Vehicle accessory pedal and method
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsKevin Kolpasky, James Embach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention includes a foot-operated accessory pedal located on the floor area of a vehicle interior. The accessory pedal is depressible to activate one of a plurality of vehicle functions. Further included with the present invention is a hand-operated input device operative to assign which of the plurality of vehicle functions the accessory pedal will influence upon selective depressions. Moreover, a display unit is included operative to indicate which of the plurality of vehicle functions the accessory pedal is operative to influence.
Claims11
A vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior having a floor area;
- an accessory pedal mounted with respect to said floor area of said vehicle interior;
- a control unit operable to control a plurality of vehicular functions;
- wherein said accessory pedal is selectively depressible and upon depression of said accessory pedal a first signal is sent from said accessory pedal to said control unit, wherein said first signal is operable to activate one of said plurality of vehicular functions;
- and
- an input device mounted with respect to said vehicle interior and operable to send a second signal to said control unit, wherein said second signal assigns one of said plurality of vehicular functions to said first signal received from said accessory pedal;
- wherein said accessory pedal is accessible to an operator of the vehicle.
A multi-function control system for a plurality of vehicle accessories, comprising:
- a foot-operated activator;
- a hand-operated programmer;
- and
- a control unit connectable to said plurality of accessories and preselectable by said programmer for enabling said activator to control the accessory preselected.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a first component or system characterized by a first variable characteristic;
- a second component or system characterized by a second variable characteristic;
- a control unit characterized by a first mode and a second mode of operation;
- a selectively depressible pedal being sufficiently configured to transmit a first signal to the control unit when depressed;
- and
- an input device operatively connected to the control unit and being manipulable to cause the control unit to alternate between the first and second modes of operation;
- wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first variable characteristic to change in response to the first signal during the first mode of operation;
- and
- wherein the control unit is configured to cause the second variable characteristic to change in response to the first control signal during the second mode of operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.