Lateral Insertion of Magnetic Coil Assembly in Vehicle Pedal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pedal devices for vehicles, particularly service brake pedals, face challenges in simple manufacturing and assembly due to unclear mounting procedures for the sensor device and magnetic coil arrangement within the housing.
Innovation Solution
The magnetic coil arrangement is inserted into the housing like a drawer through a peripheral opening, allowing the electrical contact element to connect with the circuit board during assembly, simplifying the assembly process and accommodating larger radial dimensions of the coil arrangement without stringent length tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the magnetic coil arrangement is mounted inside the housing using conventional methods, then the assembly process becomes complex and difficult to manufacture, but the radial dimensions of the coil arrangement are constrained by the housing internal diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic coil arrangement is inserted into the housing through a peripheral opening in the jacket rather than from the top or bottom. This lateral insertion approach changes the dimensional access route, allowing the coil arrangement to be mounted after the housing is assembled, thereby simplifying the assembly process and enabling larger radial dimensions for the coil arrangement without being constrained by the internal diameter of the housing.
2Manufacturing precision
If the electrical contact element has a fixed length with strict tolerances, then the assembly precision requirements are high, but the contact element cannot accommodate variable length requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact element is designed with variable length capability, allowing it to be adjusted or selected based on specific assembly requirements. The contact element can have different lengths to accommodate various positions of the magnetic coil arrangement, reducing the stringency of length tolerance requirements while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
3Measurement precision
If the magnetic coil arrangement has larger radial dimensions to meet measurement requirements, then the measurement accuracy improves, but the housing internal diameter becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
By inserting the magnetic coil arrangement laterally through a peripheral opening in the jacket, the invention enables the coil arrangement to have larger radial dimensions that extend beyond the internal diameter of the housing. This dimensional change allows the measurement requirements to be met while the housing structure remains intact.
4Ease of manufacture
If the circuit board is mounted separately from the magnetic coil arrangement, then the assembly steps increase and manufacturing becomes more complex, but each component can be optimized independently
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is mounted on the housing in the area of the peripheral opening simultaneously with the insertion of the magnetic coil arrangement. The electrical contact element of the coil arrangement automatically contacts the contact receptacle on the circuit board during this combined operation, merging two assembly steps into one and simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
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 method enables straightforward and secure assembly of the pedal device, ensuring accurate measurement and reduced frictional wear, while allowing for variable contact element lengths and improved dimensional matching.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet coil arrangement (42) containing at least one magnet coil (12a, 12b) through which current flows, a stationary coil former (44) having a coil former opening (48), on which the at least one magnetic coil is wound, which generates a magnetic field at least inside the coil former opening (48)
Implementation Method 2
the inductance of the at least one magnetic coil depends on the immersion depth of the immersion body in the coil body opening, and with evaluation electronics that are in electrical contact with the electrical contact element, the immersion body being in operative connection with the foot pedal in such a way that the immersion depth of the immersion body in the coil body opening is dependent of an actuation degree of the foot pedal
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electric or electro-pneumatic pedal device of a vehicle for inputting request signals of a driver of the vehicle, which pedal device contains at least the following: a housing (4), which has a cover (38), a bottom, and a jacket (54), which connects the cover (38) to the bottom; a foot pedal, which can be actuated by means of the foot of the driver; and an inductive sensor device arranged in the housing (4), comprising a magnetic coil assembly (42) containing at least one magnetic coil (12a, 12b) through which current flows, and containing a stationary coil former (44), which has a coil former opening (48) and onto which the at least one magnetic coil (12a, 12b) is wound, which generates a magnetic field at least in the interior of the coil former opening (48), and containing at least one electrical contact element (50) protruding away from the magnetic coil assembly (42) radially outward, which at least one electrical contact element is connected to the at least one magnetic coil (12a, 12b), and comprising at least one plunging body (6), which is movably supported in the housing (4) and plunges into the coil former opening (48), wherein the inductance (L) of the at least one magnetic coil (12a, 12b) varies in accordance with the plunging depth of the plunging body (6) into the coil former opening (48), and comprising evaluating electronics (14), which are in electrical contact with the electrical contact element (50), wherein the plunging body (6) is operatively connected to the foot pedal in such a way that the plunging depth of the plunging body (6) into the coil former opening (48) depends on a degree of actuation of the foot pedal, and the evaluating electronics (14) are designed in such a way that the evaluating electronics generate a pedal actuation signal in accordance with the plunging depth of the plunging body (6) into the coil former opening (48). According to the invention, the jacket (54) of the housing (4) has a peripheral opening (56), through which the magnetic coil assembly (42) can be inserted into the housing (4) in the manner of a drawer in such a way that the at least one electrical contact element (50) is arranged in the region of the peripheral opening (56), and at least one circuit board (34) populated with electronic components of the evaluating electronics (14) is fastened to the housing (4) in the region of the peripheral opening (56) in such a way that, during the fastening of the circuit board (34) to the housing (4), the at least one electrical contact element (50) protruding outward away from the magnetic coil assembly (42) comes in contact with a contact receptacle (52) of the at least one circuit board (34).