Pedal apparatus

There is provided a pedal apparatus in which connection bracket is prevented from falling off from a pedal arm even if there is a welding defect. A pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm provided with an inclined portion, an upper retaining hole, and a lower retaining hole passing therethrough. A connection bracket, having a connecting face, an upper attachment face, a lower attachment face, an upper retaining projection and a lower retaining projection, is coupled with the pedal arm, with the upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection respectively passing through the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole. Each edge of the upper attachment face and the lower attachment face is welded to the inclined portion of the pedal arm.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pedal apparatus including a pedal arm and a push rod.

BACKGROUND ART

A push rod (a link rod) is generally employed in a pedal apparatus such as an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal. When a pedal is stepped on, swinging motion of the pedal arm is converted into a back-and-forth motion via a push rod, and is transmitted to a master cylinder. In a pedal apparatus disclosed in JP 2009-140230 A, for example, a push rod is connected to a connection shaft attached to a pedal arm. In a pedal apparatus disclosed in JP H04-116270 A or JP S57-151150, a push rod is connected to a connection shaft held between a pedal arm and a connection bracket attached to the pedal arm.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

If a pedal arm is swung, a push rod moves back and forth with a slight vertical displacement since a connection point between the pedal arm and the push rod track an arc-shaped trajectory. The push rod transmits a back-and-forth motion to a master cylinder while it moves two dimensionally, namely in a back-and forth direction and vertical direction. However, due to a structural restriction such as layout of parts, a portion inclined left or right has to be provided on the pedal arm. In such case, the push rod is connected to an inclined portion. If the push rod is attached to the inclined portion of the pedal arm, the connection point of the push rod and the pedal arm also displaces in a left-and-right direction in addition to the vertical direction while moving back and forth.

Alternatively, a bracket may be provided on the inclined portion of the pedal arm to connect the push rod thereto. In this case, the push rod is connected only to the connection bracket unlike a pedal apparatus disclosed in JP H04-116270 A or JP S57-151150 A. If the connection bracket should come off the pedal arm, the pedal arm and the push rod separates to lose a control of a master cylinder.

A connection bracket is typically fixed to a pedal arm by welding as described in, for example, paragraph [0021] of JP H04-116270 A. If there should be a defect in the welding, the bracket might fall off to lose control of the master cylinder. The present invention aims to provide a pedal apparatus in which the bracket is prevented from falling off even if there is a defect in welding.

Means to Solve the Problems

The present invention provides a pedal apparatus including: a pedal arm swingable back and forth around a horizontal pivot shaft, the pedal arm provided with an inclined portion inclined in an extending direction of the pivot shaft; a connection bracket attached to the inclined portion of the pedal arm; and a push rod connected to the connection bracket. The pedal arm is provided with an upper retaining hole and a lower retaining hole, each passing through the inclined portion of the pedal arm. The connection bracket includes: a connecting face parallel to a virtual plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft; an upper attachment face extending from an upper edge of the connecting face; a lower attachment face extending from a lower edge of the connecting face; an upper retaining projection extending from an edge of the upper attachment face; and a lower retaining projection extending from an edge of the lower attachment face. The pedal arm and the connection bracket are coupled in a state that the upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection respectively pass through the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole. Each of the edge of the upper attachment face and the edge of the lower attachment face of the connection bracket is contacted with the inclined portion of the pedal arm and is fixed thereto by welding. The connection bracket is thereby prevented from falling off the pedal arm, if a welded joint between the inclined portion of the pedal arm and the connection bracket should break.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting face of the connection bracket is located on an upper side of the inclined portion of the pedal arm. The upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection respectively pass through the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole from an upper side of the pedal arm. The upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection are thereby prevented from coming off respectively from the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole.

In a preferred embodiment, at least either one of the upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection is folded or curved in shape. The upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection are thereby further prevented from coming off respectively from the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole.

In a preferred embodiment, at least either one of an opening of the upper retaining hole and an opening of the lower retaining hole is larger than a cross-section of the upper retaining projection or a cross-section of the lower retaining projection. If a welded joint between the inclined portion of the pedal arm and the connection bracket should break, a collision noise sounds to help a driver notice the problem.

The pedal apparatus includes the connection bracket provided with the upper retaining projection and the lower retaining projection, respectively passing through the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole provided on the inclined portion of the pedal arm. According to this, the connection bracket is prevented from falling off from the pedal arm, and thereby the push rod connected to the connection bracket remains controllable even if a welded joint between the inclined portion of the pedal arm and the connection bracket should break.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to Figs. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Modifications and variations may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described and as defined in the claims. One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2. A pedal apparatus of the present embodiment includes a pedal arm1which is pivotally swingable back and forth around a horizontal pivot shaft11. The pedal arm1is provided with an inclined portion12bent in an extending direction of the pivot shaft11. In this embodiment, the extending direction of the pivot shaft11corresponds to left and right directions facing the paper surface inFIG. 1, and to a side of a reader facing the paper inFIG. 2. A connection bracket2is attached to the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1. The connection bracket2includes a connecting face21parallel to a virtual plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft11. The connecting face21is connected to a push rod3. The push rod3is extending from a master cylinder33fixed to a body of a vehicle. The body of the vehicle is not illustrated here. In this description, “front” is defined as a direction of forward movement of the vehicle seen from a driver, and “back” is the opposite of the front. “Right” and “left” are respectively defined as right-hand side and left-hand side of the driver.

The pedal arm1is made of a metal plate bent to the right immediately under the pivot shaft11. The inclined portion12is extending straight from the bending point. A pedal pad14is attached to a lower end of the inclined portion12. The pedal arm1is pivotally attached to an attachment bracket15by the pivot shaft11, and is installed to the body side of the vehicle via the attachment bracket15. The attachment bracket15is made of a metal plate with “C-shaped” cross-section, including a pair of opposing, parallel flanges. In this description, “C-shape” is refers to a shape having a pair of opposing surfaces and another one surface bridging a pair of opposing edges of the pair of opposing surfaces. The pivot shaft11passes through a bearing pipe13piercing an upper end of the pedal arm1. Each end of the pivot shaft11is supported by the attachment bracket15. The pedal arm1swings forward when the pedal pad14is stepped on. When the pedal pad14is released, the pedal arm1swings backward and return to the original position. The pedal arm1returns by a returning mechanism such as a coil spring built in the pivot shaft11.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the pedal arm1is provided with an upper retaining hole121and a lower retaining hole122near the upper end of the inclined portion12. Each hole passes through the inclined portion12. The upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122are parallel arranged along the extending direction spacing a prescribed interval. The upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122are similar in shape, pass through the pedal arm1, and are long holes of which longer sides lie in the front and back direction. A circumferential edge of the upper retaining hole121and an opening of the lower retaining hole122are chamfered on a side from which an upper retaining projection222and a lower retaining projection232of the connection bracket2is to be inserted. However, the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122are to be arranged in the same position in back and forth, or to be arranged in shifted position in back and forth. For example, the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122are to be different in size or shape from each other. Each shape of the opening of the upper retaining hole121and the opening of the lower retaining hole122is not limited as long as each of them is respectively larger than a cross-section of the upper retaining projection222and a cross-section of the lower retaining projection232. For example, as for a size of the opening of the upper retaining hole121and the opening the lower retaining hole122, a vertical width of each opening is nearly the same as respective vertical widths namely thicknesses of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232. A width of each opening in back-and-forth direction is larger than respective widths of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232. According to this configuration, if a welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break, the connection bracket2is tilted in specified direction with respect to the pedal arm1as illustrated inFIG. 6andFIG. 7.

In the present embodiment, the opening of the upper retaining hole121and the opening of the lower retaining hole122are respectively wider in back-and-forth direction than the cross-section of the upper retaining projection222and the cross-section of the lower retaining projection232. If a welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232become movable respectively within the range of the width of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. This makes a collision noise by, for example colliding an edge of the upper attachment face221and edge of the lower attachment face231with the inclined portion12, and colliding the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232with the inner circumferential surface of the upper retaining hole and the lower retaining hole122. The collision noise will help the driver notice early that the connection bracket2is disjointed from the pedal arm1, and to recognize danger and necessity of repair.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the connection bracket2is a member made of a metal plate including a connecting face21parallel to a virtual plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft11, an upper attachment face22bent to the left at an upper edge of the connecting face21and extending therefrom, and lower attachment face23bent also to the left at a lower edge of the connecting face21and extending therefrom. “The virtual plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft11” is parallel to a pivot plane of the pedal arm1. The virtual plane is a vertical plane in the present embodiment. The pivot plane of the pedal arm1is a plane that includes a trajectory of swinging motion of the pedal arm. If a pedal arm1is swung, connecting face21moves back and forth while a vertically displacing without tilting its surface. The push rod3connected to the connecting face21, therefore, transmits aback-and-forth motion to the master cylinder without displacing left and right. The upper attachment face22and the lower attachment face23are not limited in shape or size as long as they are capable of attaching the connection bracket2to the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1. The upper retaining projection222is extending from an edge221of the upper attachment face22. The lower retaining projection232is extending from an edge231of the lower attachment face23. Although the connecting face21, the upper attachment face22, the lower attachment face23, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are integrated with each other in the present embodiment, for example, one or all of these members are to be independently made and connected each other.

In the present embodiment, the push rod3is axially attached to the connecting face21in the manner described below. As illustrated inFIG. 1,FIG. 2andFIG. 5, the connecting face21is provided with a connecting hole211passing therethrough and provided on the approximate vertical center thereof. A connecting pin32passes through the connecting hole211from the right side in parallel with the pivot shaft11. An end of the connecting pin32sticking out on the other side of the connecting face21is retained by engaging a split pin. Each end of the connecting pin32is supported by a bracket31. The bracket31is C-shape in plain view, sandwiching the connecting face21. A rear end of the push rod3is attached to a front portion of the bracket31.

The upper retaining projection222is extending in left direction from front side of the edge221of the upper attachment face22. The lower retaining projection232is extending in left direction from front side of the edge231of the lower attachment face23. In the present embodiment, each of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232is twice as long as a thickness of the connecting face21or longer, and is a cuboid shape with a rectangular cross-section. Each of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232respectively passes through the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122from the upper right, in an approximately perpendicular direction to the connecting face21. A length of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are not particularly limited. For example, the length of each of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are to be to an extent that each at least sticks out on the other side of the inclined portion12in a state that each is inserted into the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. Each of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232is preferred to be longer so that each is less likely to come off the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. Lengths of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are to be either the same or different.

In the present embodiment, an upper face and a lower face of the upper retaining projection222respectively slidably contact with an upper side of the inner circumferential face and a lower side of the inner circumferential face of the upper retaining hole121. An upper face and a lower face of the lower retaining projection232respectively slidably contact with an upper side of the inner circumferential face and a lower side of inner circumferential face of the lower retaining hole122. A front face and a back face of the upper retaining projection222are respectively apart from an front side of the inner circumferential face and a back side of the inner circumferential face of the upper retaining hole121. A front face and a back face of the lower retaining projection232are respectively apart from an front side of the inner circumferential face and a back side of the inner circumferential face of the lower retaining hole122. Therefore, if a welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2breaks and the pedal arm swings, the connection bracket2displaces mainly in back-and-forth direction with respect to the pedal arm1. At least one of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232is engaged on the front side of the inner circumferential face or the back side of the inner circumferential face of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. This prevents the connection bracket2from falling off the pedal arm1.

FIG. 4illustrates a state in which the connection bracket2is attached to the pedal arm1. In the present embodiment, each of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232is inserted into the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122from the upper right side of the connecting face21. Although the connection bracket2is to be attached to either upper face side or lower face side of the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1, the connection bracket2is preferred to be attached on the upper face side of the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1. In this configuration, insertion direction of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232includes a vector component parallel to gravity, thereby the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are respectively prevented from falling off the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. In the present embodiment, each of the edge221of the upper attachment face and the edge231of the lower attachment face abuts to the upper face of the inclined portion12, and the upper face side of the inclined portion12and the both edges are fillet welded. A weld bead24is formed on a portion where weld jointed. The weld bead24is formed between the upper face of the inclined portion12and a back side of the edge of the upper attachment face221behind the upper retaining projection222, and between the upper face of the inclined portion12and a back side of the edge of the lower attachment face231behind the lower retaining projection232. The weld bead24on the edge of the lower attachment face231is illustrated inFIG. 2.

If the connection bracket2is firmly fixed to the pedal arm1by welding, back-and-forth swinging motion of the pedal arm1is transmitted to the push rod3via the connection bracket2as illustrated inFIG. 5. The connecting face21of the connection bracket2where the push rod3is connected is parallel to the virtual plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft11. A connection point between the connecting face21and the push rod3therefore tracks a circular trajectory parallel to the virtual plane. Thus the swinging motion of the pedal arm1is converted into back-and-forth motion of the push rod3without torsion.

If the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket should break due to some problems such as a welding defect and both of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232of the connection bracket2come off respectively of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122, the connection bracket2would fall off the pedal arm1. However, if the pedal pad14is stepped on and the pedal arm1swings back and forth, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232respectively tilt in back-and-forth direction with respect to the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1to prevent from coming off the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. More in detail, if the pedal arm1swings forward, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232of the connection bracket2tilt forward as illustrated inFIG. 6. At least one of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232engage with, for example, the back side of the inner circumferential face of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. The upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are thereby prevented from coming off the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. Meanwhile, if the pedal arm1swings backward, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232of the connection bracket2tilt backward as illustrated inFIG. 7. At least one of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232engages with, for example, the front side of the inner circumferential face of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. The upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232are thereby prevented from coming off the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122. Thus, the connection bracket2is prevented from falling off the pedal arm1if the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break. This falling-off prevention mechanism is also advantageous in terms of cost.

If the welded joint between the inclined portion12of the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break, the connection bracket2still follows the swinging motion of the pedal arm1, though incompletely compared to when it is fixed to the pedal arm1. The swinging motion of the pedal arm1therefore still converted into back-and-forth motion of the push rod3. In other words, the pedal apparatus does not lose its function immediately after the breakage of the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2. Since the connection bracket2is disjointed from the pedal arm1and is movable to some extent thereto, the driver would feel strange when stepping on the pedal apparatus. This will help the driver notice the problem at an early time.

If the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break and the pedal arm1is swung, the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection233of the connection bracket2tilt in back-and-forth direction with respect to the pedal arm1. The edge of the upper attachment face221and the edge of the lower attachment face231collide with the inclined portion12, and the upper retaining projection222or the lower retaining projection232respectively collide with the inner circumferential surface of the upper retaining hole or the lower retaining hole122, to make the collision noise. This will help a driver notice the problem at an early time.

FIG. 8is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 8, each of the upper retaining projection223and the lower retaining projection233is bent toward the front. The upper retaining projection223and the lower retaining projection233are twice as long as the thickness of the connecting face21or longer. If the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break, a bent portion of the upper retaining projection223or the lower retaining projection233hooks to the upper retaining hole or the lower retaining hole122to more effectively prevent the connection bracket from being fallen off the pedal arm1. At least one of the upper retaining projection222and the lower retaining projection232is folded or curved. Direction of folding or curving of each of the upper retaining projection223and the lower retaining projection233is not particularly limited. The direction of folding or curving is preferred to be either forward or backward, in which the connection bracket2tilts, and further preferred to be forward. Directions and/or degrees of folding or curving of the upper retaining projection223and the lower retaining projection233is to be the same or different.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 8, the connection bracket2is fixed to the pedal arm1by fillet welding the edge221of the upper attachment face and the edge of the lower attachment face to the pedal arm1as illustrated inFIG. 9. If the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break due to some problems the connection bracket2is prevented from falling off the pedal arm1by having its upper retaining projection223and lower retaining projection233engage respectively with the inner circumferential surface of the upper retaining hole121and the lower retaining hole122as illustrated inFIG. 10andFIG. 11.

The pedal apparatus of the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 8does not immediately lose its function if the welded joint between the pedal arm1and the connection bracket2should break, as in the pedal apparatus of the embodiment illustrated in fromFIG. 1toFIG. 7. The two embodiments are also the same in that the driver is notified of the problem by the strangeness upon stepping on the pedal and the collision noise.