Patent ID: 7987743

Claim:
A pedal assembly for operating a push rod that activates a functional system of a vehicle, the pedal assembly comprising: a pedal arm comprising an elongated structure, a first end of the elongated structure configured to be pivotally mounted and a second end of the elongated structure having a pedal plate attached thereto, the pedal plate being accessible by a foot of a driver; a release mechanism comprising a pivoting reaction mount and an actuation mechanism, the pivoting reaction mount being configured to connect a push rod to the pedal arm to enable pivoting of the pedal arm to push the push rod, the pivoting reaction mount being pivotally mounted to the pedal arm for pivoting between (a) a first position wherein the pivoting reaction mount is directly connected to the push rod to connect the push rod to the pedal arm and (b) a second position wherein the pivoting reaction mount is disconnected from the push rod to disconnect the push rod from the pedal arm; the pivoting reaction mount having a contact portion for contacting to pivot the reaction mount between the first and second positions; and the actuation mechanism being configured to mount to a vehicle structure in spaced relation to the contact portion of the pivoting reaction mount, the actuation mechanism configured to contact the contact portion during a vehicle collision and actuate the pivoting of the pivoting reaction mount from the first position to the second position such that the push rod is disconnected from the pivoting reaction mount.