Vehicle pedal displacement control structure

Abstract

A vehicle pedal displacement control structure, which is capable of causing a vehicle pedal to displace so as to turn aside from driver's lower extremities and of reducing load on a steering support member in the event of an external force being applied to the front of the vehicle, is provided. A protrusion and a slide member are provided between the steering support member and a pedal bracket for suspending the vehicle pedal. When the pedal bracket moves backward with a toe board due to the external force from the front of the vehicle, the vehicle pedal and the pedal bracket are guided to turn aside from driver's lower extremities in a width direction of vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a parking pedal provided with one embodiment of the vehicle pedal displacement control structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of relevant parts of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of an upper attachment bracket, and FIG. 4B is a front view of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a lower attachment bracket, and FIG. 5B is a front view of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is a plan view of the protrusion, and FIG. 6B is a cross sectional view of the protrusion;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view illustrating the operation of the vehicle pedal displacement control structure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating the operation of the vehicle pedal displacement control structure;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a pedal bracket and a slide bracket; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a conventional vehicle pedal displacement control structure.

Claims

1. A vehicle pedal displacement control structure having a partition member as a portion of a vehicle body and a reinforcement member for supporting rigidity of a steering system to a vehicle, the reinforcement member being arranged in a vehicle compartment on rearward of the partition member, comprising: a pedal support member secured to the partition member for pivotally suspending a vehicle pedal;a protrusion arranged at a rear end of the pedal support member and being opposed to the reinforcement member; anda slide member for sliding the protrusion with abutment thereon when the pedal support member moves backward, the slide member being arranged opposing to the protrusion and secured to the reinforcement member,wherein the protrusion and the slide member cooperatively guides the pedal support member in a width direction of the vehicle to turn aside from driver's lower extremities when the pedal support member moves backward due to a load applied to the partition member from the front of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle pedal displacement control structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of opposing surfaces of the protrusion and the slide member is rounded off.

3. The vehicle pedal displacement control structure according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion and the slide member are provided with a slope for guiding the pedal support member in the width direction of the vehicle to turn aside from the driver's lower extremities when the pedal support member moves backward.

4. The vehicle pedal displacement control structure according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment member provided between the partition member and the pedal support member so as to attach and support the pedal support member on the partition member, wherein the attachment member includes a bent portion deformed in the width direction of the vehicle for the pedal support member to turn aside from driver's lower extremities when the pedal support member moves backward due to a load applied to the partition member from the front of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle pedal displacement control structure according to claim 4, wherein at least two attachment members are provided and spaced apart from each other vertically, the attachment member in a higher position having lower strength for supporting the pedal support member than that in a lower position.