Haptic Pedal With Selective Piezoelectric Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing haptic feedback systems for vehicle pedals using piezoelectric elements consume excessive energy, making them unsuitable for use across a manufacturer's full vehicle range.
Innovation Solution
A haptic pedal system with piezoelectric actuators and sensing means, such as pressure sensors, that selectively activates actuators only in the area of the footrest where the driver's foot is in contact, reducing energy expenditure and ensuring consistent feedback delivery regardless of foot position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all piezoelectric actuators on the pedal are activated to provide haptic feedback, then the driver receives consistent feedback regardless of foot position, but energy consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system activates piezoelectric actuators selectively based on the detected foot position, applying haptic feedback only to the local area where the driver's foot is contacting the pedal. This localized activation maintains reliable feedback delivery to the driver's foot while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to activating all actuators across the entire pedal surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts which actuators are activated based on real-time detection of foot position. The set of active actuators changes dynamically as the driver moves their foot across different areas of the pedal, ensuring feedback is always delivered to the correct location while optimizing energy usage by activating only the necessary subset of actuators at any given moment.
2Ease of operation
If conventional vibration mechanisms such as torque motors or magnetic actuators are used, then haptic feedback can be generated, but the mechanisms become bulky and difficult to accommodate within the pedal
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces bulky mechanical vibration mechanisms (torque motors or magnetic actuators) with piezoelectric actuators that generate haptic feedback through rapid deformation. This substitution eliminates the need for large mechanical components while maintaining the ability to generate effective haptic feedback, allowing compact integration within the pedal assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating principle from mechanical rotation or magnetic field generation to piezoelectric deformation. By utilizing the piezoelectric effect where electrical voltage causes physical deformation, the system achieves haptic feedback generation with much smaller component dimensions, enabling compact pedal design without sacrificing feedback capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If piezoelectric elements are used to generate haptic feedback, then the pedal becomes compact and easy to install, but energy consumption remains excessively high when all elements are activated
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains the compact piezoelectric actuator array but introduces selective activation based on foot position detection. By activating only the piezoelectric elements located beneath or adjacent to the driver's foot, the system preserves the manufacturing simplicity and compact design while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to activating the entire array.
Solution Approach 2:
The piezoelectric actuator array is segmented into multiple individually controllable elements. This segmentation allows the control system to activate only specific segments (actuators) corresponding to the detected foot position, rather than activating the entire array. This maintains the ease of manufacture with a complete piezoelectric array while enabling energy-efficient selective operation.
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
This approach reduces energy consumption while ensuring effective haptic feedback delivery, adaptable to different footwear types and pedal positions, enhancing energy efficiency and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of piezoelectric actuators individually operable for providing haptic feedback to a driver through a footrest
Implementation Method 2
sensing means (e.g. a sensor) for mapping the area of the footrest in contact with a driver's foot
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a haptic pedal (10) for a vehicle (4). The pedal comprises a plurality of piezoelectric actuators (22) operable for providing haptic feedback to a driver through the footrest (18) and sensing means (26) for mapping the area of the footrest in contact with a driver's foot so that haptic feedback is delivered by selective activation of actuators in the mapped area. The invention also comprises a haptic feedback system including the haptic pedal (10) and a controller (6) for receiving an input from the sensing means (26) relating to the area of the footrest in contact with the driver's foot and for delivering an output to selectively activate piezoelectric actuators overlapping the contact area in dependence on a sensed state of the vehicle. The haptic feedback system may be implemented as part of the vehicle's navigation system.