This application relates to and claims the benefit and priority to Spanish Patent Application No. P201230068, filed Jan. 18, 2012.
The present invention relates to an assistance device for operating a pedal of a motor vehicle and to a pedal comprising the assistance device.
Pedals comprising assistance devices which aid in improving the effort which a driver must exert on the shoe of a pedal for operating a servobrake or a clutch are known in the automotive industry.
U.S. Publication No. 2005/0252334A1 describes a clutch pedal assembly comprising a spring and a cam fixed to a support on which the pedal acts, such that the cam, having a specific profile, compresses the spring during the stroke of the pedal.
European Publication No. EP480602A1 describes a pedal having an arm, the end of which presses a leaf spring element as it moves between the resting position and the clutch or active position.
Spanish Patent No. ES20205415T3 describes an assistance device comprising a profile integral with the pedal and delimited by an angular sector cooperating with a rolling means suitable for moving according to a substantially horizontal direction through the action of an elastic means.
According to some implementations an assistance device is provided that comprises a profile coupled to an arm of the pedal, elastic means coupled to a support of the pedal and rolling means acting on the profile operated by the elastic means, exerting additional force on the arm of the pedal, between a resting position of the pedal and an active position of the pedal. The assistance device further comprises a lever which is arranged pivotally coupled to the support and at one of the ends of which the rolling means and the elastic means are coupled.
The elastic means exert stress on the lever, the stress being transmitted through the rolling means against the profile. The arrangement of the elastic means with respect to the rolling means reduces, or otherwise minimizes contact forces among the various components to reduce friction that can result in high hysteresis which can be seen in the force necessary for moving the pedal.
The configuration of the assistance device also reduces the number of necessary elements.
These and other advantages and features will be more evident in view of the figures and the detailed description.
According to one implementation the pedal 1 comprises a shaft 50 through which the arm 13 is coupled to the support 20, the shaft 50 traversing the support 20 through holes 21, shown in
The pedal 1 comprises an assistance device 10 which cooperates in transmitting force to the actuator via the arm 13 such that from a position of the arm 13 with respect to the support 20, called a position with zero force shown in
The assistance device 10 is arranged articulated to the arm 13 and to the support 20. The assistance device 10 comprises a profile 30 coupled to the arm 13, elastic means 35 coupled to the support 20, rolling means 45,46 adapted for contacting profile 30 and a lever 40 which is arranged pivotally coupled to the support 20 and at one of the ends of which the rolling means 45,46 and the elastic means 35 are coupled. The rolling means 45,46 act on the profile 30 pressed by the lever 40 which is in turn operated by the elastic means 35 exerting additional force on the arm 13 during the stroke of the arm 13 between the resting position and the active position.
The lever 40 comprises two sets of substantially parallel surfaces 41,43 at each end. The lever 40 includes a coupling 42 extending from each surface 41 in a manner substantially orthogonal to the parallel surfaces 41 at one of the ends. The coupling 42 extends outwardly from the lever 40. In the implementations shown in the figures, the coupling 42 has a substantially cylindrical geometry.
The support 20 in turn comprises two substantially parallel walls 24 each of which comprises a housing 22,23 wherein the respective coupling 42 of the lever 40 is housed, configuring a pivoting attachment between the lever 40 and the support 20. The housing 22,23 comprises a first part 23 with a substantially circular section and a second part 22 continuous to the first part 23, communicating the first part 23 with the outside, allowing the insertion of the coupling 42 in the first part 23. The second part 22 has a width less than the diameter of the first part 23, allowing, on one hand, easily inserting the coupling 42 in the first part 23 and on the other hand, preventing the coupling 42 from being easily released from the support 20 once the lever 40 is coupled to the support 20.
According to some implementations the lever 40 comprises, at the opposite end, a projection 44 which is arranged fixed on one of the parallel surfaces 43 arranged at said opposite end and through which the free end of the lever 40 is fixed to the support 20 through the elastic means. In the implementation shown, the projection 44 is substantially disc-shaped.
In some implementation the elastic means comprises a spring 35, one of the ends 36 of which is arranged fixed to the support 20 and the other end 37 to the lever 40. In the implementation shown, the spring 35 is a helical spring, in other implementations other elastic means may be used. In the implementations shown in the figures, the ends 36,37 of the spring 35 are substantially hook-shaped, being inserted in grooves 25b,44b arranged respectively in an extension 25 of the support 20 and in the projection 44 coupled to the lever 40. The grooves 25b,44b extend perimetric to the extension 25 of the support 20 and to the projection 44. The spring 35 is arranged forming an angle with respect to the lever 40, said angle being in some implementations as close as possible to 90°, such that the spring 35 is prevented from generating high radial compression forces in the lever 40, which may cause reactions and therefore friction in the coupling of the end 42 of the lever with the support 20.
According to some implementations the rolling means comprises a wheel 45 which is arranged in contact with a rolling surface 32 of the profile 30 during the movement of the arm 13. The rolling means may comprise at least one stop element 46 which extends continuously from a face of the wheel 45 and which laterally guides the movement of the wheel 45 along the rolling surface 32 together with a guide surface 33 of the profile 30, preventing the accidental decoupling of the wheel 45 with respect to the rolling surface 32. According to some implementations the stop element 46 is disc-shaped and is arranged coaxial to the wheel 45.
In the implementations shown in the figures, the rolling means comprises two stop elements 46 each of which extends continuously from a face of the wheel 45 and coaxial to the wheel 45. Likewise, the profile 30 comprises two guide surfaces 33 each of which extends continuously from the rolling surface 32. The two guide surfaces 33 are arranged substantially parallel to one another and substantially orthogonal to the rolling surface 32, as shown in
The projection 44 is arranged substantially coaxial to the rolling means. Therefore, the force exerted by the elastic means 35 is successfully transmitted as directly as possible to the rolling surface 32, reducing losses by friction.
Therefore, the pedal 1 first starts from an initial position shown in
In the position with zero force shown in
Finally,
The rolling surface 32 of the profile 30 has a curved trajectory suitable for generating forces F1, F2, F3 and F4 for a desired operation of the assistance device 10.
Different profiles 30;60;70;80 such as those shown in
In order to obtain an optimized, readily interchangeable pedal 1, the pedal 1 can be adapted to any requirement for use by modifying the profile. To that end, the pedal 1 may comprise a profile 30;60;70;80 which is arranged removable to the arm 13 of the pedal 1, said profile 30;60;70;80 being readily interchangeable. To that end, the profile 30;60;70;80 may comprise a housing 34;64;74;84 collaborating with a projection 12 protruding from the arm 13 of the pedal 1 for fixing the profile 30;60;70;80 to the arm 13. The projection 12 shown in
Elements 62;72;82 correspond in a like manner to element 32 described above. Elements 63;73;83 correspond in a like manner to element 33 described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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P201230068 | Jan 2012 | ES | national |