Patent ID: 6955103

Claim:
A pedal assembly ( 12 ) for use in a vehicle ( 10 ), comprising: a pedal housing ( 14 ); a pedal arm ( 18 ) pivotally engaging said pedal housing ( 14 ) and operable between an idle position ( 24 ) and a plurality of operable positions; a kickdown housing ( 54 ) near said pedal arm ( 18 ) and defining a kickdown chamber ( 49 ); a kickdown member ( 46 ) slidable within said kickdown chamber ( 49 ) between a rest position and a plurality of active positions and directly engageable by said pedal arm ( 18 ) when said pedal arm ( 18 ) is pivoted to a predetermined operable position ( 50 ) from said idle position ( 24 ) such that a force required to further pivot said pedal arm ( 18 ) after said pedal arm ( 18 ) reaches said predetermined operable position ( 50 ) is greater than a force required to pivot said pedal arm ( 18 ) from said idle position ( 24 ) to said predetermined operable position ( 50 ); a first detent member ( 53 a ) movable within said kickdown housing ( 54 ) when said kickdown member ( 46 ) moves between said rest position and said plurality of active positions for providing a kickdown feel; a second detent member ( 53 b ) opposed from said first detent member ( 53 a ) and movable within said kickdown housing ( 54 ) when said kickdown member ( 46 ) moves between said rest position and said plurality of active positions for providing the kickdown feel; and at least one detent spring ( 61 a ) for biasing said first and second detent members ( 53 a , 53 b ) away from one another.