# US 2021/0240215 A1 · Retainer for brake booster rod > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240215 A1 - Document ID: US20210240215A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/163,965 - Filed: 2021-02-01 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: Ventra Group Inc. - Applicants: Ventra Group, Co. - Inventors: Steve JARJOURA; Terry REID; Dusit SUKONTHAPANICH; Maria FEDORENKO; Khanjan PATEL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240215A1 ## CPC - F16B 21/075: {the socket having resilient parts on its inside and outside} - G05G 1/46: Means, e.g. links, for connecting the pedal to the controlled unit - B60T 7/06: Disposition of pedal - B60T 11/18: Connection thereof to initiating means - F16B 2/20: Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening - G05G 1/44: pivoting - F16B 2/241: {of sheet metal} - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract A pedal assembly comprises a pedal arm; a pedal plate provided on a second end of an elongated lever structure of the pedal arm; a vehicle mounting bracket; and a retainer. The retainer is installed on the pedal arm and is configured to operatively connect the pedal arm and an end portion of an operating member so as to transmit the movement of the pedal arm between a first and a second arm position to a functional system. The retainer is in an open position for insertion of the end portion of the operating member therein. The retainer is configured to move or to be movable from the open position to a closed position in which the retainer retains the end portion of the operating member received therein. The retainer is movable from the open position to the closed position by insertion of the operating member therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pedal assembly for connection to an end portion of an operating member that controls a functional system of a vehicle, the pedal assembly comprising: a pedal arm comprising an elongated lever structure with a first end and a second end and configured for movement between a first arm position and a second arm position; a pedal plate provided on the second end of the elongated lever structure of the pedal arm for depression by a foot of a driver of the vehicle; a vehicle mounting bracket; the first end of the pedal arm being operatively connected to the vehicle mounting bracket for movement of the pedal arm between the first arm position and the second arm position; a retainer installed on the pedal arm, the retainer configured to operatively connect the pedal arm and the end portion of the operating member so as to transmit the movement of the pedal arm between the first arm position and the second arm position to the functional system; wherein the retainer is in an open position for insertion of the end portion of the operating member therein, wherein the retainer is configured to move or to be movable from the open position to a closed position in which the retainer retains the end portion of the operating member received therein, said retainer being movable from the open position to the closed position by insertion of the operating member therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pedal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a retainer housing that is connected to the pedal arm, the retainer being installed in the retainer housing in the open position and moveable therein to the closed position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pedal assembly of claim 2, wherein the retainer housing includes one or more retainer connector portions and the retainer includes one or more retainer housing connector portions, wherein the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing are configured to engage with the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer when the retainer is in the open position and the closed position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pedal assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer includes two retainer housing connector portions and the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing includes a retainer connector portion, wherein one of the two retainer housing connector portions of the retainer engages with the retainer connector portion of the retainer housing when the retainer is in the open position and the other of the two retainer housing connector portions of the retainer engages with the retainer connector portion when the retainer is in the closed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The pedal assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer includes a retainer housing connector portion and the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing includes two retainer connector portions, wherein one of the two retainer connector portions of the retainer housing engages with the retainer housing connector portion of the retainer when the retainer is in the open position and the other of the two retainer connector portions of the retainer housing engages with the retainer housing connector portion of the retainer when the retainer is in the closed position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The pedal assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer includes a retainer housing connector portion and the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing includes a retainer connector portion, wherein the retainer connector portion of the retainer housing engages with the retainer housing connector portion of the retainer when the retainer is in the open position and the closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The pedal assembly of claim 3, wherein one of the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer is configured to be biased into engagement with one of the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing when the retainer is in the open position so as to support the retainer in the open position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pedal assembly of claim 7, wherein another of the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer is configured to be biased into engagement with the one of the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing when the retainer is in the closed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the retainer is configured in its open position to receive the operating member inserted in a direction that is along a longitudinal axis of the operating member. ### Claim 10 A method of connecting a pedal assembly to an end portion of an operating member that controls a functional system of a vehicle, the pedal assembly comprising a pedal arm comprising an elongated lever structure with a first end and a second end and configured for movement between a first arm position and a second arm position; a pedal plate provided on the second end of the elongated lever structure of the pedal arm for depression by a foot of a driver of the vehicle; a vehicle mounting bracket; and a retainer, the first end of the pedal arm being operatively connected to the vehicle mounting bracket for movement of the pedal arm between the first arm position and the second arm position, and the retainer being installed on the pedal arm in an open position for insertion of the end portion of the operating member therein to operatively connect the pedal arm and the end portion of the operating member so as to transmit the movement of the pedal arm between the first arm position and the second arm position to the functional system, the method comprising: inserting the operating member into the retainer, the inserting causing the retainer to move from the open position to a closed position; and retaining the end portion of the operating member received in the retainer when the retainer is in the closed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the inserting includes inserting the operating member into the retainer in a direction that is along a longitudinal axis of the operating member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the inserting includes: aligning the operating member with the retainer for an axial insertion of the operating member into the retainer in a direction that is along a longitudinal axis of the operating member, and moving the pedal arm from the first arm position to the second arm position, whereby the operating member is inserted into the retainer by relative movement between the pedal arm and the operating member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the retaining includes actuating lock portions of the retainer to retain the end portion of the operating member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, when the retainer is being moved from the open position to the closed position, portions of the retainer are moved inwardly and against bias by the retainer housing, and wherein inwardly movement of the portions of the retainer, in turn, causes actuation of lock portions of the retainer to retain the end portion of the operating member received therein. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising locking the retainer with respect to the retainer housing in the closed position of the retainer by engagement between one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing with one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the locking procedure and the retaining procedure occur simultaneously. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the engagement between the one or more retainer connector portions of the retainer housing with the one or more retainer housing connector portions of the retainer is by the inherent natural bias of the material of the retainer when the retainer is in its closed position.