A SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT A CONTROL PEDAL FROM THE DEVICE TO WHICH IT IS CONNECTED

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a system to disconnect a device control pedal from the device to which it is connected, particularly applicable to pedals such as the pedal of a vehicle brake device.

Background of the invention

[0002] The patent documents EP1134128 and EP1344691 disclose respective devices which enable a vehicle pedal to be disconnected from the device to which said pedal is connected, if the vehicle crashes. With said devices the pedals move away in the opposite direction to that of the driver's position, protecting him/her from the damage the pedals may cause him/her if part of the vehicle structure is distorted and displaces the pedals in the driver's direction.

[0003] In the devices disclosed in the aforementioned patent documents, the pedal is connected to the device by a rod whose end is connected to a rotable body coupled to the pedal and rotatable around an axis. If a crash occurs and distorts part of the vehicle structure, said rotable body, which is directly connected to the vehicle structure by a side arm joined to the body, is forced to rotate causing the breakage of the end of the rod in the device of document EP 1134128; and in the breakage or the separation of the coupling means of the device of document EP 1344691, provided on the rotable body and responsible for keeping the rod and the rotable body joined together in normal conditions.

[0004] In both devices, it is the rotation of the rotable body, whereto the end of the rod remains coupled, which causes the subsequent uncoupling of the rod, so that said rotable body must be attached to part of the vehicle structure so that, when the crash occurs, the structure applies a rotating movement to the rotable body whose displacement and torque is sufficient to cause the rod to break or the uncoupling thereof from the same rotable body.

Explanation of the invention

[0005] The system to disconnect a device control pedal from the device to which it is connected, object of the invention, is particularly applicable to vehicle pedals intended to receive the action of the foot and to transmit the force thereof to the device. In said system the pedal is connected to the device by a rod whose end is attached to a first rotable body coupled to the pedal and rotatable around an axis.

[0006] In essence, the system is characterized in that it further comprises a second rotable body provided with a pusher element, so that when the second rotable body rotates due to a head-on collision of the vehicle, the rod is displaced due to the action of the pusher element so that it is separated from the first rotable body coupled to the pedal.

[0007] According to another characteristic of the invention, the spin axis of the second rotable body is coincident with the spin axis of the first rotable body coupled to the pedal.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the end of the rod attached to the first rotable body is housed in a groove which an end of the first rotable body is provided with, and the system further comprises retention means intended to maintain the rod in said groove.

[0009] In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the second rotable body comprises an essentially flat portion provided with a through-hole which is traversed by said end of the first rotable body, and the pusher element of the second rotable body is formed by a curved wall, the height of its upper edge being variable and adapted to displace, by way of a cam, the rod attached to the first rotable body when the second rotable body rotates around its axis.

[0010] Preferably, the retention means are comprised of a tubular body, coaxial to the first rotable body and arranged externally with respect thereto, the tubular body being provided with a prolongation, essentially parallel to its axis, which can be plastically deformed until it is broken when subjected to strain greater than a certain value, which extends through the through-hole of the essentially flat portion of the second rotable body and which is adapted to clasp the rod, preventing it from coming out of the groove of the end of the first rotable body wherein it is housed.

Brief description of the drawings

[0011] The attached drawings illustrate, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the system of the invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the system to disconnect a device control pedal from the device to which it is connected, according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cutaway view according to A, of the system of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the system of Fig. 1;

Detailed description of the drawings

[0012] The example system represented in Fig. 1 comprises a pedal 1 which is adapted to control a device (not shown) using a rod 2, one of the whose ends is connected to said device, whilst its opposite end 3 is connected to the pedal 1, so that when the pedal 1 receives the action of a driver's foot, and displaces it, the force applied to the pedal is transmitted via the rod 2 to said device.

[0013] To do this, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the rod 2 is connected to the pedal 1 by a first rotable body 4, coupled to the pedal and rotatable around an axis 5. The end 3 of the rod is tightly housed in a groove 8 which the end 9 of the first rotable body is provided with. The rotatable nature of the first rotable body 4 permits adapting the connection of the rod 2, whose inclination is constant in normal conditions of use, to the different positions which the pedal may adopt according to its degree of actuation by the driver. Thus, whilst the pedal swings around a spin axis (not shown), when it receives the action of the driver's foot, the rod 2 does not vary its inclination even when being pushed by the pedal, transmitting the force to the device whereto the pedal is connected, e.g. a brake device.

[0014] The system further comprises a second rotable body 6, which can rotate around the same axis 5 as the first rotable body.

[0015] In the example system, this second rotable body 6 is formed by a plate which comprises an essentially flat portion 11, sandwiched, and rotatable as has been explained above, between the pedal 1 and the rod 2 in its coupling position to the first rotable body 4. A through-hole 12 in the flat portion 11 of the plate permits the end 9 of the first rotable body 4 to traverse the plate, thus permitting the coupling of the end 3 of the rod 2.

[0016] The flat portion 11 of said second rotable body 6 is further provided with a pusher element 7, formed by a curved wall 13, the height of the upper edge whereof increasing depending on the rotation direction of the second rotable body 6, so that, if the second rotable body rotates, the upper edge of the curved wall acts by way of a cam on the end 3 of the rod 2, displacing it from the groove 8 of the end 9 of the first rotable body.

[0017] For this purpose, the second rotable body 6 is provided with a piston pin 16, which is pushed when a collision or crash occurs, causing it to rotate around the axis 5 of the second rotable body 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow of Fig. 1. When this rotation movement occurs, the upper edge of the wall 13 pushes the end 3 of the rod out of the groove 8 which houses it, disconnecting the pedal 1 from the device.

[0018] Unlike in the known systems, the force exerted on the rod 2 is essentially normal for the flat portion 11 of the plate of the second rotable body or, in other words, normal for the body of the pedal 1, in addition to it being a second rotable body 6, other than that which supports or connects the rod 2 to the pedal 1, which causes both to disconnect or uncouple.

[0019] To ensure the position of the end 3 of the rod in the groove 8 of the first rotable body, the system comprises retention means 10, formed by a tubular body 14 arranged on the outer surface of the first rotable body 4.

[0020] As indicated in Fig. 2, the tubular body 14 is provided with a prolongation 15, parallel to the spin axis 5, which extends through the through-hole 12 of the flat portion 11 of the second rotable body. The prolongation 15 is adapted to retain the end 3 of the rod 2 in the groove 8 which houses it. To do this, the prolongation 15 is provided with a through-hole which is traversed by the rod 2.

[0021] In the Fig. 2, it is observed that the inner wall of the prolongation 15 through-hole is provided with a recess or step 17, intended to receive the support of a projection of the rod 2. In the example of the figures, the end 3 of the rod 2 has a smaller diameter than the main portion of said rod, which produces a step 18 on its outer surface, which acts as a projection and rests on said step 17.

[0022] When the second rotable body 6 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the tubular body 14, and its prolongation 15, are dragged by said second rotable body 6, whilst the rod 2, whose end 3 remains inside the groove 8 of the first rotable body 4, does not vary its inclination, meaning the prolongation 15 is obliged to buckle. If the second rotable body continues to rotate, the pusher element 7 also displace the rod 2 out of the groove 8, meaning the prolongation 15 has strain put on it, buckling until breaking, the point when the rod 2 is definitively disconnected from the pedal 1.

Claims

1. System to disconnect a device control pedal (1) from the device to which it is connected, particularly applicable to pedals of vehicles intended to receive the action of the foot and transmit the force thereof to the device, said pedal (1) being connected to the device by a rod (2) whose end (3) is connected to a first rotable body (4) rotablely coupled to the pedal around an axis (5), characterized in that the system further comprises a second rotable body (6) provided with a pusher element (7), so that when the second rotable body rotates due to a head-on collision of the vehicle, the rod (2) is displaced due to the action of the pusher element (7) so that it is separated from the first rotable body (4) coupled to the pedal.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the spin axis of the second rotable body (6) is coincident with the spin axis (5) of the first rotable body (4) coupled to the pedal (1).

3. System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that a portion of the end (3) of the rod (2) connected to the first rotable body (4) is housed in a groove (8) which an end (9) of the first rotable body (4) is provided with, and in that the system further comprises retention means (10) intended to maintain the rod (2) in said groove.

4. System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the second rotable body (6) comprises an essentially flat portion (11) provided with a through-hole (12) whereby said end (9) of the first rotable body (4) emerges, and in that the pusher element (7) of the second rotable body (6) is formed by a curved wall (13), the height of its upper edge being variable and adapted to displace, by way of a cam, the rod (2) connected to the first rotable body (4) when the second rotable body (6) rotates around its axis.

5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the retention means (10) are comprised of a tubular body (14), coaxial to the first rotable body (4) and arranged externally with respect to said first rotable body, the tubular body (14) being provided with a prolongation (15), essentially parallel to its axis, of a material which can be plastically deformed until it is broken when subjected to a strain greater than a certain value, which extends through the through-hole (12) of the flat portion (11) of the second rotable body (6) and which is adapted to clasp the rod (2) preventing it coming out of the groove (8) of the end (9) of the first rotable body (4) wherein it is housed.

Ansprüche

1. System zum Lösen eines Vorrichtungssteuerungspedals (1) von der Vorrichtung, mit der es verbunden ist, welches insbesondere an Pedalen von Fahrzeugen anwendbar ist, welche dazu vorgesehen sind, die Einwirkung des Fußes aufzunehmen, und die Kraft desselben auf die Vorrichtung zu übertragen, wobei das genannte Pedal (1) mit der Vorrichtung durch eine Stange (2) verbunden ist, dessen Ende (3) mit einem ersten drehbaren Körper (4) verbunden ist, der drehbar mit dem Pedal um eine Achse (5) herum gekoppelt ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das System desweiteren einen zweiten drehbaren Körper (6) umfasst, der mit einem Stoßelement (7) versehen ist, so dass, wenn sich der zweite drehbare Körper aufgrund einer Frontalkollision des Fahrzeugs dreht, die Stange (2) sich aufgrund der Einwirkung des Stoßelements (7) verschiebt, so dass sie vom ersten, mit dem Pedal gekoppelten drehbaren Körper (4) getrennt wird.

2. System nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Drehachse des zweiten drehbaren Körpers (6) mit der Drehachse (5) des ersten drehbaren Körpers (4), der mit dem Pedal (1) gekoppelt ist, übereinstimmt.

3. System nach den vorhergehenden Ansprüchen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein Teil des Endes (3) der Stange (2), das mit dem ersten drehbaren Körper (4) verbunden ist, in einer Nut (8) aufgenommen ist, mit der ein Ende (9) des ersten drehbaren Körpers (4) versehen ist, und dass das System desweiteren Rückhaltemittel (10) umfasst, welche dazu vorgesehen sind, die Stange (2) in der genannten Nut zu halten.

4. System nach den vorhergehenden Ansprüchen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite drehbare Körper (6) einen im wesentlichen flachen Teil (11) umfasst, der mit einer Durchgangsbohrung (12) versehen ist, wodurch das genannte Ende (9) des ersten drehbaren Körpers (4) heraustritt, und dass das Stoßelement (7) des zweiten drehbaren Körpers (6) durch eine gekrümmte Wand (13) geformt ist, wobei die Höhe seines oberen Randes variabel und angepasst ist, um die Stange (2), die mit dem ersten drehbaren Körper (4) verbunden ist, durch eine Nocke zu verschieben, wenn sich der zweite drehbare Körper (6) um seine Achse herum dreht.

5. System nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Rückhaltemittel (10) aus einem röhrenförmigen Körper (14) bestehen, der koaxial zum ersten drehbaren Körper (4) ist, und bezüglich des genannten ersten drehbaren Körpers extern angeordnet ist, wobei der röhrenförmige Körper (14) mit einer Verlängerung (15) versehen ist, die im wesentlichen parallel zu seiner Achse ist, die aus einem Material besteht, welches plastisch verformt werden kann, bis es bricht, wenn es einer Belastung ausgesetzt wird, die größer als ein bestimmter Wert ist, welche sich durch die Durchgangsbohrung (12) des flachen Teils (11) des zweiten drehbaren Körpers (6) ausbreitet, und welche angepasst ist, die Stange (2) zu umklammern, so dass diese nicht aus der Nut (8) des Endes (9) des ersten drehbaren Körpers (4) heraustritt, in der sie aufgenommen ist.

Revendications

1. Système pour déconnecter une pédale de commande de dispositif (1) du dispositif auquel elle est connectée, particulièrement applicable aux pédales de véhicules conçus pour recevoir l'action du pied et transmettre la force de celui-ci au dispositif, ladite pédale (1) étant connectée au dispositif par une tige (2) dont l'extrémité (3) est connectée à un premier corps rotatoire (4) accouplé de manière rotatoire à la pédale autour d'un axe (5), caractérisé en ce que le système comprend, en outre, un second corps rotatoire (6) pourvu d'un élément poussoir (7), de manière que lorsque el second corps rotatoire tourne à cause de la collision frontale du véhicule, la tige (2) se déplace grâce à l'action de l'élément poussoir (7) de manière qu'elle se sépare du premier corps rotatoire (4) accouplé à la pédale.

2. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'axe de rotation du second corps rotatoire (6) coïncide avec l'axe de rotation (5) du premier corps rotatoire (4) accouplé à la pédale (1).

3. Système selon les revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'une partie de l'extrémité (3) de la tige (2) connectée au premier corps rotatoire (4) est logée dans une rainure (8) dont une extrémité (9) du premier corps rotatoire est pourvu de celle-ci, et en ce que le système comprend, en outre, des moyens de retenue (10) destinés à maintenir la tige (2) dans ladite rainure.

4. Système selon les revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le second corps rotatoire (6) comprend une partie essentiellement plate (11) pourvue d'un trou traversant (12) par lequel ladite extrémité (9) du premier corps rotatoire (4) émerge, et en ce que l'élément poussoir (7) du second corps rotatoire (6) est formé par une paroi courbée (13), la hauteur de son bord supérieur étant variable et adaptée pour déplacer, au moyen d'une came, la tige (2) connectée au premier corps rotatoire (4) lorsque le second corps rotatoire (6) tourne autour de son axe.

5. Système selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de retenue (10) son constitués d'un corps tubulaire (14), coaxial au premier corps rotatoire (4) et disposé extérieurement par rapport audit premier corps rotatoire, le corps tubulaire (14) étant pourvu d'un prolongement (15), essentiellement parallèle à son axe, d'une matière qui peut se déformer plastiquement jusqu'à se rompre lorsqu'il est soumis à une déformation supérieure à une certaine valeur, qui s'étend à travers le trou traversant (12) de la partie plate (11) du second corps rotatoire (6) et qui est adapté pour accrocher la tige (2) en évitant sa sortie de la rainure (8) de l'extrémité (9) du premier corps rotatoire (4) dans laquelle il est logé.

Drawing