Rearward Pedal Restraint via Knee Panel Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rearward pedal movement restraint systems in vehicles face challenges when the knee airbag module is mounted high, leading to increased component parts and costs, and are not effective in vehicles with body floor portions that accelerate significantly during collisions.

Innovation Solution

A rearward pedal movement restraint assembly that utilizes a knee panel attached to an instrument panel reinforcement, with a plastically deformable upper bracket and a rigid lower bracket to support the reaction force of the knee airbag, reducing the number of components and costs by using the knee panel to restrain the pedal's rearward movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dedicated rearward movement prevention bracket is added to stop pedal rearward movement, then the pedal restraint function is improved, but the number of component parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedal restraint functionVSAvoidnumber of component parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the knee panel (used for knee airbag deployment) with the pedal restraint function by positioning its front end to contact the pedal's intermediate portion. This combination eliminates the need for a separate dedicated restraint bracket, reducing component count while maintaining effective pedal restraint during collisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The knee panel serves dual functions: (1) as a deployment surface for the knee airbag to protect the occupant's knee, and (2) as a restraint mechanism for the pedal by contacting its intermediate portion. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by using an existing component for an additional safety function without adding extra parts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Weight of moving object

If the knee airbag module is mounted higher to reduce size and weight, then the knee airbag dimensions are improved, but the pedal restraint function deteriorates because the knee panel cannot contact the pedal intermediate portion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveknee airbag module weightVSAvoidpedal restraint function

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the knee panel in the vehicle widthwise direction (transverse dimension) from its mounting position at the knee airbag module. This dimensional extension allows the front end of the knee panel to reach the pedal's intermediate portion even when the module is mounted high, maintaining the restraint function while allowing compact module placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The knee panel is functionally segmented into two distinct regions: the intermediate portion that contacts the occupant's knee for airbag deployment, and the front end portion that contacts the pedal's intermediate portion for restraint. This segmentation allows each region to serve its specific function independently, enabling the panel to effectively perform both knee protection and pedal restraint despite the high mounting position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If the body floor portion is reinforced to support high acceleration during collision, then the structural strength is improved, but the mass increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebody floor strengthVSAvoidvehicle mass

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the pedal restraint function from the body floor structure by using the knee panel to contact and restrain the pedal's intermediate portion. This extraction eliminates the need to reinforce the body floor for pedal restraint purposes, maintaining structural strength where needed while reducing unnecessary mass in other areas

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 system effectively reduces the rearward movement of pedals during frontal collisions by pivoting them forward, while maintaining occupant protection and avoiding increases in component parts and mass, even when the knee airbag module is mounted high.

Implementation Method 1

the bracket has an upper bracket that is plastically deformable by a load that is transmitted to the knee panel by the knees of the occupant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Implementation Method 2

the rearward movement of the pedal caused by the impact of the frontal collision brings the pedal in contact with a front end portion of the knee panel at an intermediate portion of the pedal that is below a rotation center of the pedal so that the pedal pivots toward the front of the vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLeverage: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP2621762B1Rearward pedal movement restraint assembly for vehicle

Publication Date: 2015.01.07 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

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AI summary

In a rearward pedal movement restraint assembly for a vehicle, an intermediate portion of a clutch pedal, which moves rearward by the impact of a frontal collision of the vehicle when the frontal collision occurs, contacts a forward portion of a knee panel so that the clutch pedal pivots toward the front of the vehicle so that the amount of rearward movement of the clutch pedal is reduced.