Patent ID: 7415909

Claim:
A support structure for a pedal of a vehicle which pivotably supports a pedal assembly to a pedal bracket mounted on a vehicle dash panel forming the front part of the inner space of the cabin of the vehicle, said support structure comprising: a reinforce member for the vehicle body extending in the width direction of the vehicle, said reinforce member being located rearwardly relative to said pedal bracket; an upper pedal member pivotably supported on said pedal bracket; a lower pedal member pivotably supported on said upper pedal member, said lower pedal member having a pedal at lower end thereof; an abutting member pivotably supported on said upper pedal member, said abutting member not coming into contact with said reinforce member when the vehicle is in a normal operation, while said abutting member abuts against said reinforce member by moving in the rearward direction of the vehicle body when the vehicle crashes; and a connecting mechanism for connecting said abutting member to said lower pedal member in such a manner that relative movement with respect to each other is prevented when the vehicle is in a normal operation, while said connecting mechanism forcibly displaces the lower portion of said lower pedal member, which is located below a pivot shaft of the lower pedal member, in a forward direction with respect to said upper pedal member when the vehicle crashes, wherein said connecting mechanism is comprised of a connecting elongated hole formed on said lower pedal member and a pin fixed on said abutting member and inserted in said connecting elongated hole.