Pedal Mount Enclosure With Shifted Sealing Plane for Cabin Insulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sound- and heat-insulating solutions for motor vehicle pedals are either complex to produce or require special adaptation to the shape of the pedals, limiting their effectiveness and versatility.

Innovation Solution

A sound- and heat-insulating enclosure for the pedal mount of a motor vehicle, featuring retaining contours and flanges that allow for secure sealing without additional fastening means, enabling a flexible fit with various pedal shapes and easy assembly/disassembly, made from plastic or foamed plastic for enhanced insulation and reduced weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If rubber lips or nonwovens are used to seal against pedal levers, then sound insulation is improved, but the solution requires special adaptation to the shape of the pedals and becomes complex to produce

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound insulationVSAvoidcomplexity of production

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is extracted from the pedal levers themselves and transferred to a separate enclosure that surrounds the pedal mount. This allows the sealing plane to be defined independently of the pedal lever shapes, eliminating the need for custom-shaped rubber lips or nonwovens that must conform to each pedal's specific geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

An enclosure acts as an intermediary structure between the pedal mount and the footwell cover, creating a sealed chamber that isolates the pedal assembly. This intermediary structure provides the sealing function without requiring direct contact with or adaptation to the varying shapes of the pedal levers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If seals are adapted to the shape of the pedals, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but versatility and ease of manufacture deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidcompatibility with various pedal shapes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure is designed with a universal sealing approach that works with various pedal shapes and configurations. By sealing around the pedal mount rather than the pedal levers themselves, the same enclosure design can accommodate different pedal types (accelerator, brake, clutch) without requiring shape-specific adaptations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing system is segmented into two functional parts: the enclosure that provides the sealing plane around the pedal mount, and the footwell cover that seals to the enclosure. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be decoupled from the pedal lever shapes, enabling versatility across different pedal configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If additional fastening means are used to secure the enclosure, then fixing reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of manufacture worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of fastening components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure is designed to be self-fixing to the pedal mount through retaining contours that engage with the pedal mount structure. This self-service fixing mechanism eliminates the need for additional fastening means such as screws, clips, or adhesives, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the sealing plane is positioned at the pedals, then sound insulation is achieved, but the solution becomes complex and requires modification of the pedal structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound insulationVSAvoidease of assembly and maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing plane is extracted from the pedal lever area and repositioned to the pedal mount level. This extraction allows the sealing function to be performed by the enclosure surrounding the pedal mount, eliminating the need for complex seals that would interfere with pedal lever movement and simplifying both assembly and maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 provides improved sound and heat insulation by shifting the sealing plane to the pedal mount, accommodating various pedal shapes without modification, and simplifying assembly and maintenance, while offering a cost-effective and high-quality sealing solution.

Implementation Method 1

sound- and heat-insulating enclosure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

heat insulation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS11999305B2Sound- and heat-insulating enclosure for a pedal mount of a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2024.06.04 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A sound- and heat-insulating enclosure of a pedal mount of a motor vehicle has at least one pedal mounted pivotably thereon. The enclosure has retaining contours, by which fixing on the pedal mount is possible. A pedal-independent high-quality sealing concept can be implemented by shifting a sealing plane between an interior of a cockpit and a footwell from the pedals toward the pedal mount.