Accelerator Pedal Reaction Control to Prevent Lever Collision

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing accelerator devices experience impact, vibration, and noise due to collisions between the pedal lever and actuator lever when the pedal lever returns, and increasing the spring force to prevent this affects the basic pedal force characteristics.

Innovation Solution

An accelerator device with a pedal lever, power transmission mechanism, and control unit that applies a reaction force via an actuator lever, controlled by a control unit to reduce the return speed of the actuator lever when the pedal lever returns, using brake control to mitigate collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the spring force of the actuator lever biasing member is increased to prevent collision between the pedal lever and actuator lever, then the collision impact is reduced, but the basic pedal force characteristics are greatly affected and pedal depression becomes heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision impactVSAvoidpedal force characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies dynamic control to the actuator lever by using a return speed control mechanism that actively adjusts the lever's motion during the return process. The control unit detects the pedal lever's return speed and controls the actuator lever's return speed to be lower than the pedal lever's return speed, dynamically preventing collision without requiring increased spring force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the speed parameter of the actuator lever during operation. By controlling the actuator lever's return speed to be lower than the pedal lever's return speed through the return speed control mechanism, the system prevents collision while maintaining normal spring force characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If an additional spring is used to keep the motor-side arm in constant contact with the pedal-side arm, then contact is maintained, but the actuator lever biasing member becomes overloaded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact maintenanceVSAvoidbiasing member load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the collision prevention function from the mechanical spring system and implements it as a separate return speed control mechanism. This allows the actuator lever biasing member to maintain its normal spring force for contact maintenance without the additional load that would result from using a stronger spring for collision prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the purely mechanical spring-based collision prevention approach with a control system that uses speed detection and control mechanisms. The control unit monitors and adjusts the actuator lever's return speed, substituting mechanical force adjustment with controlled motion management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If the motor-side arm follows the pedal-side arm without speed control, then the structure is simple, but collision occurs due to follow-up delay when the pedal lever returns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidcollision impact

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention implements a feedback control mechanism where the control unit detects the pedal lever's return speed and uses this information to control the actuator lever's return speed. This feedback loop ensures the actuator lever moves at an appropriate speed to prevent collision while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces impact and noise by controlling the actuator lever's return speed, maintaining normal pedal force characteristics without increasing load on the actuator lever biasing member.

Implementation Method 1

an actuator lever that is contactable with the pedal lever and is biased in the return direction of the pedal lever by an actuator lever biasing member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The pedal lever is movable in response to a depression operation and is biased in a return direction by a pedal biasing member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12443215B2Accelerator device

Publication Date: 2025.10.14 DENSO CORP

AI summary

An accelerator device includes a pedal lever, a power transmission mechanism, and a control unit. The pedal lever is movable in response to a pedal depression operation, and is biased in a return direction by a pedal biasing member. The power transmission mechanism includes an actuator lever that is contactable with the pedal lever and is biased in the return direction of the pedal lever by an actuator lever biasing member, and is capable of applying a reaction force to the pedal lever, which is a force in the return direction by a driving force of a drive source via the actuator lever. The control unit controls energization of the drive source, and performs a brake control in which a return speed of the actuator lever is reduced when the pedal lever returns to a fully closed direction.