Foldable Pedal Apparatus with Misoperation Prevention Pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
In autonomous driving situations, exposed vehicle pedals can lead to unintentional operation by drivers, potentially causing accidents, and there is a need for a mechanism to safely hide these pedals while allowing their use in manual driving modes for driver comfort and safety.
Innovation Solution
A foldable pedal apparatus with a misoperation prevention pad that rotates to hide the accelerator and brake pedals during autonomous driving and exposes them during manual driving, utilizing a bidirectional motor, pinion gears, rack gears, and return springs to ensure safe and comfortable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pedals are exposed toward the driver, then the driver can operate them in manual driving mode, but the driver may unintentionally operate them in autonomous driving mode causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The pedal apparatus transitions between two states: exposed position for manual driving mode where pedals are accessible, and retracted position for autonomous driving mode where pedals are hidden. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt to different driving modes, ensuring pedal operability when needed while preventing misoperation when autonomous driving is active
Solution Approach 2:
A cover structure acts as an intermediary element between the driver and the pedals. The cover can be positioned to either expose or block access to the pedals based on the driving mode, serving as a physical mediator that prevents direct contact with pedals during autonomous driving while allowing access during manual driving
2Reliability
If pedals remain exposed during autonomous driving, then the driver can quickly take control if needed, but the driver's rest is interrupted and comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts pedal visibility based on autonomous driving status. During autonomous driving, pedals are retracted to allow driver rest and comfort. When manual driving mode is activated, the system quickly transitions pedals to the exposed position, enabling rapid takeover capability when needed
3Reliability
If a foldable pedal mechanism is added, then pedals can be hidden during autonomous driving, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover structure is integrated with the pedal assembly, combining the protection function with the existing pedal mechanism. The cover is rotatably coupled to the footrest panel and works in conjunction with the pedals, merging multiple functions into a unified structure that reduces overall system complexity while achieving misoperation prevention
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
The apparatus effectively prevents misoperation of pedals during autonomous driving while allowing easy access during manual driving, enhancing driver safety and comfort by ensuring pedals are hidden when not in use.
Implementation Method 1
a bidirectional motor configured to rotate the misoperation prevention pad with respect to the footrest panel when the bidirectional motor is operated
Implementation Method 2
pinion gears respectively coupled to both end portions of the motor shaft, and rack gears formed in a circular arc shape, the rack gears extending along a rotational radius of the misoperation prevention pad in the lower end portion and being respectively engaged with the pinion gears
Implementation Method 3
an accelerator pedal return spring and a brake pedal return spring including respective first end portions coupled to the hinge shaft by being wound on the hinge shaft, the accelerator pedal return spring and the brake pedal return spring being configured to respectively provide an elastic force to the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad so that the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad are rotated toward the rear direction
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes a misoperation prevention pad, an accelerator pedal pad and a brake pedal pad. In a manual driving mode in which a driver directly drives, the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad protrude and are exposed toward the driver and then enter into a popped-up state so that operation of the pedal pads by the driver may be performed. In an autonomous driving situation, the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad are hidden and then enter into a hidden state in which exposure toward the driver is blocked so that the operation of the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad by the driver is unable to be performed. Furthermore, the misoperation prevention pad is provided between the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad.