Patent ID: 8418581

Claim:
An accelerator apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a support member that is installable to a body of the vehicle; an accelerator pedal that is rotatably supported by the support member, wherein the accelerator pedal is rotated in a first rotational direction when the accelerator pedal is depressed by a driver of the vehicle; an urging member that has one end portion engaged with the support member and urges the accelerator pedal in a second rotational direction, which is opposite from the first rotational direction; a sensor that senses a relative rotational angle between the accelerator pedal and the support member and outputs a rotational angle signal, which indicates the relative rotational angle; a signal output device, from which the rotational angle signal received from the sensor is externally outputted out of the accelerator apparatus; a sensor holder that is fixed to the support member solely through interlocking engagement between the sensor holder and the support member at a first-end portion and a second-end portion, respectively, of the sensor holder, which are spaced from each other, to inhibit removal of the sensor holder from the support member, and the sensor holder integrally holds the sensor and the signal output device; a primary engaging arrangement, through which the first-end portion of the sensor holder is engaged with the support member; and a secondary engaging arrangement, through which the second-end portion of the sensor holder is engaged with the support member, wherein: the secondary engaging arrangement includes first and second secondary engaging portions that extend in opposite directions from the second end-portion of the sensor holder; the secondary engaging arrangement further includes first and second secondary engaging portions on the support member, the first and second secondary engaging portions on the support member being engaged with the first and second secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder, respectively; one of the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder and the secondary engaging portions of the support member comprising recesses, which are recessed in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the signal output device; and the other one of the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder and the secondary engaging portions of the support member comprising rod portions, which are engaged with the recess; a distance from an engaging point between the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder and the support member to the sensor is longer than a distance from the engaging point between the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder and the support member to the signal output device; and the sensor holder is adapted to rotate about the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder while the secondary engaging portions of the sensor holder contact the secondary engaging portions of the support member in order to attach the sensor holder to the support member.