Patent ID: 8276478

Claim:
A support structure for an operating pedal which is supported by a dash panel and operated to pivot back and forth along a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, said operating pedal support structure comprising: a pedal bracket affixed to the dash panel; said pedal bracket includes a slot and a supporting hole having a confinement channel; a shaft member slidably mounted in said slot; a pedal unit pivotably suspended by said pedal bracket via a first pivot shaft extending along a lateral direction of the vehicle body; the pedal unit including a boss portion through which the first pivot shaft is fitted; a lever pivotably supported by said pedal bracket via a second pivot shaft extending along the lateral direction such that said lever goes into contact with a side member and pivots on said second pivot shaft in a specific direction in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby thrusting and displacing said first pivot shaft and said boss portion downward and thus releasing said pedal unit from said pedal bracket, said lever including a concave arc-shaped edge; and a shaft retainer which is in a restrictive state in which said shaft retainer keeps said first pivot shaft from coming off downward under normal conditions, and goes into a nonrestrictive state in which said shaft retainer allows a displacement of said first pivot shaft as a result of pivoting of said lever in the specific direction in the event of the vehicle collision; wherein said lever is adapted to initially rotate around said second pivot shaft in the event of a vehicle collision and cause said shaft retainer to disengage from said shaft member supported in said slot formed in said pedal bracket and to be in a nonrestrictive state before said boss portion becomes disengaged from said pedal bracket, and, upon further rotation of said lever around said second pivot shaft, said concave arc-shaped edge of said lever pushes said boss portion and said first pivot shaft downward, spreading the confinement channel of the supporting hole and thus releasing said first pivot shaft of said pedal unit from said supporting hole of said pedal bracket, which results in releasing said pedal unit from said pedal bracket.