Foldable Vehicle Pedal Pad Rotation for Safer Foot Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pedal apparatuses for vehicles, particularly in autonomous vehicles, cause discomfort and risk of accidental pedal operation due to a non-rotatable pedal pad structure, limiting the contact area and leading to potential operational errors.
Innovation Solution
A foldable organ-type pedal apparatus with a rotatably coupled pedal pad to the pedal arm, incorporating a spring mechanism and dampers to enhance contact area and safety, and a foldable mechanism for switching between pop-up and hidden states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pedal pad is fixed to the pedal arm without rotation capability, then the structure is simple, but the contact area between driver's foot and pedal pad is limited causing discomfort and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The pedal pad is made rotatable relative to the pedal arm through a pin connection, allowing the pedal pad to dynamically adjust its orientation during driver operation. This dynamic capability increases the effective contact area between the driver's foot and pedal pad, resolving the contradiction between operational comfort and structural simplicity.
2Shape
If the pedal apparatus is made foldable for autonomous vehicle mode, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pedal apparatus incorporates a foldable mechanism that allows the pedal arm to transition between extended and retracted positions. This dynamic structural change enables the pedal to be hidden within the footrest panel during autonomous operation, improving aesthetic appearance while maintaining functional capability when needed.
3Reliability
If the pedal pad is rotatably coupled to the pedal arm, then the contact area is increased improving safety, but the risk of inadvertent operation may increase
Solution Approach 1:
A return spring is pre-installed in the pedal pad assembly to automatically return the pedal pad to its initial position after driver operation. This preliminary action ensures that the pedal pad does not remain in an intermediate position, preventing inadvertent operation while maintaining the benefits of increased contact area during intentional use.
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 solution increases the contact area between the driver's foot and the pedal pad, improving operational convenience and safety while maintaining an aesthetically robust appearance and preventing foreign substance introduction.
Implementation Method 1
a pad spring penetrated by the connection pin and including two opposite end portions supported and provided on the pedal arm and the pedal pad, the pad spring being configured to provide a spring force to rotate the pedal pad forward thereof
Implementation Method 2
a damper coupled to a rear surface of the pedal pad and configured to prevent occurrence of noise by coming into contact with the pedal arm when the pedal pad rotates
Data Source
AI summary
A pedal apparatus for a vehicle, includes a pedal pad rotatably coupled to an upper end portion of a foldable pedal arm so that a contact area may be increased when a driver's foot comes into contact with the pedal pad, which makes it possible to improve convenience and safety for the driver when the driver performs the pedal operation.