Patent ID: 8708865

Claim:
A pedal apparatus configuration for an electric motorcar or for a motor vehicle having a throttle mechanism, comprising: a brake pedal having a brake auxiliary pad to which a brake arm is connected and configured to be depressed for a braking operation; an accelerator pad configured to be rotated in a lateral direction, substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the brake pedal is to be depressed, within a predetermined angle range for an accelerating operation, the accelerator pad being formed of a reinforced plastic and having a laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection at a midsection thereof; a throttle position sensor mounted on a wall of a body of the motor vehicle in a position laterally offset from said brake pedal; and an accelerator arm rotatably mounted to said throttle position sensor and extending therefrom so as to be rotatable in the lateral direction through a predetermined angle range and such that a distal end of the accelerator arm is in abutment with the accelerator pad; wherein a rotation angle detected by rotation of the accelerator arm is transmitted via an electrical signal to an accelerator or the throttle mechanism that controls a driving motor via said throttle position sensor; wherein said accelerator pad has a proximal end portion rotatably mounted at a rear end of said brake pedal, and a distal end portion laterally movable toward and away from a front end of said brake pedal; wherein said laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection is located at the midsection of said accelerator pad between said proximal end portion of said accelerator pad and said distal end portion of said accelerator pad, said convex-shaped projection being convex in a lateral direction facing away from said brake pedal; wherein said proximal end portion of said accelerator pad has a substantially flat panel shape; wherein said distal end portion of said accelerator pad has a substantially flat panel shape; wherein said accelerator pad is shaped with a first concave curve at a junction of said proximal end portion and said laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection, said first concave curve being concave in the lateral direction facing away from said brake pedal, such that a first inflection point is defined between said laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection and said first concave curve; and wherein said accelerator pad is shaped with a second concave curve at a junction of said distal end portion and said laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection, said second concave curve being concave in the lateral direction facing away from said brake pedal, such that a second inflection point is defined between said laterally-projecting convex-shaped projection and said second concave curve.