DE102015202860A1 - Fluid actuator for haptic-sensitive signal on a pedal - Google Patents

Abstract

An actuator for generating a haptic perceptible signal on a pedal, in particular an accelerator pedal, of a vehicle is described, wherein the actuator is a pneumatic or hydraulic fluid actuator, which is operated with positive pressure and / or negative pressure and preferably already in the vehicle for another function existing generator is used for the overpressure and / or negative pressure in the corresponding fluid.

Description

The invention relates to an actuator for generating a haptic perceptible signal on a pedal of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

Pedals in vehicles, in particular the gas pedal, are increasingly provided with an actuator to the driver of the vehicle, a visually perceptible signal in certain traffic situations, such as falling below a minimum distance or a pending gear change or an uneconomic driving style, such as deviating from an optimal speed or torque range signal.

These are called "force feedback pedals", such as in the EP 1375233 B1 or DE 10 2009 041 361 A1 , Usually provided with electrical actuators, which operate on the basis of rotating electric motors or electromagnetic linear actuators. Such actuators allow targeted control of the drag characteristic, but are correspondingly expensive, expensive and have a significant power consumption.

In addition, for example, from the DE 100 26 048 C2 Pedals with a vibrating device are known, which still produce optically perceptible signals on the pedal, for example, based on piezoelectric actuators, but without the strength and working amplitude of such a vibration device would be sufficient to allow a direct reaction force feedback over the working range of the pedal away.

The object of the present invention is to present an alternative actuator, which is inexpensive to implement and on the other hand still able to apply a sufficient counterforce. This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, and combinations and developments of individual features are conceivable with each other.

An essential idea of the invention is that there are already for other applications fluid actuators, which generate a correspondingly sufficient counterforce and also in the motor vehicle generators for overpressure and / or negative pressure are present, which can be preferably used for the operation of such an actuator ,

The actuator may be a pneumatic actuator and the fluid air with a positive or negative pressure or a hydraulic actuator and the fluid may be a hydraulic fluid.

Preferably, a generator for overpressure and / or negative pressure in such a fluid is already provided for another function in the vehicle and is supplied via a pressure line of this fluid to the pedal actuator.

For example, from the WO 2011 029812 A1 already to take an electro-hydraulic brake system for motor vehicles, in which the driver is adjusted in the so-called "brake-by-wire" the usual brake pedal feeling via corresponding pressure chambers and valves from a pressure fluid reservoir.

This concept can be readily applied to an accelerator pedal and a corresponding fluid actuator on this accelerator pedal and a corresponding haptic perceptible signal can be generated on the accelerator pedal.

In addition, electro-pneumatic brake systems, for example, from the EP 482374 A1 known, which have a compressed air tank with overpressure. By suitable supply lines and this fluid can be passed to a corresponding actuator on the accelerator pedal.

Likewise, for example, from the EP 633 400 B2 an adaptive hydro-pneumatic damper for motor vehicles, for example, an adaptive shock absorber system known. There pressure from a hydraulic system via pressure supply lines is directed to the respective actuators and provided according to an embodiment of this invention, that a corresponding pressure supply to the actuator on the pedal, in particular accelerator pedal, is provided and a haptic perceptible signal is generated by an appropriate control.

Due to the particularly preferred use in the motor vehicle already existing fluid systems and a generator for positive pressure and / or negative pressure in such a fluid only a corresponding pressure line for supplying this fluid to the pedal actuator must be provided and can be realized quite powerful actuators.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1375233 B1 [0003]
• DE 102009041361 A1 [0003]
• DE 10026048 C2 [0004]
• WO 2011029812 A1 [0009]
• EP 482374 A1 [0011]
• EP 633400 B2 [0012]

Claims (6)

Actuator for generating a haptic perceptible signal to a pedal of a vehicle, characterized in that the actuator is a fluid actuator, which is operated with positive pressure and / or negative pressure. Actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator is a pneumatic actuator and the fluid is air with an overpressure or underpressure. Actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator is a hydraulic actuator and the fluid is a hydraulic fluid. Vehicle with an actuator according to one of the preceding claims. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the vehicle is already provided for another function, a generator for overpressure and / or negative pressure in a fluid and a pressure line for supplying this fluid to the pedal actuator. Vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the fluid from the brake pressure system or the adaptive shock absorber system is used.