Pedal unit for a motor vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsThomas Dohmen, Steffen Schoenfuss, Christina Kallas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pedal unit for a motor vehicle may include a multiplicity of cylinder elements which are guided one inside the other in a telescopic fashion along a movement axis, a pedal face for a user, one or more spring elements, and a sensor unit. The pedal face may be coupled to one of the cylinder elements. Each of the spring elements is configured to interact with two cylinder elements assigned thereto, as a result of which, when the pedal face is activated an opposing force can be generated at the pedal face, the opposing force depending progressively on movement travel of the pedal face. The sensor unit may be configured to generate an output signal that is dependent on activation of the pedal face.
Claims16
A pedal unit for a motor vehicle, the pedal unit comprising:
- a plurality of cylinder elements which are guided one inside the other in a telescopic fashion along a movement axis such that each cylinder element contributes to a length of the pedal unit when the pedal unit is fully extended, the plurality of cylinder elements comprising a first cylinder element that is guided inside a second cylinder element that is guided inside a third cylinder element;
- a pedal face for a user, the pedal face being coupled to the first cylinder element;
- and
- a plurality of spring elements, each spring element being configured to interact with two cylinder elements to contribute to an opposing force at the pedal face;
- wherein the second cylinder element includes a vent hole to control pressure.
A pedal unit for a motor vehicle, the pedal unit comprising:
- a plurality of cylinder elements which are guided one inside the other in a telescopic fashion along a movement axis;
- a pedal face coupled to one of the cylinder elements;
- a plurality of spring elements, each spring element being configured to interact with two cylinder elements to contribute to an opposing force at the pedal face;
- and
- a sensor unit configured to generate an output signal that is dependent on activation of the pedal face, the sensor unit being disposed within a support element;
- wherein each of the spring elements directly engages with the support element to apply the opposing force on the support element for measurement by the sensor unit.
A pedal unit for a motor vehicle, the pedal unit comprising:
- a plurality of cylinder elements which are guided one inside the other in a telescopic fashion along a movement axis such that each cylinder element contributes to a length of the pedal unit when the pedal unit is fully extended, the plurality of cylinder elements comprising a first cylinder element, a second cylinder element, and a third cylinder element, wherein the second cylinder element includes a vent hole to control pressure;
- a pedal face for a user, the pedal face being coupled to the first cylinder element;
- a plurality of spring elements, each spring element being configured to interact with two cylinder elements to contribute to an opposing force at the pedal face;
- a sensor unit configured to generate an output signal that is dependent on activation of the pedal face;
- and
- an adjustment mechanism connected to the third cylinder element and configured to extend and retract the pedal face via movement of the third cylinder element;
- wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to extend the pedal face into an operating position relative to a surface of a footwell of a motor vehicle;
- wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to retract the pedal face into a storage position relative to the surface of the footwell to prevent activation of the pedal face in an autonomous driving mode for the motor vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.