Claims
- 1. An adjustable electronic pedal assembly adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and operative to generate a variable electronic control signal to control a vehicle system, said assembly comprising:a carrier; a support structure mounting said carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure; a drive assembly for providing said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said support structure; a pedal arm having a lower end and a pad support on said lower end, said pedal arm extending from said lower end to a pivot connected directly to said carrier for pivotal movement of said pivot arm relative to said carrier and movable to various adjusted positions with said fore and aft movement of carrier relative to said support structure; generator means mounted on said carrier for movement with said carrier between said fore and aft positions and having an input responsive to said pedal arm and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system, said generator means operative in response to said pivotal movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier to generate an electric control signal from said output which varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by the extent of movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier whereby the control signal is proportioned to and indicative of the position of the pedal arm relative to the carrier.
- 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said generator means includes a potentiometer mounted on said carrier and said output of said potentiometer varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by said pivotal movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier.
- 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said carrier includes a housing and said potentiometer is mounted in said housing with said pedal arm pivotally connected to said input of said potentiometer and supported by said housing.
- 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrier includes a slide and said support structure includes a guide slideably connected to said slide, said drive assembly for providing fore and aft movement of said carrier along said guide to adjust the position of said pivot.
- 5. An adjustable electronic pedal assembly adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and operative to generate a variable electronic control signal to control a vehicle braking system, said assembly comprising:a carrier; a support structure mounting said carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure; a drive assembly for providing said fore and aft movement of said carrier along said support structure; a pedal arm having a lower end and a pad support on said lower end, said pedal arm extending from said lower end to a pivot connected directly to said carrier for pivotal movement of said pivot arm relative to said carrier and movable to various adjusted positions with said fore and aft movement of said carrier relative to said support structure; generator means mounted on said carrier for movement with said carrier between said fore and aft positions and having an input responsive to said pedal arm and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system, said generator means operative in response to said pivotal movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier to generate an electric control signal from said output which varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by the extent of movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier whereby the control signal is proportioned to and indicative of the position of the pedal arm relative to the carrier.
- 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said carrier includes a housing and said pedal arm is pivotally supported on a pivot shaft mounted in said housing.
- 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 including a resilient stop supported in said housing wherein said pedal arm engages said resilient stop at a maximum applied position.
- 8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 including a resilient member actuated by said pedal arm to react against a friction surface in said housing to provide a hysteresis effect.
- 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said carrier includes a rectilinear slide and said support structure includes a guide slideably connected to said slide, said drive assembly for providing fore and aft movement of said carrier along said guide to adjust the position of said pivot.
- 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said generator means is mounted on said carrier and said output of said generator means varies in magnitude in proportion to said input by said pivotal movement of said pedal arm relative to said carrier.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation in part of 09/057,956 filed on Apr. 9, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,125, which is a continuation of 08/516,050 filed on Aug. 17, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,593, which is a continuation-in-part of 08/513,017 filed Aug. 9, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,183.
US Referenced Citations (40)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
08/516050 |
Aug 1995 |
US |
Child |
09/057956 |
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US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09/057956 |
Apr 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/315751 |
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US |
Parent |
08/513017 |
Aug 1995 |
US |
Child |
08/516050 |
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US |