Vehicle pedal assembly

A pedal assembly for a vehicle, said pedal assembly comprising:

• a pedal operatively engageable by a vehicle operator;
• a collapsible push rod coupled to the pedal and having a first rod member operatively engaged with a second rod member;
• a control mechanism for maintaining said push rod in a non-collapsed state during normal vehicle operation, said control mechanism being released independently of an external force applied to said pedal assembly and releasing upon experiencing a predetermined vehicle deceleration to allow the first rod member to move relative to the second rod member to reduce force transferred to the pedal;
• and wherein said control mechanism comprises an inertial mass that shifts relative to said first and second rod members in response to deceleration.

A releasable pedal system for an automotive vehicle, said system comprising:

• a pedal assembly including a pedal operatively engageable by a vehicle operator;
• an actuator assembly for generating an amount of force responsive to the pedal assembly;
• a collapsible push rod connected between said pedal assembly and said actuator assembly, said collapsible push rod including a first rod member and a second rod member which are collapsible in an energy-consuming manner upon experiencing a predetermined amount of axial force;
• and
• a control mechanism for preventing relative movement between said first and second rod members during normal vehicle operation, said control mechanism being operable to allow for relative movement between said first and second rod members upon experiencing a predetermined deceleration.

A brake pedal assembly for an automotive vehicle, said brake pedal assembly comprising:

• a brake pedal operatively engageable by a vehicle operator;
• a collapsible push rod having a first rod member operatively engaged with a second rod member;
• and
• a control mechanism including an inertial mass responsive to deceleration for maintaining said push rod in a non-collapsed state during normal vehicle operation, said control mechanism being deployed upon experiencing a predetermined vehicle deceleration to allow the first rod member to move relative to the second rod member to a collapsed state to reduce force transferred to the pedal during a vehicle collision.