Vehicular Pedal Rotation Sensor With Keyed Alignment Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular pedal assemblies lack efficient and reliable systems for tracking the rotational position and force applied to the pedal, particularly in brake-by-wire systems, where mechanical decoupling necessitates electronic sensing.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular pedal assembly with a rotation sensor that includes a pivot shaft, a sensor housing, and a target rotatable with the pedal, utilizing a key mechanism to ensure precise tracking of the pedal's rotational position through various assembly stages, ensuring accurate signal communication with the electronic controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a rotation sensor is used to track pedal position in brake-by-wire systems, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for additional sensing components and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation sensor employs a nested structure where the target is positioned within the sensor housing, and the key is housed within a recess in the sensor housing. This nesting approach consolidates multiple components into a compact arrangement, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precise rotational position tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The key acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the target and the sensor housing. It provides a simple mechanical interface that ensures proper alignment and rotational coupling without requiring complex mounting mechanisms, thereby improving measurement precision while adding minimal complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the target is retained by the key during assembly, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential movement or misalignment during operational testing
Solution Approach 1:
The key mechanism transitions from a static retention state during assembly to a dynamic locked state during operational testing. The key can be selectively engaged or disengaged from the target, allowing the system to adapt its constraints based on the operational phase, thereby ensuring both ease of manufacture and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The key is designed to preliminarily retain the target in the correct position during assembly and testing, ensuring proper alignment is established before final operation. This preliminary positioning action prevents misalignment issues during critical testing phases while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the key engages both the target and sensor housing, then stability of the object's composition is improved, but device complexity increases due to the additional engagement mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The key engagement mechanism employs local quality by creating a specific geometric interface between the key, target, and sensor housing. The key features a specific shape that matches corresponding recesses and features in the target and housing, providing stable alignment through localized geometric constraints rather than requiring complex overall mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotation sensor for a vehicular pedal includes a sensor housing, a sensor circuit secured to the sensor housing, and a target rotatable with the pedal about an axis. The target has an assembly position proximal to the sensor circuit such that the sensor circuit detects a rotational position of the target and the pedal through a range of positions. A key is selectively engageable with one or both of the target and the sensor housing. The rotation sensor has a first configuration in which the key is retained by the target and disengaged from the sensor housing. The rotation sensor has a second configuration in which the key engages both the target and the sensor housing to impede movement of the target relative to the sensor housing. The rotation sensor has a third configuration in which the key is disengaged from the target and retained by the sensor housing.