Installation structure for pedal stroke sensor

Disclosed is an installation structure of a pedal stroke sensor configured to measure a displacement of a moving member interworking according to a stepping force of a brake pedal. The pedal stroke sensor provided with a sensing member to sense a change in displacement according to movement of the moving member in a non-contact manner is installed at an outside of a housing that allows the moving member to be slid thereinto, the sensing member is provided with a sensor housing that is detachably installed at the outside of the housing, a hall IC (integrated circuit) provided in the sensor housing to sense change in magnetic force, and a magnet housing provided in the sensor housing so as to move while facing the hall IC and on which a magnet is installed, and an elongated hole is formed through an outer surface of the housing in a direction in which the moving member moves, and the moving member is connected to the magnet housing by using a connecting member such that the moving member moves together with the magnet housing through the elongated hole.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2013-0053549, filed on May 13, 2013 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an installation structure of a pedal stroke sensor, and more particularly, to an installation structure of a pedal stroke sensor ensuring easy assembly while simplifying a structure of the pedal stroke sensor.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a vehicle has a mechanism configured to detect a rotating angle of a pedal arm of a brake pedal or an accelerator pedal at all times, and based on the detected data, perform a precise control.

For example, a rotating angle of a pedal arm of a brake pedal is detected using a pedal stroke sensor to control a device in an electronic manner. Such a pedal stroke sensor is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2001-0053777, which is implemented in a way to detect an angle of a brake pedal. The pedal stroke sensor is installed adjacent to a hinge shaft allowing a pedal arm to be rotated thereon, so that a degree of the brake pedal proceeding is measured from a change in an output value according to a rotating angle of a brake pedal.

However, such a pedal stroke sensor based on angle detection, which is installed on a brake pedal spaced apart from a brake module, is subjected to a calibration for offset compensation in a state that the assembly is completed, thereby having inconvenience in use and poor quality thereof.

In addition, the rotating angle is detected in a contact manner, leading to a complex structure of the pedal stroke sensor, generating friction noise and having poor reliability of detection accuracy.

CITED REFERENCE

Patent Document

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide an installation structure for a pedal stroke sensor capable of improving the durability while preventing friction noise by implementing a simple installation structure of the pedal stroke sensor in a non-contact type.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide an installation structure for a pedal stroke sensor ensuring easy attach/detach of the pedal stroke sensor by mounting the pedal stroke sensor at an outside of a brake module.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an installation structure of a pedal stroke sensor configured to measure a displacement of a moving member interworking according to a stepping force of a brake pedal is provided. The pedal stroke sensor provided with a sensing member to sense a change in displacement according to movement of the moving member in a non-contact manner may be installed at an outside of a housing that allows the moving member to be slid thereinto. The sensing member may be provided with a sensor housing that is detachably installed at the outside of the housing, a hall IC (integrated circuit) provided in the sensor housing to sense change in magnetic force, and a magnet housing provided in the sensor housing so as to move while facing the hall IC and on which a magnet is installed. An elongated hole may be formed through an outer surface of the housing in a direction in which the moving member moves, and the moving member is connected to the magnet housing by using a connecting member such that the moving member moves together with the magnet housing through the elongated hole.

The installation structure may further include a guide plate between the sensor housing and the housing to guide the connecting member when the connecting member connected to the magnet housing moves together with the moving member.

The guide plate may be provided with a guide hole at a position thereof corresponding to the elongated hole.

The moving member may be provided with a coupling hole into which the connecting member is inserted.

A coupling part of the connecting member to which the moving member may be coupled is provided with a protrusion protruding outward, and the coupling hole is provided with a coupling groove that is undercut to maintain a tight coupling with respect to the protrusion.

The connecting member may be provided with a slit portion that is slit in a direction in which the connecting member is inserted into the coupling hole such that the connecting member is elastically deformed at the time of insertion.

The magnet housing may be provided with a supporting part on which the magnet is installed, and a shaft part coupled to the support part and protruding outward by passing through the sensor housing. The shaft part may be coupled to the connecting member.

The magnet housing may be integrally formed with the connecting member

As is apparent from the above, an installation structure of a pedal stroke sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has the pedal stroke sensor installed so as to be attached or detached at an outside of a brake module, thereby ensuring easy reassembly of the pedal stroke sensor.

In addition, the pedal stroke sensor is assembled after being completed with calibration, thereby ensuring easy management of the pedal stroke sensor.

In addition, the pedal stroke sensor is provided in a non-contact type and provided with a simple structure, so that friction noise is minimized while ensuring improved durability, thereby improving the reliability of detecting a displacement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a perspective view illustrating a state of a pedal stroke sensor being installed on a housing in accordance with one embodiment of the preset disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 1, a housing10is provided to allow a moving member20, which interworks according to a stepping force of a brake pedal (not shown), to be slid thereinto. In this case, the moving member20may be implemented using a control plunger connected to an input shaft2that moves in a horizontal direction by a stepping force of a brake pedal. Such a moving member20, which is coupled to a sensor for sensing a displacement, may be used may be coupled to any device for sensing a stroke and used.

The housing10is provided at an outer surface thereof with a mounting surface on which a pedal stroke sensor is installed. An elongated hole15is formed through the mounting surface to communicate inside and outside the housing10. The elongated hole15is formed in a direction in which the moving member20moves. The mounting surface is provided flat suitable for the pedal stroke sensor to be easily installed thereon.

The moving member20is provided with a coupling hole25to which a connecting member150is coupled. The coupling hole25is formed in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the moving member20. The coupling hole25may be provided with a coupling groove26that is undercut such that a tight coupling between a protrusion156of the connecting member150, which is to be described later, and the coupling hole25is maintained. The coupling structure between the coupling groove26and the protrusion156will be described below.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pedal stroke sensor is provided with a sensing member100to sense a change in displacement according to movement of the moving member20. The sensing member100is implemented in a non-contact type mounted at an outside of the housing10to sense a displacement of the moving member20.

In more detail, the sensing member100includes a sensor housing110detachably installed on the mounting surface provided at an outside of the housing100, a hall IC (integrated circuit)120provided in the sensor housing110to sense change in a magnetic force, a magnet housing140provided in the sensor housing110so as to move while facing the hall IC120, and a connecting member150connecting the moving member20to the magnet housing140such that the magnet housing140moves together with the moving member20.

The sensor housing110is fixed to the housing10, and the hall IC120sensing change in magnetic force due to change in position with respect to the magnet140is installed inside the sensor housing110. In this case, the sensor housing110is coupled to the outside of the housing10through a bolt (not shown) so as to be easily attached and detached. Although not shown, a protrusion or groove may be provided at one side of the sensor housing110and a protrusion or groove corresponding to the protrusion or groove of the sensor housing110may be provided at the housing10so as to be coupled to the protrusion or groove of the sensor housing110. That is, one side of the sensor housing110may be coupled to the housing10through a protrusion-groove coupling structure, and the other side of the sensor housing110may be bolted to the housing10, thereby securing easy coupling between the sensor housing110and the housing10.

The magnet housing140is movably provided in the sensor housing110. Referring toFIG. 3, the magnet housing140is provided at an upper side thereof with a supporting part154on which a magnet130generating a magnetic field and a shaft part145coupled to the supporting part143and protruding outward by a predetermined extent by passing through the sensor housing110. The supporting part143is integrally formed with the shaft part145. In this case, the magnet130is installed on the support part143so as to be spaced apart from the hall IC120by a predetermined distance, and the magnet housing140is provided to move while facing the hall IC120.

The magnet housing140is coupled to the connecting member150coupled to the moving member20. As shown in the drawings, the connecting member150has one end coupled to the shaft part145of the magnet housing140and the other end insertedly coupled to the coupling hole25formed through the moving member20. Accordingly, the magnet housing140is provided to be moved together with the moving member20by the connecting member150.

Although the above description has been made in relation that the magnet housing140has the shaft part145inserted into one end of the connecting member150so that the magnet housing140is coupled to the connecting member150, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The magnet housing140may be provided with a groove (not shown), and the connecting member150may have a shaft part (not shown) insertedly coupled to the groove.

Although not shown, the magnet housing140is integrally formed with the connecting member150. That is, the magnet housing140may have the shaft part145extended downward to be insertedly coupled to the coupling hole25formed through the moving member20.

It should be understood that various coupling structures of the magnet housing140and the connecting member150may be used for the installation structure of the pedal stroke sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 4, the protrusion156protrudes at the other end of the connecting member150, which represents a coupling part, coupled to the moving member20. The protrusion156is provided to be inserted into the coupling groove26formed in the coupling hole25of the moving member20. The coupling groove26formed by undercutting the coupling hole25is provided at a position corresponding to the protrusion156in a state that the assembly of the connecting member150is completed. Accordingly, a tight coupling is maintained between the moving member20and the connecting member150.

Meanwhile, in order to reduce difficulty in assembling the protrusion156, which protrudes outward, with the coupling hole25, a slit portion157is formed at the coupling part of the connecting member150. The slit portion157is slit to be elastically deformed in an axial direction when the connecting member150is inserted into the coupling hole25. The slit portion157is slit in a direction in which the connecting member150is inserted into the coupling hole157, that is, a lengthwise direction of the connecting member150.

The magnet housing140connected to the moving member20through the connecting member150is provided in parallel to the moving member20so as to move together the moving member20when the moving member20moves in a lengthwise direction of the elongated hole15.

In addition, a guide plate160is further provided between the sensor housing110and the housing10to guide the connecting member150when the connecting member150connected to the magnet housing140moves together with the moving member20. The guide plate160is provided with a guide hole165at a position corresponding to the elongated hole15. Accordingly, when the moving member20moves, the connecting member150is guided by the guide hole165and stably moved.

Hereinafter, a state of the pedal stroke sensor sensing a displacement according to change in movement of the moving member20will be described.

Referring toFIG. 5, when a driver steps on a brake pedal (not shown) for braking, the brake pedal operates such that the input shaft2connected to the brake pedal applies a pressure to a control plunger, that is, the moving member20, thereby moving the moving member20forward. In this case, the magnet housing140is moved together with the moving member20by the connecting member150connected to the moving member20. Accordingly, the sensing member100, that is, the hall IC120, senses a change in magnetic force with respect to the magnet130provided on the magnet housing140, thereby sensing a displacement of the moving member20.

As described above, when the displacement of the moving member20is sensed by the pedal stroke sensor, a sensed signal is output to an electronic control unit (not shown) to detect a mechanical momentum of the brake pedal, that is, the moving member20. Accordingly, the brake system is controlled through the detected measured value of the moving member20.

As the pedal stroke sensor according to the present disclosure is installed so as to be detached/attached at an outside of the brake module, easy reassembly of the pedal stroke sensor is ensured. In addition, since the pedal stroke sensor is assembled in a state of being completed with calibration, easy management of the pedal stroke sensor is ensured.