1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an accelerator pedal device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an accelerator pedal device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-12160 (JP 6-12160 U), a support member (mount) is provided on a floor. This support member (mount) is constructed of a pair of spring plates that form a fit-in opening and a fit-in portion.
Then, a shaft portion of the accelerator pedal is pressed in to the fit-in portion side from the fit-in opening. As a result, the spring plates elastically deform so that the shaft portion is engaged with the fit-in portion. On the other hand, the shaft portion engaged with the fit-in portion is drawn to the fit-in opening side. As a result, the spring plates elastically deform so that the shaft portion is detached from the fit-in portion (the engagement between the shaft portion and the fit-in portion is released). Thus, the accelerator pedal can easily be attached and detached.
However, as for the above-described accelerator pedal device, there is a possibility of the shaft portion slipping off from the fit-in portion due to deterioration of the engagement force that the fit-in portion has on the shaft portion and time-dependent deformation of the spring plates. Therefore, a support structure of an accelerator pedal as described above has a room for improvement in terms of restraining the accelerator pedal from slipping off from the support member (mount).
The invention provides an accelerator pedal device capable of restraining the pedal from slipping off from the mount.
An accelerator pedal device in accordance with an aspect of the invention includes: a bracket provided on a floor on which a driver's seat of a vehicle is disposed; a mount including a fitting portion extending in a vehicle width direction and having an annular shape a part of which is open when reviewed from a side direction of the vehicle, and a first engagement portion provided in the fitting portion, and the mount being assembled to the bracket; a pedal including a fitted portion that is fitted to the fitting portion by sliding the fitted portion toward one side in the vehicle width direction, and an engaged portion that is provided in the fitted portion and that restricts movement of the fitted portion toward another side in the vehicle width direction by engaging with the first engagement portion, the pedal being applied with depression force; and a restraint portion that contacts the fitting portion and restrains the first engagement portion from being displaced in a direction away from the fitted portion.
Therefore, the pedal can be restrained from slipping off from the mount.
The accelerator pedal device in accordance with the foregoing aspect of the invention may be configured so that the restraint portion is provided on the bracket.
Therefore, the restraint portion can be efficiently provided.
In the accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention, the bracket may have a hat shape in a cross section when reviewed from a side direction of the vehicle.
Therefore, the mount can be caused to contact the bracket that has high rigidity so that displace of the engagement portion can be restrained.
The accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention may further include a protrusion portion that is provided on the mount and protrudes toward the restraint portion and that is configured to be able to contact the restraint portion.
Therefore, the mount can be caused to contact the restraint portion corresponding to the distance between the restraint portion and the mount.
In the accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention, the protrusion portion may be provided on the fitting portion.
In the accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention, the fitting portion may include a contact portion that contacts an end portion of the fitted portion which is at the one side in the vehicle transverse direction, and the one side in the vehicle transverse direction is rightward of the vehicle.
Therefore, the pedal can be restrained from being caused to slip off from the mount by force input to the pedal.
The accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention may further include a second engagement portion provided on the mount and configured to be able to engage with the bracket.
Therefore, ease of assembling the mount to the bracket can be improved.
In the accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention, the second engagement portion may include a claw portion that is able to engage with the bracket when inserted in the bracket.
In the accelerator pedal device in accordance with the aspect of the invention, the mount may also be configured to be fastened to the bracket by at least two fastening members.
Therefore, the ease of assembling the mount to the bracket can be further improved.
The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be described in the following detailed description of example embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
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The mount 20 is manufactured of a resin (e.g., PA (polyamide) containing glass fiber), and is formed in a generally rectangular platy shape. Furthermore, the mount 20 is provided at a vehicle cabin side of the bracket 12 (a side opposite the floor F of the vehicle). The mount 20 is disposed facing the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12. Thus, the mount 20 is disposed with an inclination such as to extend in a forward-upward oblique direction of the vehicle in a side view (such that a forward side of the mount 20 is located above a rearward side thereof).
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The bottom wall 22A of the recess portion 22 provided at the left side of the vehicle is provided with a circular fit-in hole 22B. A first collar 26 made of a metal and having a hollow circular cylindrical shape is fitted in the fit-in hole 22B. The first collar 26 is disposed coaxially with the fastening hole 16 of the bracket 12. The height dimension of the first collar 26 is set slightly greater than the thickness dimension of the bottom wall 22A. The first collar 26 is slightly protruded from the bottom wall 22A to the bracket 12 side, and contacts the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12.
Furthermore, a bottom wall 24A of the recess portion 24 at the right side of the vehicle is provided with a fit-in hole 24B having a generally oval shape. A second collar 28 made of a metal and having a hollow cylindrical shape with a generally oval shape in cross section is fitted in the fit-in hole 24B. The second collar 28 is disposed coaxially with the fastening hole 16 of the bracket 12. The height dimension of the second collar 28 is set slightly greater than the thickness dimension of the bottom wall 24A. The second collar 28 is slightly protruded from the bottom wall 24A to the bracket 12 side, and contacts the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12.
Then, bolts 30, as fastening members, are inserted through the first collar 26 and the second collar 28. The bolts 30 are screwed into the nuts 18 to fasten the mount 20 to the bracket 12 (see
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The support portion 62 constitutes a lower portion of the pedal 60 with respect to the vehicle. Furthermore, the support portion 62 is elongated in the vehicle width direction. As shown in
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Furthermore, on a surface of the fitted portion 64 which faces the bottom wall 40A of the fitting portion 40, there is provided an engagement hook portion 66 having a generally trapezoidal shape in section as an engaged portion. The engagement hook portion 66 is protruded from the fitted portion 64 to the bottom wall 40A side, and is disposed in the engagement hole 50 of the mount 20. A vehicle left end surface of the engagement hook portion 66 is provided as a stop surface 66A. The stop surface 66A is disposed facing an inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole 50, and contacts the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole 50. This restricts the fitted portion 64 (pedal 60) from moving from the assembled position toward the left of the vehicle.
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Next, a procedure of assembling the mount 20 and the pedal 60 to the bracket 12 will be described and, at the same time, operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.
Firstly, when the pedal 60 is to be assembled to the mount 20, the fitted portion 64 of the pedal 60 is inserted into the groove portion 42 of the mount 20 from the left side of the mount 20 with respect to the vehicle. Then, the fitted portion 64 is slid to the right with respect to the vehicle. When the engagement hook portion 66 of the fitted portion 64 reaches the flexural portion 48 of the mount 20, the engagement hook portion 66 presses the bottom wall 40A of the fitting portion 40. Then, the flexural portion 48 flexes (elastically deforms) perpendicularly to the bottom wall 40A (in a direction away from the fitted portion 64). This allows the engagement hook portion 66 to be inserted into the groove portion 42. Then, as the fitted portion 64 is further slid rightward with respect to the vehicle, the right side end portion of the fitted portion 64 contacts the right side wall 40C of the fitting portion 40, and the engagement hook portion 66 of the fitted portion 64 is disposed in the engagement hole 50 of the fitting portion 40. Thus, the pedal 60 is assembled to the mount 20, so that the pedal 60 and the mount 20 form a subassembly.
Then, while the subassembly of the pedal 60 and the mount 20 is maintained as it is, the carpet C is disposed between the mount 20 and the bracket 12, and the pair of engagement claw portions 32 of the mount 20 are inserted into the positioning hole 14A of the bracket 12. At this time, if reaction force of the carpet C acts on the mount 20, the reaction force moves the mount 20 in a direction away from the bracket 12. However, since the nail 36 of the engagement claw portion 32 at the right side with respect to the vehicle is engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the positioning hole 14A, movement of the mount in a direction away from the bracket 12 is restrained.
Furthermore, the bolts 30 are inserted into the first collar 26 and the second collar 28, and are screwed into the nuts 18. Therefore, the mount 20 is fastened to the bracket 12. Thus, the mount 20 and the pedal 60 are assembled to the floor F of the vehicle via the bracket 12.
As described above, the mount 20 is provided with the fitting portion 40 that has therein the groove portion 42 and that extends in the vehicle width direction, and the fitting portion 40 is formed in an annular shape that is partially open to the vehicle cabin side. The fitted portion 64 of the pedal 60 is inserted into the groove portion 42 by sliding the fitted portion 64 toward the right side of the vehicle, so that the fitted portion 64 and the groove portion 42 are fitted to each other. Thus, the pedal 60 is supported by the mount 20, and there is no need to deform the fitting portion 40 so that the opening portion 44 opens (so that the upper walls 40B of the fitting portion 40 move apart from each other) when the fitted portion 64 is assembled to the groove portion 42.
Furthermore, the fitted portion 64 is provided with the engagement hook portion 66 that engages with the engagement hole 50 of the fitting portion 40. Then, the engagement hook portion 66 is engaged with the engagement hole 50 (i.e., the stop surface 66A of the engagement hook portion 66 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole 50). This restricts movement of the fitting portion 64 toward the left side of the vehicle. Thus, this construction restrains the fitted portion 64 (pedal 60) from coming off from the fitting portion 40 (mount 20) toward the left side of the vehicle.
Furthermore, the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12 contacts the distal end of the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20. This restrains the engagement hole 50 from being displaced in a direction away from the fitted portion 64 (in a direction to the floor F side of the vehicle). Therefore, for example, if the engagement hole 50 (the flexural portion 48) should tend to be displaced in a direction away from the fitted portion 64 due to time-dependent changes of the mount 50 or the like, the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12 restrains displacement of the engagement hole 50. Therefore, the engagement between the engagement hole 50 and the engagement hook portion 66 is maintained. Thus, it is possible to restrain the pedal 60 from slipping off from the mount 20.
Besides, as described above, the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12 restrains displacement of the engagement hole 50 (the flexural portion 48), displacement of the engagement hole 50 can be restrained by utilizing the bracket 12. As a result, it is not necessary to separately provide a member that the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 contacts. Therefore, a portion that is contacted by the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 can be efficiently provided.
Furthermore, a sectional shape of the bracket 12 in a view taken in a sideways direction of the vehicle is a hat shape. Therefore, the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 can be caused to contact the highly rigid bracket 12 so as to restrain displacement of the engagement hole 50.
Besides, the mount 20 is provided with the stopper portion 52. The stopper portion 52 is protruded toward the upper wall 14 side of the bracket 12, and is constructed so that the distal end of the stopper portion 52 is able to contact the upper wall 14. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of protrusion of the stopper portion 52, the mount 20 can be caused to contact the upper wall 14 in correspondence to the distance between the upper wall 14 and the mount 20.
Furthermore, the fitted portion 64 of the pedal 60 is inserted into the groove portion 42 by sliding the fitted portion 64 from the left side to the right side of the mount 20 with respect to the vehicle. That is, the pedal 60 is assembled to the mount 20 from the brake pedal side. Therefore, the direction in which a driver inputs force to the pedal 60 when the driver releases the brake pedal and depresses the pedal 60 can be made substantially equal to the direction in which the pedal 60 is assembled to the mount 20. This restrains the pedal from slipping off from the mount 20 due to the force input to the pedal 60 from the driver when the driver releases the brake pedal and immediately depresses the pedal 60.
Furthermore, the mount 20 is provided with the pair of engagement claw portions 32, and the engagement claw portions 32 are inserted into the positioning hole 14A of the bracket 12. Therefore, the engagement claw portion 32 serves as a positioning portion for the mount 20 when the mount 20 is assembled to the bracket 12. Furthermore, when the mount 20 is assembled to the bracket 12, the reaction force from the carpet C acts on the mount 20. However, the engagement claw portion 32 at the right side with respect to the vehicle is provided with the nail 36. Therefore, when the mount 20 is moved in a direction away from the bracket 12, the nail 36 of the engagement claw portion 32 engages with the inner peripheral surface of the positioning hole 14A. Hence, movement of the mount 20 in a direction away from the bracket 12 is restrained. This restrains the mount 20 from being lifted when the bracket 12 is assembled to the mount 20. Therefore, the ease of assembling the mount 20 to the bracket 12 can be improved.
Furthermore, the mount 20 is fastened to the bracket 12 by the pair of bolts 30. Therefore, when the mount 20 is fastened to the bracket 12, the mount 20 can be fastened to the bracket 12 while rotation of the mount 20 with respect to the bracket 12 is restrained. Therefore, the ease of assembling the mount 20 to the bracket 12 can be further improved. Furthermore, for example, the mount 20 can be more easily removed from the bracket than, for example, in the case where the mount 20 is provided with a nail or claw and the nail or claw is fitted to the bracket 12 to fasten the mount 20 to the bracket 12. This allows reuse of the mount 20 and the pedal 60.
Furthermore, the mount 20 and the pedal 60 are constructed as separate members. Therefore, for example, by manufacturing the mount 20 from a resin that contains glass fiber, the mount 20 can be constructed as a component part that is relatively high in strength. This effectively improves the ease of assembling the mount 20 to the bracket 12.
Incidentally, in the embodiment, the engagement hole 50 of the mount 20 extends through the bottom wall 40A of the fitting portion 40, and communicates with the groove portion 42. Instead of this construction, an engagement hole 50 may be formed in a bottomed recess portion that is protruded to the bracket 12 side.
Furthermore, in the embodiment, the fitted portion 64 of the pedal 60 is provided with the engagement hook portion 66, and the engagement hook portion 66 is disposed in the engagement hole 50 of the mount 20. Instead of this construction, the engagement hook portion 66 may be formed on the fitting portion 40 of the mount 20. Then, an engagement hole 50 is formed in the fitted portion 64 of the pedal 60. In this manner, the engagement hook portion 66 may be disposed within the engagement hole 50. In this case, the engagement hook portion 66 is provided as an “engagement portion” in the invention, and the engagement hole 50 is provided as an “engaged portion” in the invention.
Furthermore, although in the embodiment, the opening portion 44 of the mount 20 communicates with the intermediate portion of the groove portion 42 of the mount 20 in the direction of the width of the groove 42 when reviewed from a side direction of the vehicle, the position of the opening portion 44 of the mount 20 can be arbitrarily set in the width direction of the groove portion 42 of the mount 20. For example, the opening portion 44 of the mount 20 may be disposed so as to communicate with an end portion of the groove portion 42 of the mount 20 in the width direction of the groove portion when reviewed from a side direction of the vehicle. In this case, the fitting portion 40 of the pedal 60 is formed in a generally L shape in when reviewed in a side direction of the vehicle.
Besides, in the embodiment, as the distal end of the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 contacts the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12, displacement of the engagement hole 50 is restrained. However, instead of this construction, a separate member constructed so as to be able to contact the distal end of the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 may be fixed to the floor F of the vehicle.
Furthermore, although in the embodiment, the stopper portion 52 of the mount 20 is disposed to the left of the engagement hole 50 with respect to the vehicle, the position of the stopper portion 52 can be arbitrarily set. That is, it suffices that the stopper portion 52 is able contact the upper wall 14 of the bracket 12 so that displacement of the engagement hole 50 can be restrained.
Furthermore, although in the embodiment, of the pair of engagement claw portions 32 of the mount 20, only the engagement claw portion 32 at the right side with respect to the vehicle is provided with the nail 36, the nail 36 may be provided on each of the two engagement claw portions 32.
Furthermore, although in the embodiment, the mount 20 is fastened to the bracket 12 by the pair of bolts 30, more than pair of bolts 30 may also be used to fasten the mount 20 to the bracket 12.
While the disclosure has been explained in conjunction with specific exemplary embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the disclosure as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. There are changes that may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-259299 | Nov 2011 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB2012/002484 | 11/26/2012 | WO | 00 | 5/27/2014 |