembly in various other ways known in the art.

[0112] The embodiment of the pedal assembly illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b further comprise a base plate 70 for receiving one or more pedals 50. The base plate has a bottom surface 72 which may rest on a support. The bottom surface 72 may comprise protrusions taking the form of feet for resting on a support. The base plate 70 further comprises a top surface 74 facing the pedal face plate 53. The base plate 70 is configured to receive one or more pedals 50 by which is understood that the base plate 70 and the one or more pedals may be connected. The base plate 70 provides a shield around some of the moving parts of the pedal protecting both the components and the foot of the user. The base plate 70 may further provide securing of pedals 50 through connection means or at least part of connection means. Furthermore, for pedal assemblies comprising several pedals 50 the base plate 70 may receive those pedals 50 at predefined positions at a number of different base openings 75 (see Fig. 7) of the top surface 74 through which a pedal arm 51 may extend, in which case the base plate 70 may contribute to the arrangement of pedals 50 relative to each other.

[0113] Fig. 2a shows the pedal assembly where the pedal 50 is arranged at a first default position which may be considered a titled position. Fig 2b shows the pedal assembly where the pedal 50 is arranged at a second default position which may be considered an upright position.

[0114] Fig. 3 illustrates a single pedal 50 and a guiding plate 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention arranged in the first default position.

[0115] The figure shows a pedal 50 having a pedal arm 51 for translating pressure applied to said pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis 5. The pedal 50 comprises a pedal foot 55 arranged at a first end of the pedal, the pedal foot 55 including a pedal toe 56 and a pedal heel 57. The pedal 50 further comprises a pedal face plate 53 arranged at the second end of the pedal, the pedal face plate 53 being for receiving the foot of a user and being the point where the user exerts pressure onto the pedal, e.g. to simulate braking or accelerating. The pedal foot 55 is arranged to contact the guiding plate 100 at least when the pedal is in a default position, i.e. in a position of rest where no force is applied to the pedal face plate 53.

[0116] The pedal foot 55 is configured such that the pedal toe 56 faces in the same direction as the pedal face plate 53 and the pedal heel 57 faces in the opposite direction of the pedal face plate 53. This arrangement ensures that when the pedal face plate 53 facing the user is depressed by the foot of the user such that the pedal rotates around the pivot axis 5, the pedal toe 56 is raised from the part of the guiding plate which it contacts in the default position of its orientation (in Fig. 3 from the surface of the wedge 110) and when the force applied by the user is released the pedal toe 56 will be lowered back toward the top surface of the guiding plate 100 either at the position of the wedge 110 or away from the wedge depending on the configuration of the pedal assembly.

[0117] In preferred embodiment the pedal assembly will further comprise biasing means 62, taking the form of a biasing spring, for biasing the pedal 50 toward the default position. Hence, the biasing means 62 forces the pedal to rotate in a direction toward the pedal toe, i.e. in a direction toward where a user will be located, until the movement of the rotation is blocked by the contact between the pedal foot 56 and the guiding plate 100.

[0118] The guiding plate 100 has an upward surface for contacting the pedal foot. A wedge 110 protrudes from this upward surface of the guiding plate 100. The wedge 110 may receive the pedal foot 55 when the pedal 50 is arranged with the pedal foot 55 being oriented with the pedal toe 56 facing the wedge 110. Such arrangement where the pedal toe 56 engages the wedge 110 is the first default position of the pedal assembly. When the pedal 50 is arranged such that the pedal toe 56 faces away from the wedge 110, i.e. such that the pedal heel 57 faces the wedge (see Fig. 6b) the pedal assembly will assume the second default position.

[0119] Furthermore, the embodiment of Fig. 3 shows a pedal having an integrated axle 60, which defines the pivot axis and connects the pedal 50 to the guiding plate 100 via connection means 80 being an integral part of the guiding plate 100. In preferred embodiments of the pedal assembly further comprising a base plate the connection means shown in Fig. 3 may be lower connection means (See Fig. 4) working in corporation with upper connection means of a base plate (see Fig. 7).

[0120] In other embodiments of the invention, the guiding plate 100 need not comprise any connection means, rather the connection means may be part of a base plate and / or a locking plate such that the guiding plate may be arranged to control the default position of the pedal without needing to provide connection means. For such embodiments the pedal foot may be the only part of the pedal contacting the guiding plate.

[0121] Fig. 4 illustrates a guiding plate in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The guiding plate 100 has an upward surface 101 for contacting a pedal foot. A wedge 110 protrudes from the upward surface 101 of the guiding plate 100. The wedge is arranged such that it may receive a pedal foot such that the pedal becomes arranged at a first default position. In other words the wedge 110 is arranged such that when the pedal is arranged having the pedal toe of the pedal foot facing the wedge, the pedal toe will engage the upward surface of the wedge when rotated far enough toward the wedge 110, i.e. when the user is applying no force to the pedal. It will be understood by the person skilled in the art that many mutual configurations of the pedal foot and the wedge 110 of the guiding plate 100 may ensure such capability. For example as shown in Fig. 4 the wedge 110 may have a raised base 115 such that the sloping of the wedge 110 begins above the plane of the upward surface 101 of the base plate next to the wedge 110.

[0122] In some preferred embodiments, the guiding plate 100 may comprise plate structuring 120 which may for example take the form of ridges as shown in Fig. 4. Such plate structuring 120 may support the pedal toe when the pedal is in the second default position in particular protecting the pedal toe and the guiding plate upon high force contact, e.g. if the pedal is released leading to the pedal rotating back to the second default position with a large force.

[0123] In some preferred embodiments, such as the one shown in Fig. 4, the guiding plate 100 may further comprise one or more plate openings 135. The plate openings 135 are holes through the guiding plate and may allow parts of a pedal to pass through the holes when the pedal is rotated due to pressure applied by a user, such that protrusions or other parts of the pedal will not collide with the guiding plate when the pedal is being depressed. In some preferrable variants the guiding plate 100 comprises two plate windows 135.

[0124] Fig. 4 further shows how the guiding plate 100 may comprise connection means 80. In some embodiments the connection means may be a partial cylinder being open such that it may receive an axle of the pedal assembly by the axle resting in the hollow of the connection means. In other embodiments the connection means 80 may be a cylinder having a full circumference through which an axle may be passed, e.g. if the axle is not an integrated axle but is received by the connection means and an aligned opening of the pedal arm. In a preferred variant the connection means 80 of the guiding plate may be lower connection means interacting with upper connection means of a base plate such that the lower connection means and the upper connection means together form a cylinder encircling the axle and keeping it in place. Figs. 5a and 5b show the same embodiment of the guiding plate as illustrated in Fig. 4 but illustrated from a top view. Figs. 5a and 5b show how the guiding plate may for preferred embodiments have a rotation symmetry of the order of two for the outline of the guiding plate 100. Hence, Fig. 5b is the same guiding plate as the one shown in Fig. 5a rotated by 180 degrees. Such rotation alters the placement of the wedge 110 relative to a pedal which would remain unrotated and connected along the pivot axis the projection line 130 of which is shown as dashed lines on the figures. The outline remains the same for the two figures, hence the guiding plate 100 may be mounted in the same pedal assembly by rotation without needing any further adaptation of the pedal assembly to accommodate the rotation of the guiding plate 100 and concomitant change of the default position of the pedal connected to the guiding plate 100.

[0125] The projection line 103 being the projection of the rotary axis of the pedal when mounted to the guiding plate may be seen as dividing the guiding plate 100 into a first section 105 and a second section 106. The first section 105 comprises the wedge 110 protruding from the upward surface of the guiding plate 100. For some embodiments of the invention the second section 106 of the guiding plate 100 comprises no wedge. For other embodiments of the invention the second section 106 may comprise a wedge, the wedge of the first section 105 being taller than the wedge of the second section 106 such that the angle of departure of the first default position remains smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position.

[0126] For preferred embodiments the guiding plate 100 there have a clarence distance d from the projection line 103 to the leading edge 112 of the wedge 110 which is smaller than the length of the pedal toe (see Figs. 6a-6b) such that the pedal and the guiding plate 100 of the pedal assembly are mutually configured to ensure that the pedal toe will contact the wedge 110 when the guiding plate 100 is configured such that the pedal toe is facing the wedge. Similarly the pedal will have a pedal heel which is shorter than the clearance distance d such that the pedal heel will not contact the wedge 110 when the guiding plate is configured such that the pedal heel will face the wedge 110.

[0127] For some embodiments of the guiding plate, such as the one illustrated, the guiding plate may comprise surface structuring 120 protruding from the upward surface of the second section 106 of the guiding plate 100. Such surface structuring may for example provide support for the pedal toe in the second default position and / or strengthen the guiding plate where contact is made between the pedal toe and the guiding plate when the pedal is in the second default position. To ensure that the angle of departure of the pedal is smaller for the first default position than for the second default position, it is preferred that no structure protruding from the upward surface in the second section 106 of the guiding plate 100 in an area the width of the wedge and extending a contact distance D from the projection line 103 is taller than the wedge 110. The contact distance D being the perpendicular distance from the projection line 103 to the trailing edge 113 of the wedge. The region of the second section 106 of the guiding plate where no structure protrude higher than the wedge 110 may preferably be aligned with the wedge creating a contact zone 108 (shown as a dotted outline in Fig. 5b) for the pedal toe when the pedal assembly is configured to be in the second default position. By ensuring that every structure of the contact zone 108 is lower than the tallest point of the wedge 110, the angle of departure of the second default position will be larger than the angle of departure of the first default position.

[0128] Fig. 6a illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, showing how the pedal foot 55 is arranged relative to the guiding plate 100 in the first default position. Fig. 6b illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, showing how the pedal foot 55 is arranged relative to the guiding plate 100 in the second default position. Both subfigures show close-ups of the region around the pivot axis 5 and close to where the pedal foot 55 meets the guiding plate 100, hence both the pedal and the base plate 70 are only partially included in the figures. Note that the slight clearance between the pedal foot 55 and the guiding plate 100 and / or the wedge 110 is for illustrative purposes making the components more distinguishable while in reality the pedal foot 55 will contact the guiding plate 100 in both the first and the second default positions.

[0129] The pedal foot 55 comprises a pedal toe 56 and a pedal heel 57. The pedal foot 55 may be considered the part of the pedal below a line drawn through the pivot axis 5 parallel to the surface of the first end of the pedal 50’ (shown as dashed lines in Figs. 6a and 6b). The pedal toe 56 is larger than the pedal heel 57, and the pedal toe 56 and pedal heel 57 may be divided by a line drawn through the pivot axis 5 orthogonal to the surface of the first end of the pedal (shown as dotted lines in Figs. 6a and 6b).

[0130] The pedal foot 55 and the guiding plate 100 are mutually configured such that the pedal toe 56 is longer than the clearance distance between the leading edge 112 of the wedge and the projection line (see Figs. 5a and 5b) such that in the first default position (see Fig. 6a) the pedal toe 56 will contact the wedge 110. Furthermore, the pedal foot 55 and the guiding plate 100 are mutually configured such that the pedal heel 57 is shorter than the clearance distance between the leading edge 112 of the wedge and the projection line (see Figs. 5a and 5b) such that in the second default position (see Fig. 6b) the pedal toe 56 will contact the upward surface 101 of the guiding plate 100 away from the wedge, as the pedal foot 55 will not contact the wedge 110.

[0131] As the pedal is biased to rotate in the direction of the pedal toe 26 (counterclockwise in the illustrations of Figs. 6a and 6b), the default position, i.e. the angle of departure of the pedal, will be determined by where the pedal foot 55 contacts the guiding plate 100. When the pedal and the guiding plate 100 are arranged as shown in Fig. 6a the pedal toe 56 contacts the wedge to stop the rotation in the direction of bias and the biasing rotation will stop before it stops when the guiding plate is arranged as shown in Fig. 6b where the rotation may continue until the pedal toe 56 contacts the upward surface 101 of the guiding plate 100 away from the wedge 110. Thusly, it is achieved that the angle of departure of the first default position is smaller than the angle of departure of the second default position.

[0132] As shown in Figs. 6a and 6b the guiding plate 100 may comprise surface structuring 120 which the pedal toe 56 may contact in the second default position, such that it is the height of the surface structuring 120 which determines the angle of departure of the second default position.

[0133] The embodiment of the pedal assembly shown in Figs. 6a and 6b further comprises a base plate 70 and a locking plate 150. The guiding plate 100 may be interpose between the base plate 70 and the locking plate 70 in a manner such that the guiding plate 100 is held in place. The locking plate 150 may be releasably attached to the base plate 70 by fastening means 155 such as a screw passing through an opening of the locking plate and being received by a threaded bore of the base plate. Such a configuration makes it easy for a user to release the locking plate to reconfigure the guiding plate 100 by turning the guiding plate 180 degrees relative to the remainder of the pedal assembly to alter between the two default configurations as shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. The guiding plate 100 may then be releasable fixed in the new position by reattaching the locking plate 70 to the base plate. While the face plate of the pedal is not visible in the cut-out close-up region shown in Fig. 6a and 6b the pedal toe 56 faces int eh same direction as the face plate, i.e. toward the user during the use case of the pedal assembly.

[0134] For preferred embodiments of the pedal such as the ones shown in Figs. 6a and 6b the pedal foot 55 is a solid geometry aside from a possible opening for the mounting around the pivot axis 5. In some embodiments there may be a throughgoing hole for receiving and axle for other embodiments there may be no opening rather a cylindrical structure may be formed as part of the pedal extending along the pivot axis and moving together with the pedal. By the pedal foot being a solid geometry is understood tha the pedal foot 55 is a slab with no protrusions or indentations along the outer contour of the pedal toe and pedal heel. Preferably, the pedal foot 55 being the part below the line drawn through the pivot axis 5 parallel to the surface of the first end of the pedal 50’ has three sides (excluding the aforementioned parallel line) each connected by a rounded corner. For some preferred embodiments the three sides are straight between the rounded corners. The pedal foot 55 may preferably be an obtuse trapezium.

[0135] Fig. 7 illustrates a base plate 70 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The base plate 70 has a bottom surface 72 for resting on a support such as a floor or a part of a sim-racing rig. The bottom surface 72 may comprise protrusions such as feet. The base plate 70 has a top surface 74 which faces the pedal face plate when the components of the pedal assembly are connected for use.

[0136] The base plate 70 is configured to receive a pedal of the pedal assembly by allowing part of a pedal arm to extend through a base opening 75 such that the pedal face plate is on one side of the top surface 74 and the pedal foot will be on the other side of the top surface 74 of the base plate 70. Thus, some of the moving and / or biased parts of the pedal assembly may be shielded below the base plate 70 while the pedal face plate which the user is to interact with remains accessible.

[0137] Preferred embodiments of the base plate 70, such as the one shown in Fig. 7, comprise multiple base openings 75 such that it is suitable for receiving multiple pedals. Hence, the base plate 70 may provide a means for positioning multiple pedals relative to each other, e.g. a pedal, a brake and a clutch pedal may be arranged as in a racing car. For such embodiments the base plate may have various structures for accommodating different types of resistance units 20 depending on the type of pedal. The other components of the pedal assembly, e.g. pedal, guiding plate and / or locking plate, may be chosen reconfigured and exchanged independently of each other, such that the base plate 70 ensures their relative position without limiting the options of customisability.

[0138] The base plate 70 may further comprise connection means. In a preferred embodiment, the connection means of the base plate 70 take the form of upper connection means 82 for connecting to lower connection means being part of the guiding plate (see Fig. 9). The upper connection means 82 may form a semicircle above part of an axle of the pedal assembly, limiting the vertical movement of the axle and preventing the axle from moving out of the connection means during use.

[0139] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a locking plate 150 for use as part of the pedal assembly according to the invention.

[0140] The locking plate 150 may be used to connect the guiding plate (see Fig. 9) to the base plate such that the guiding plate is arranged between the base plate and the locking plate being clamped in place between the two. In addition the pedal may be partially interposed between the base plate and the guiding plate, such that the pedal foot is below the base plate and above the guiding plate, whereby the locking plate may also keep the pedal in position relative to the other components of the pedal assembly.

[0141] The locking plate may comprise has a mounting hole 156 for receiving a fastening mean such as a screw for connecting the locking plate 150 to the base plate. In some embodiment the locking plate may include a lock plate opening 155 configured to align with a plate opening of the guiding plate when said locking plate and said guiding plate are connected in either of the first and second default position, such that neither the guiding plate nor the locking plate will obstruct the rotation of the pedal the position of the plate opening.

[0142] In some preferred embodiments, the locking plate may include a lock window allowing the user to see part of the underside of the guiding plate, when the locking plate is used to connect the guiding plate to the rest of the pedal assembly. The downward surface of the guiding plate facing the locking plate may have one or more icons indicating whether the pedal is arranged in the first default position or the second default position, when the guiding plate is arranged in that rotational position. For embodiment where the locking plate comprises only a single lock window 135 the guiding plate and locking plate together will reveal only one icon corresponding to the default position which the locking plate is at that time releasably fixing the guiding plate in.

[0143] Fig. 9 illustrates how a locking plate 150 and a guiding plate 100 are arranged relative to each other when a locking plate 150 is used to keep the guiding plate connected to the other components of the pedal assembly. The locking plate 150 may be connected to a base plate via the locking means 157 such that the guiding plate 100 is maintained din a fixed position relative to the locking plate 150 and the base plate by being clamped between these.

[0144] In a preferred embodiment the guiding plate 100 comprise lower connection means 84 for receiving the axle of the pedal assembly. The lower connection means 84 may preferably be configured to support the axle by in a curve of the lower connection means 84 forming a semicircle or partial cylinder. In a preferred embodiment the lower connection means 84 are aligned with upper connection means of a base plate such that the axle may be supported by the lower connection means 84 and be lidded by the upper connection means, such that the upper connection means hinder the axle from leaving the placement in the lower connection means 84 as long as the position of the guiding plate 100 and the base plate are fixed relative to each other.

[0145] In a preferred embodiment the locking plate 150 is made from a material providing stability to the pedal assembly. For example the locking plate 150 may be made from a metal, such as steel, to provide the pedal assembly with weight and rigidity. In a preferred embodiment the material of the locking plate 150 is heavier, than the material of the guiding plate 100. In a preferred embodiment the material of the locking plate 150 is more rigid than the material of the guiding plate 100. LIST OF REFERENCES v Angle of departure of pedal w Seat angle d Clearance distance

[0146] D Contact distance

[0147] 1 Support

[0148] 2 User

[0149] 5 Pivot axis

[0150] 10 Pedal assembly

[0151] 20 Resistance unit

[0152] 50 Pedal

[0153] 50’ First end of said pedal

[0154] 50” Second end of said pedal

[0155] 51 Pedal arm

[0156] 53 Pedal face plate

[0157] 55 Pedal foot

[0158] 56 Pedal toe

[0159] 57 Pedal heel

[0160] 60 Axle

[0161] 62 Biasing spring

[0162] 65 Joining plate

[0163] 70 Base plate

[0164] 72 Bottom surface

[0165] 74 Top surface

[0166] 75 Base opening

[0167] 80 Connection means

[0168] 82 Upper connection means

[0169] 84 Lower connection means

[0170] 100 Guiding plate

[0171] 101 Upward surface

[0172] 103 Projection line

[0173] 105 First section

[0174] 106 Second section

[0175] 108 Contact zone Wedge

[0176] Leading edge

[0177] Trailing edge

[0178] Raised base

[0179] Plate structuring

[0180] Plate opening

[0181] Locking plate

[0182] Lock plate opening

[0183] Mounting hole Locking means Lock window

Claims

CLAIMS1. A pedal assembly for providing input to a racing simulation, said pedal assembly comprising: a pedal for receiving user input, said pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to said pedal, by a user, into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal foot arranged at a first end of said pedal, a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, said pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of said pedal, and; a guiding plate for configuring the default position of said pedal, said guiding plate comprising an upward surface for contacting said pedal foot, a wedge protruding from said upward surface for receiving said pedal foot such that said pedal becomes arranged at a first default position, an axle, said axle defining said pivot axis, connection means for receiving said axle, biasing means for biasing said pedal toward a default position.

2. The pedal assembly according to claim 1, said pedal comprising said pedal axle whereby said axle is an integrated axle.

3. The pedal assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said pedal assembly is configured such that the angle of departure, being the angle between the plane of the guiding plate and the plane perpendicular to the contact point of the pedal, of said first default position is smaller than the angle of departure of said second default position.

4. The pedal assembly according to claim 3, wherein the angle of departure of said first default position falls within the range of 20-65 degrees, more preferably within 25- 45 degrees such as being 35 degrees, andthe angle of departure of a second default position falls within the range of 60-90 degrees, more preferably within 75-90 degrees preferably 90 degrees.

5. The pedal assembly according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a base plate for receiving said pedal, said base plate comprising: a bottom surface for resting on a support, a top surface for facing said pedal face plate.

6. The pedal assembly according to claim 5, said connection means comprising lower connection means being part of said guiding plate and upper connection means being part of said base plate, such that when said pedal assembly is assembled said axle will be interposed between said upper connection means and said lower connection means.

7. The pedal assembly according to any of the claims 5-6, the outline of said guiding plate having at least a rotational symmetry order of two.

8. The pedal assembly according to any of the claims 5-7, said pedal assembly comprising a locking plate for connecting said guiding plate to said base plate by interposing said guiding plate between said base plate and said locking pate and subsequently fastening said locking plate to said base plate.

9. The pedal assembly according to any of the preceding claims, said pedal foot comprising a pedal toe and a pedal heel said pedal toe being longer than said pedal heel, and the leading edge of said wedge being arranged at a clearance distance from the projection line of said pivot axis onto said guiding plate, said clearance distance being longer than the length of said pedal heel and said clearance distance being shorter than the length of said pedal toe, such that when said pedal arm is arranged having said pedal toe facing said wedge said pedal foot will contact said wedge, whereby said pedal arm may be arranged at a first default angle relative to said guiding plate when said pedal toe contacts said wedge, while said pedal arm may be arranged at a second default angle relative to said guiding plate when said pedal toe is contacting said upward surface away from said wedge.

10. The pedal assembly according to any of the preceding claims, said guiding plate comprises a contact zone wherein no structure protruding from said upward surface of said guiding plate protrudes further than said wedge, said contact zone extending the same distance from said projection line of the rotary axis as the trailing edge of said wedge on the opposite side of the projection line than the wedge.

11. A pedal for use in a pedal assembly according to any of the claims 1-9, said pedal comprising: a pedal arm for translating pressure applied to said pedal by a user into rotational movement around a pivot axis, a pedal face plate for being pressed by a user, said pedal face plate being arranged at a second end of said pedal, and a pedal foot arranged at a first end of said pedal, said pedal foot having a pedal toe, said pedal toe facing in the same direction as the pedal face plate, and a pedal heel, said pedal heel facing in the opposite direction of the pedal face plate, wherein said pedal toe is longer than said pedal heel.

12. A guiding plate for use in a pedal assembly according to any of the claims 1-9, said guiding plate comprising: an upward surface for contacting said pedal foot, a wedge protruding from said upward surface for receiving said pedal foot such that said pedal becomes arranged at a first default position.

13. A method for adjusting the default position of a pedal for a driving simulation, said method comprising the steps of: providing a pedal assembly according to any of the claims 1-9, and choosing between a first default position and a second default position by choosing between a first orientation of said pedal relative to said guiding plate and a second orientation of said pedal relative to said guiding plate such that the direction of rotation of said pedal relative to said wedge is opposite for said first orientation and said second orientation, and connecting said pedal to said guiding plate arranged in either the first orientation or the second orientation according to their choice.

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