Patent ID: 6851333

Claim:
An improvement in an accelerator pedal device having a) a gas pedal comprising a pedal element rotatably attached to a base unit, at the center of rotation of the gas pedal, b) at least one retraction element, and at least one damper element to dampen a pedal actuation movement and a pedal retraction movement of the pedal element, the improvement comprising: i) a motor unit, comprising a rotor unit connected to the pedal element, and a stator unit connected to the base unit, said motor unit being capable of generating a motor counterforce that acts upon the pedal element, said motor unit being connected to ii) a control unit, comprising A) a control sensor element for sensing a specified condition, B) means for comparison with a prescribed normal condition, and C) means for switching the motor unit on and off, which controls the motor unit by: 1) sensing, through the control sensor element, a condition that deviates from a prescribed normal condition, 2) switching on the motor unit to generate a motor counterforce that acts upon the pedal element in addition to the damping force of the damper element, 3) switching off the motor unit when the prescribed normal condition is sensed by the control sensor element.