Laterally Rotating Accelerator Pad for Electric Vehicle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing accelerator and brake pedal apparatuses for motor vehicles require wide operating widths and significant force, leading to driver fatigue and difficulty in fine adjustments, especially in electric motorcars with throttle position sensors.

Innovation Solution

A pedal apparatus with a brake pedal and a laterally rotatable accelerator pad formed of reinforced plastic, featuring a convex projection and a rotatable roller, connected to a throttle position sensor that controls the driving motor via an electric signal, allowing for reduced operating width and effortless operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the accelerator mechanism uses an accelerator lever and accelerator wire arm to pull up or push down the accelerator wire, then the accelerator can be operated, but the operating width becomes wide and requires significant force, leading to driver fatigue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccelerator operation easeVSAvoidoperating force

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical accelerator wire system with an electric sensor system. The accelerator pad directly contacts a sensor that detects its position and converts it to an electrical signal, eliminating the need for mechanical linkages like accelerator levers and wire arms. This substitution reduces the operating width and force required while maintaining the accelerator's functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the mechanical transmission components (accelerator lever, accelerator wire arm, accelerator wire) from the system. By taking out these intermediate mechanical elements, the design achieves direct contact between the accelerator pad and sensor, thereby reducing the operating width and force requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the accelerator lever has a wide operating width to allow lateral movement, then the accelerator wire can be pulled up or pushed down, but the required operating width increases, necessitating more force and causing fatigue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccelerator control precisionVSAvoidoperating width

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical lever system with an electric sensor system that detects the position of the accelerator pad directly. This eliminates the need for a wide operating width mechanical linkage, as the sensor can detect position changes over a smaller range through direct contact with the accelerator pad.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an accelerator pad as an intermediary element between the driver's foot and the sensor. The pad serves as a contact surface that transmits positional information to the sensor without requiring wide lateral movement, thereby reducing the operating width while maintaining control precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the accelerator mechanism uses repeated toe turning operations, then the accelerator can be controlled, but the repeated opening and closing toe movements accumulate fatigue over long driving periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccelerator responsivenessVSAvoiddriving duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical lever and wire system with an electric sensor system that provides more responsive and less physically demanding operation. The sensor system requires smaller, less repetitive movements, reducing fatigue accumulation over long driving durations while maintaining accelerator responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Weight of moving object

If the accelerator pad is formed of reinforced plastic, then the weight and cost of the pedal apparatus is reduced, but the structural strength must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedal apparatus weightVSAvoidpad structural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses reinforced plastic, which is a composite material combining plastic with reinforcing agents (such as fiberglass or carbon fiber). This composite structure provides both weight reduction and sufficient structural strength to withstand the operational forces applied to the accelerator pad during normal driving conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS8708865B2Pedal apparatus for electric motorcar or for motor vehicle having throttle mechanism

Publication Date: 2014.04.29 NARUSE MASUYUKI

AI summary

A pedal apparatus for an electric motorcar or for a motor vehicle having a throttle mechanism, includes: a brake pedal having a brake auxiliary pad to which a brake arm is connected; and an accelerator pad configured to be rotated in the lateral direction within a predetermined angle range for an accelerating operation. The accelerator pad is formed of a reinforced plastic and is formed with a convex-shaped projection at a midsection thereof, a distal end of the accelerator arm extending from a throttle position sensor mounted on a vehicle body and rotating a predetermined angle range is disposed so as to be in abutment with the accelerator pad, and the rotation angle detected by the rotation of the accelerator arm is transmitted to an accelerator or a throttle mechanism that controls a driving motor via the throttle position sensor.