Patent ID: 8650984

Claim:
An electronic pedal assembly for use with an automotive vehicle, said pedal assembly comprising: a housing bracket adapted for mounting said pedal assembly to the vehicle; a pedal arm having a pedal pad at a lower end and an upper end pivotally supported within said housing bracket, said pedal arm operable to travel along a pedal path between an undepressed position and a depressed position; an electronic position sensor that detects rotation of said pedal arm and transmits a position signal based on said detected rotation; and a biasing device having a first end cap, a second end cap and a compressible member disposed between said first end cap and said second end cap, said first end cap pivotally attached to said housing bracket, said second end cap pivotally attached to said pedal arm, said compressible member of said biasing device biases said pedal arm towards said undepressed position, said compressible member has a generally hollow cylindrical shape extending along an axis of compression, and one of said first end cap and said second end cap includes an outwardly extending shaft extending coaxial with the axis of compression, and an other of said first end cap and said second end cap includes an outwardly extending hollow shaft extending coaxial with said axis of compression, said hollow shaft slidably receives a portion of said shaft to prohibit said compressible member from compressing in a direction other than along said axis of compression; wherein upon depression of said pedal arm from said undepressed position towards said depressed position said compressible member compresses, said biasing device rotates with said first end cap pivoting on said housing bracket and said second end cap pivoting on said pedal arm to provide a variable pedal resistance over said pedal path.