Adjustable Accelerator Pedal Effort Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional accelerator pedals have fixed pedal effort characteristics, leading to driver fatigue from high effort or inefficiency from low effort, and cannot be adjusted to meet varying safety regulations or user preferences.
Innovation Solution
A pedal effort adjusting apparatus with a guide rod, movable plate, and elastic member, where external and internal threads allow for adjustment of the elastic member's length by rotating the movable plate, altering the pedal effort through a simple manipulation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pedal effort is increased to meet safety regulations, then the safety performance is improved, but the driver fatigue increases due to high force requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the pedal effort adjustable rather than fixed. The movable plate can be positioned at different locations along the guide rod, allowing the pedal effort to be dynamically adjusted according to different safety regulations and driver preferences. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to adapt between high safety performance and ease of operation depending on the required configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of pedal effort through the adjustable elastic member configuration. By moving the movable plate to different positions on the guide rod, the effective length of the elastic member changes, thereby altering the pedal effort parameter. This allows optimization between safety requirements and driver comfort by adjusting the effort parameter to suitable values.
2Ease of operation
If the pedal effort is decreased to reduce driver fatigue, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety performance deteriorates due to insufficient force
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable mechanism allows the system to dynamically adapt the pedal effort to meet safety requirements while maintaining ease of operation. The movable plate can be repositioned to increase elastic member engagement, thereby increasing pedal effort when safety is the priority, while still allowing for reduced effort configurations when driver comfort is prioritized.
Solution Approach 2:
By adjusting the position of the movable plate on the guide rod, the effective length of the elastic member is changed, which directly modifies the pedal effort parameter. This parameter adjustment capability enables the system to find the optimal balance between safety performance and ease of operation for different application scenarios.
3Manufacturing precision
If the pedal effort is fixed during assembly to meet specific safety regulations, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates because it cannot be adjusted for different countries or preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed assembly configuration into a dynamic, adjustable system. The movable plate can be repositioned along the guide rod after assembly, allowing the same accelerator pedal to be adapted to different safety regulations and user preferences in various countries without requiring precision manufacturing for each specific configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable mechanism gives the accelerator pedal universal applicability across different markets and regulations. By allowing post-assembly adjustment of the movable plate position, a single design can serve multiple functions and comply with different safety standards, thereby achieving ubiquitous use without compromising manufacturing precision for any specific configuration.
4Device complexity
If the accelerator pedal is completely assembled with fixed characteristics, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of repair deteriorates because adjustment is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a simple adjustable mechanism that maintains overall device simplicity while enabling easy adjustment. The movable plate sliding on the guide rod provides a straightforward adjustment method that does not significantly increase assembly complexity, yet dramatically improves ease of repair and maintenance by allowing field adjustments without disassembly.
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
Enables easy and efficient adjustment of accelerator pedal effort, meeting safety regulations and allowing universal use across different types of pedals, reducing driver fatigue and improving pedal manipulation feedback.
Implementation Method 1
a reaction force that is generated by elastic compression of both the inner spring 5a and the outer spring 5b forms a pedal effort that is applied to the pedal arm 2
Implementation Method 2
a reaction force of the friction shoe 4 that comes into frictional contact with the inner surface of the pedal arm housing 1
Data Source
AI summary
An accelerator pedal effort adjusting apparatus can easily adjust the elasticity of an elastic member by changing the length of the elastic member according to a simple rotation of a movable plate, thereby easily adjusting the accelerator pedal effort as desired. The apparatus can be commonly used with various types of accelerator pedals. The apparatus includes: a guide rod installed such that it is mounted to the bottom surface of the inner space of a pedal arm housing and is directed toward a pedal aim; a movable plate movably fitted over the guide rod such that the movable plate can be moved along the guide rod; and an elastic member installed in such a way that the elastic member is supported by both the pedal arm and the movable plate at opposite ends thereof, and applies a reaction force to a pedal pad.