Abstract:
An electronic organ type accelerator pedal apparatus, may include a pedal housing having a pedal arm receiving space therein and a carrier fitting hole, a pedal pivotally hinged to a hinged portion of the pedal housing, a pedal arm pivotally mounted to an inner surface of the pedal housing, wherein one end portion of the pedal arm is elastically biased by an elastic member and the other end portion of which is pivotally coupled to the pedal through the carrier fitting hole to transfer an activating force of the pedal to the other end portion of the pedal arm, and a damping stopper fixed to the inner surface of the pedal housing in the pedal arm receiving space and selectively engaged with the other end portion of the pedal arm to limit a rotation of the pedal arm when the pedal arm is rotated by the elastic member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2008-0122506 filed Dec. 4, 2008, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an electronic organ type accelerator pedal. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, accelerator pedals of vehicles are devices for adjusting the number of revolution of an engine by adjusting the intake amount of gas mixture in a gasoline engine and adjusting the injection amount of fuel in a diesel engine, and divided into a pendant type accelerator pedals that is held on the dash panel and an organ type accelerator pedal that is mounted on the floor panel in accordance with the mounting structure, and a mechanical type and an electronic type accelerator pedals in accordance with the operation method. 
         [0006]    The pendent type accelerator pedal is recently widely used and gives bad operational feeling due to insensitiveness to a driver and fatigue correspondingly increases. Further, it is difficult to precisely open/close a throttle valve, such that fuel is wasted and fuel efficiency is deteriorated while the safety is low. Accordingly, an organ type accelerator pedal has been increasingly provided in deluxe vehicles in recent years. 
         [0007]    On the other hand, a mechanical accelerator pedal adjusts the amount of combustion by opening/closing the throttle valve in a carburetor using an accelerator cable. The mechanical accelerator pedal generates errors of the operational range of the throttle valve and an injection pump when the tensile force of the accelerator cable is changed by changes of the environment or decrepitude. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, an electronic accelerator pedal that electronically controls the engine and the other peripheral parts has been developed in recent years to prevent the problem. 
         [0009]    The electronic accelerator pedal is not provided with an accelerator pedal cable, such that it is possible to ensure sufficient space, and improve operational feeling and reduce fatigue of a driver because it is not influenced by changes in tensile force of a cable. Further, it is possible to reduce fuel consumption by improving fuel efficiency. 
         [0010]    The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide an electronic organ type accelerator pedal that makes it possible to reduce the cost and noise and improve durability, change the position of a pedal sensor to correct an output error of the pedal sensor when the output error is generated by misassembling, and can be used regardless of the types of pedal sensors by selectively mounting an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor, if needed. 
         [0012]    In an aspect of the present invention, the electronic organ type accelerator pedal apparatus, may include a pedal housing having a pedal arm receiving space therein and a carrier fitting hole, a pedal pivotally hinged to a hinged portion of the pedal housing, a pedal arm pivotally mounted to an inner surface of the pedal housing in the pedal arm receiving space, wherein one end portion of the pedal arm is elastically biased by an elastic member disposed in the pedal housing and the other end portion of which is pivotally coupled to a portion of the pedal through the carrier fitting hole to transfer an activating force of the pedal to the other end portion of the pedal arm, and a damping stopper fixed to the inner surface of the pedal housing in the pedal arm receiving space and selectively engaged with the other end portion of the pedal arm to limit a rotation of the pedal arm when the pedal arm is rotated by the elastic member. 
         [0013]    The electronic organ type accelerator pedal apparatus may further include a pedal sensor which is fixed to the pedal housing and engaged with the one end portion of the pedal arm through a protrusion hole formed on the pedal housing to measure an angular displacement of the pedal arm, wherein bolts holes are formed through the pedal sensor, for combination with the pedal housing, and the bolt holes are formed in elliptical shapes. 
         [0014]    The damping stopper may be an elastic member. 
         [0015]    The hinged portion of the pedal housing may be fixed to a floor panel under a driver&#39;s seat, wherein a hinge fitting groove that is open upward and to a lateral side is formed to the hinged portion, and wherein the pedal includes a hinge portion to be hingedly fitted into the hinge fitting groove of the pedal housing, and wherein a hinge protrusion is formed to the hinge portion of the pedal in a triangular cross section having a declined surface that gradually protrudes downwards from a bottom surface of the hinge portion. 
         [0016]    A kick down switch may be connected to the other end portion of the pedal arm and selectively contacts with a bottom surface of the pedal housing, when the pedal arm rotates toward the bottom surface of the pedal housing. 
         [0017]    Teflon coating may be applied to a coupling portion between the pedal housing and the pedal arm to prevent friction. 
         [0018]    The elastic member may include a first elastic member and a second elastic member enclosing the first elastic member, an elastic pad portion being disposed therebetween. 
         [0019]    According to various aspects of the present invention, a hinge portion and a pad portion of a pedal is integrally formed, such that it is possible to reduce the manufacturing process and the cost. It is possible to reduce the cost and weight by applying Teflon coating to a plurality of portions corresponding friction portions. Since it is possible to change the position of a pedal sensor while rotating it little by little using elliptical bolt holes until the output voltage of the pedal sensor fastened to a housing cover becomes normal, it is possible to prevent the pedal sensor from being unnecessarily removed and considerably reduce the cost. Further, since it is possible to selectively mount an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor to an accelerator pedal implementing one mechanism, if needed, the accelerator pedal can be used regardless of the types of the pedal sensor. 
         [0020]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an electronic organ type accelerator pedal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are a left side view and a right side view of the electronic organ type accelerator pedal of  FIG. 1  which is assembled. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 4 to 10  are views illustrating the parts of the electronic organ type accelerator pedal according an exemplary embodiment of to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0024]    It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
         [0025]    In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0027]    An electronic organ type accelerator pedal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10 , is disposed by fixing a pedal housing  10  to a floor panel  1  and a dash panel  2  extending from floor panel  1  under the driver&#39;s seat. 
         [0028]    That is, pedal housing  10  is fixed to floor panel  1  under the driver&#39;s seat and composed of a hinged portion  11  having a hinge fitting groove  11   a  that is open upward and to one side and a body  12  that is integrally formed with hinged portion  11  and fixed to dash panel  2  under the driver&#39;s seat. 
         [0029]    A protrusion fitting hole  11   c  is formed through the bottom  11   b  of hinge fitting groove  11   a.    
         [0030]    Body  12  has a pedal arm receiving space  12   a  that is open to one side and formed therein, a rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  that protrudes from the inside wall of pedal arm receiving space  12   a , and a carrier fitting hole  12   c  that is open upward from pedal arm receiving space  12   a.    
         [0031]    A pedal  20  that is operated by the driver&#39;s foot is combined with pedal housing  10 . Pedal  20  includes a hinge portion  21  that is fitted in hinge fitting groove  11   a  and a pad portion  22  that is integrally formed with hinge portion  21  to be pressed down by the driver&#39;s foot, and it operates rotatably up/down with respect to pedal housing  10 . 
         [0032]    The integral structure of hinge portion  21  and pad portion  22  makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing process and the cost. 
         [0033]    A hinge protrusion  23  that is fitted into protrusion fitting hole  11   c  when hinge portion  21  is fitted into hinge fitting groove  11   a  integrally protrudes down from the bottom of hinge portion  21 . 
         [0034]    Hinge protrusion  23  is formed in a triangular cross section having a declined surface  23   a  that gradually protrudes down from the bottom of hinge portion  21  and a vertical surface  23   b  that connects the end of declined surface  23   a  with the bottom of hinge portion  21 . 
         [0035]    By fitting hinge protrusion  23  in hinge fitting groove  11   a , the connecting force between hinge portion  21  of pedal  20  and hinge fitting groove  11   a  of pedal housing  10  is increased, and accordingly, pedal  20  is not separated from pedal housing  10  even though pedal  20  is repeatedly operated. 
         [0036]    A pedal arm  30  is rotatably disposed in pedal arm receiving space  12   a  of body  12  of pedal housing  10 . 
         [0037]    That is, pedal arm  30  is fitted on rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  to be rotatable in pedal arm receiving space  12   a , in which one end receives elastic force of a spring member  40  supported by body  12  of pedal housing  10 , a sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  integrally protrusion from one side of the end receiving the elastic force of spring member  40 , and the other end faces carrier fitting hole  12   c.    
         [0038]    Further, an embodiment of the present invention includes a carrier  50  of which one end is connected with pad portion  22  of pedal  20  and the other end is connected with pedal arm  30  through carrier fitting hole  12   c , a housing cover  60  that is combined with body  12  to close the open side of body  12  of pedal housing  10 , and a pedal sensor  70  that is fixed to a side of housing cover  60  and connected with pedal arm  30 . 
         [0039]    Pedal arm  30  has a cylindrical portion  31  that has a rotational center hole  31   a  where rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  in pedal housing  10  is inserted and of which both sides are in rotatably contact with body  12  of pedal housing  10  having rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  and the inner side of housing cover  60 , a front arm  32  that integrally protrudes in one direction from cylindrical portion  31  and receives the elastic force of spring member  40  at the end where a fork  32   a  in which an arm bracket  32   b  is formed on one side of fork  32   a  and sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  integrally protrudes from arm bracket  32   b , and a rear arm  33  that integrally protrudes in one direction from cylindrical portion  31  and has a rod  33   a  at the end connected with carrier  50 . 
         [0040]    In this configuration, Teflon coating  81  is applied to rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  of pedal housing  10 , both sides of cylindrical portion  31  of pedal arm  30 , body  12  of pedal housing  10  that contacts with both sides of cylindrical portion  31 , and the inner side of housing cover  60 , to prevent friction. 
         [0041]    Teflon coating  81  is a fluorine resin coating having inherent characteristics of Teflon, such as non-adhererance (separation), heat resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and electric conductivity, by applying Teflon coating (fluorine resin) to a material, such as iron, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, glass, rubber, ceramic, and plastic, by process of spraying or powder electrostatic coating, drying, heating, sintering. The inherent separation, the Teflon coating has chemical resistance, heat resistance, insulation safety, and low frictional coefficient, such that it is a technology having various functions, easily overcoming a problem of surface process that is difficult to be solved by other products. 
         [0042]    It is possible to remove a hinge bush, which is generally used, by applying Teflon coating  81 , and accordingly, the cost and weight are reduced. 
         [0043]    A switch groove  33   b  that is open downward is formed in rear arm  33  of pedal arm  30  and a kick down switch  82  that gives kick down feeling to a driver is inserted in switch groove  33   b.    
         [0044]    Kick down switch  82  is disposed to operate in contact with the bottom of body  12  of pedal housing  10 , when rear arm  33  rotates to the bottom of body  12  of pedal housing  10 . 
         [0045]    Carrier  50  is provided to transmit rotational force, which is generated when the driver presses down pad portion  22  of pedal  20  and pad portion  22  is correspondingly rotates to body  12  of pedal housing  10 , to pedal arm  30 . A fitting protrusion  51  that is rotatably fitted in a fitting hole (not shown) of pad portion  22  is formed at both sides of the upper end, a fork  52  that is fitted around rod  33   a  formed at rear arm  33  of pedal arm  30  is formed at the lower end, and a carrier protrusion  53  integrally protruding at the above fork  52  is formed in the longitudinal direction of body  12  and positioned in pedal arm receiving space  12   a.    
         [0046]    Carrier  50  prevents pedal  20  from rotating to body  12  of pedal housing  10  by own weight. 
         [0047]    A damping stopper  83  that contacts with carrier protrusion  53  when pedal arm  30  is rotated by the elastic return force of spring member  40  is disposed in pedal arm receiving space  12   a  of body  12  of pedal housing  10 . 
         [0048]    Damping stopper  83  is provided to determine the initial position of pad portion  22  of pedal  20  by contacting with carrier protrusion  53 , when pad portion  22  is rotated upward from body  12  by the elastic return force of spring member  40  after being pressed down to body  12  of pedal housing  10  by the driver, and preferable made of rubber to prevent a noise when contacting with carrier protrusion  53 . 
         [0049]    Sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  of pedal arm  30  is combined with a sensor lever  71  of pedal sensor  70  through housing cover  60 . 
         [0050]    For this configuration, a protrusion hole  61  is formed through housing cover  60  such that sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  can smoothly rotate about the center of rotational shaft protrusion  12   b.    
         [0051]    As pedal arm  30  rotates, sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  rotates, and as sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  rotate, sensor lever  71  rotates correspondingly. 
         [0052]    Pedal sensor  70  detects changes in output by rotation of sensor lever  71 , when sensor lever  71  rotates, and transmits the detected signal to a throttle control unit. 
         [0053]    The throttle control unit receiving the electric signal from pedal sensor  70  activates an actuator by sending a control signal, and the amount of combustion is adjusted while a throttle valve is opened/closed by operation of the actuator. 
         [0054]    Pedal sensor  70  is fastened to a side of housing cover  60  by a plurality of bolts  84 . 
         [0055]    For this configuration, bolt holes  72  through which bolts  84  are inserted are formed through pedal sensor  70 , in which bolt holes  72  are formed elliptical shapes. 
         [0056]    The reason that bolt holes  72  are formed in elliptical shapes is for changing the position of pedal sensor  70  while rotating it little by little when output voltage of pedal sensor  70  is abnormal, after pedal sensor  70  is fastened to housing cover  60 . 
         [0057]    That is, although the pedal sensor was removed when the output voltage was abnormal because it was impossible to change the position of the pedal sensor once it was mounted in the related art, in an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to change the position of pedal sensor  70  while rotating it little by little until the output voltage of pedal sensor  70  becomes normal, using elliptical bolt holes  72 . 
         [0058]    Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention largely helps reduce the cost. 
         [0059]    Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to selectively mount an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor to the accelerator pedal forming one mechanism, if needed. 
         [0060]    That is, it is possible to selectively fit any one of an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor on sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  of pedal arm  30 . 
         [0061]    As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since it is possible to selectively mount an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor to the accelerator pedal forming one mechanism, if needed, it can be used regardless of the types of pedal sensor  70 . 
         [0062]    Advantage of the present invention described above can considerably reduce the cost, as compared with the related art, which required to develop an accelerator pedal having different configurations in accordance with the types of pedal sensors. 
         [0063]    On the other hand, plate protrusions  32   d  protrude from both sides of front arm  32  of pedal arm  30  and a spring plate  85  is fitted around plate protrusions  32   d.    
         [0064]    A spring protrusion  85   a  where the lower end of spring member  40  is fitted protrudes upward from the upper surface of spring plate  85 . 
         [0065]    The present invention further includes a friction shoe  86  that is fitted in fork  32   a  of front arm  32  of pedal arm  30 . 
         [0066]    The front end of friction shoe  86  contacts with spring plate  85 . 
         [0067]    Friction shoe  86  causes friction by selectively contacting with the inner side of body  12  of pedal housing  10  when pedal arm  30  is operated, and achieves hysteresis by reducing vibration and noise created in increasing output of the engine. 
         [0068]    Spring member  40  is a compression spring and the lower end of spring member  40  is fitted on spring protrusion  85   a  of spring plate  85  and the upper end extending vertically upward is inserted in a spring groove (not shown) formed on the inner upper surface of body  12 . 
         [0069]    Spring member  40  has a double structure of an inner spring  41  and an outer spring  42  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0070]    Outer spring  42  is formed to have a larger diameter than inner spring  41  and fitted around inner spring  41 . 
         [0071]    A pad member  43  is inserted between inner spring  41  and outer spring  42  to prevent interference and a sponge is used as pad member  43 . 
         [0072]    The operation and effect of an embodiment of the present invention is described hereafter. 
         [0073]    As a driver presses down pad portion  22  of pedal  20 , pad portion  22  is rotated to body  12  of pedal housing  10  by hinge portion  21  and carrier  50  moves down. 
         [0074]    As carrier  50  moves, pedal arm  30  rotates counterclockwise about rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  from the position shown in  FIG. 10  and spring member  40  is correspondingly deformed such that entire length is reduced. 
         [0075]    Meanwhile, sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  rotates with the rotation of pedal arm  30 , and as sensor fitting protrusion  32   c  rotates, sensor lever  71  rotates. Pedal sensor  70  detects a change of output value in accordance with operation of sensor lever  71  and sends an electric signal to the throttle control unit, and the throttle control unit adjusts the amount of combustion while opening/closing the throttle valve by sending a control signal to the throttle control unit to activate the actuator. 
         [0076]    When the driver releases pad portion  22 , pedal arm  30  is rotated clockwise, i.e., in the opposite direction to the above rotational direction by the return force of spring member  40  and carrier  50  moves upward. Further, pad portion  22  rotates away from body  12  of pedal housing  10  and returns to the initial position. 
         [0077]    The maximum rotational angle of pad portion  22  rotating upward is restrained by carrier protrusion  53  and damping stopper  83 , such that pad portion  22  always returns to the initial position and is ready for the next operation. 
         [0078]    Therefore, the electronic organ type accelerator pedal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can maximize the safety using spring member  40  having a double structure of carrier protrusion  53  of carrier  50  and damping stopper  83 , which restrain reverse rotation of pad portion  22 , while maintaining the advantages of an electronic accelerator pedal that can ensure a sufficient space, improving operational feeling and reducing fatigue of the driver without being influenced by changes of tensile force of a cable, and reducing fuel consumption by improving fuel efficiency. 
         [0079]    That is, pad portion  22  that has been pressed down to pedal housing  10  by a driver returns to the initial position while reversing away from pedal housing  10  when being released, in which pad portion  22  may be fully pulled back, when the driver&#39;s shoes or cloth is caught on pad  22 . 
         [0080]    This case frequently occurs when a vehicle travels on a steep upward slope. 
         [0081]    However, since carrier protrusion  53  and damping stopper  83  restrain the reverse maximum rotational angle of pad portion  22 , pad portion  22  is prevented from fully pulled back from the normal position and the safety of the vehicle is considerably improved. 
         [0082]    On the contrary, when a vehicle travels on a steep downward slope, pad portion  22  receives force to rotate it toward pedal housing  10  by the own weight; however, in this condition, carrier  50  receiving the force of spring member  40  through pedal arm  30  restrains rotation of pad portion  22 , thereby achieving safety for driver&#39;s operation. 
         [0083]    Further, even if any one spring of inner spring  41  and outer spring  42  is broken, the other spring can sufficiently performs the function, such that the present invention also largely improves safety. 
         [0084]    Further, since hinge portion  21  and pad portion  22  of pedal  20  are integrally formed, the present invention can reduce the manufacturing process and the cost. 
         [0085]    Further, since Teflon coating  81  is applied to the friction portion, i.e., rotational shaft protrusion  12   b  of pedal housing  10 , both sides of cylindrical portion  31  of pedal arm  30 , body  12  of pedal housing  10  which is in contact with both sides of cylindrical portion  31 , and the inner side of housing cover  60 , the present invention can significantly reduce the cost and weight, without using a hinge bush that is generally used. 
         [0086]    Further, since according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to change the position of pedal sensor  70  using elliptical bolt holes  72 , until the output voltage of pedal sensor  70  fastened to housing cover  60  becomes normal, it is possible to prevent pedal sensor  70  from being unnecessarily removed and considerably reduce the cost. 
         [0087]    Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since it is possible to selectively mount an inexpensive contact type pedal sensor and an expensive non-contact type pedal sensor to an accelerator pedal implementing one mechanism, the accelerator pedal can be used regardless of the types of pedal sensor  70  and it is possible to considerably reduce the cost. 
         [0088]    For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper” and “lower” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
         [0089]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.