DE102017200989A1 - Pedal arrangement for a motor vehicle with a safety device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a pedal assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising a pedal arm (10) which is pivotally mounted on a pedal bracket (20) via a pedal axle (30). According to the invention, at least one rocker is mounted on the pedal bracket (20) via a pivot axis (42), wherein the rocker is rotatable about the pivot axis (42) by triggering at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44), thereby exerting a force on the rocker Pedal axle (30) is exercised, by which the mounting of the pedal arm (10) on the pedal bracket (20) is releasable. This allows the pedal arm (10) in a collision of the motor vehicle with an obstacle in a simple and effective manner be separated from its pedal bracket (20) to reduce the risk of injury to the driver.

Description

The invention relates to a pedal assembly for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising a pedal arm, which is mounted with at least one bearing pin pivotally mounted on a pedal bracket on a vehicle part.

There has long been a desire in the automotive field to increase the passive safety of the occupants of a motor vehicle. In particular, these efforts are aimed at preventing a collision of the vehicle with an obstacle that resulting from intrusion of vehicle parts into the passenger compartment to injury to persons. In a collision of a vehicle, for example, the penetration of the brake pedal into a footwell should be limited to a certain extent, so as to prevent injuries in the leg or foot area.

To protect the leg area of vehicle occupants measures are known in which pedals are mechanically separated from the body in an impact. For this purpose, usually a decoupling mechanism is provided which has a lever with which a pedal arm is unlocked and displaced or even partially destroyed. However, the operation of a lever mechanism used in this case depends on the operating force which is generated in the event of a collision in the deformation of the front part of the body. Due to various parameters such as the test methods used, the drive train and the vehicle weight, however, a large number of deformations can occur so that levers often do not fulfill the desired function. For this reason, the robustness and reliability of such a lever is usually low, which can lead to test errors and many development loops.

Therefore, safety devices have already become known in this area of the pedal arrangements, which trigger independent of occurring during a collision relative movements between vehicle parts. In particular pyrotechnic gas generators are used, which suddenly produce a gas flow when triggered, moved with the components of a pedal suspension or even destroyed. For example, the DE 196 17 372 C1 a pedal assembly for a motor vehicle with a brake pedal which is pivotally mounted on a motor vehicle at a location remote from the pedal plate articulation point. About another point of articulation, the brake pedal is connected to a master cylinder or an upstream brake booster. A decoupling device with a pyrotechnic gas generator serves to release the connection to the brake pedal in the second articulation point in the event of a frontal accident. This is done by two components are pressed apart by the pressurized gas, whereby a locking element can be solved.

From the DE 10 2011 082 153 A1 a similar pedal assembly with safety device is known in which by triggering a gas generator, an actuator between a pedal arm and a master cylinder or an upstream brake booster is achieved. In this case, a so-called active agent element is moved by the compressed gas of the gas generator, which thereby deforms or destroys the actuator. In this case, the actuator can be bent or broken, for example.

The DE 10 2011 082 146 A1 also discloses a pedal assembly for motor vehicles, wherein the pedal assembly includes a safety device which prevents a person operating the pedal with the foot from being injured upon impact of the vehicle with an obstacle due to intrusion of the pedal arm into the passenger compartment by the pedal arm. In this case, a pedal arm is pivotally mounted on its pedal pivot axis in a pedal bracket. For this purpose, two bearing bolts are provided, which are guided in lateral cheeks of the pedal bracket. Furthermore, a gas generator is attached to the outside of each bearing pin on the outside. In the case of activation of the gas generators, released gas flows into a respective chamber in the bearing pin, whereby correspondingly dimensioned projections tear off. As a result, the pedal arm can be released from the pedal bracket.

The DE 10 2011 082 148 A1 discloses a similar pedal assembly for motor vehicles, but by igniting a gas generator, a separating wedge is moved, which causes a shearing of journal on impact on the pedal pivot axis. As a result, the pedal arm is decoupled from the pedal bracket and no longer protrudes as possible obstacle into the passenger compartment.

From the EP 2 078 644 A1 However, a safety device for a pedal assembly is known in which a pedal arm is pushed out by a gas generator from its storage in a pedal bracket. This is done via a piston that moves within a sleeve and pushes it in the horizontal direction from the Pedalbock on impact with the pedal arm.

However, in the light of the prior art, the field of safety devices for pedal assemblies with pyrotechnic elements still offers room for improvement.

The invention is based on the object, a pedal assembly for a motor vehicle to provide a pedal arm in a collision case in a simple and effective manner can be separated from its pedal bracket.

According to the invention the object is achieved by a pedal assembly with the features of claim 1. Further, particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention disclose the respective dependent subclaims.

It should be noted that the features listed in the following description as well as measures in any technically meaningful way can be combined with each other and show other embodiments of the invention. The description additionally characterizes and specifies the invention, in particular in connection with the figures.

The pedal assembly according to the invention for a motor vehicle has a pedal arm, which is mounted pivotably on a pedal bracket via a pedal axle. Furthermore, as part of a safety device, at least one rocker is mounted on the pedal bracket via a pivot axis, this rocker being used to release the pedal arm from the pedal bracket during a frontal collision of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the rocker is rotatable by triggering at least one pyrotechnic actuator about the pivot axis, whereby a force is exerted on the pedal axle. By this force, the storage of the pedal arm on the pedal bracket is solvable.

The rocker can be used advantageously to adapt the force acting on the pedal axle force exactly to a pyrotechnic actuator used. This can be done via the transmission ratio of the rocker. The disadvantage of a direct application of a force from the pyrotechnic actuator or the pyrotechnic actuators on the pedal axle, however, would be that the actuators must apply at least the clamping force of the pedal axle and thus would have to be designed correspondingly larger than in the inventive solution.

With such a pedal arrangement, the invention provides a simple solution with which, in the event of a collision, a pedal arm in the footwell of a motor vehicle can be released in such a way that the risk of injury is reduced. The at least one pyrotechnic actuator can be triggered in one embodiment of the invention by a signal, for example from a crash sensor, which is also used for triggering an airbag. In this case, different accelerations can be set at which the different components should trigger. For example, it may be provided that an airbag triggers even at lower accelerations than the pyrotechnic actuators of the pedal assembly, or vice versa.

In the solution according to the invention no lever to be activated mechanically with the known disadvantages are used, but the advantages of pyrotechnic actuators and a reliable activation of these elements can be used advantageously. The functional principle is similar to that of an airbag. A pyrotechnic actuator generates an actuating force, which is transmitted to at least one rocker. This rocker is dimensioned so that its actuation force upon contact with a component of the pedal axle is greater than the force with which the pedal arm is held in the pedal bracket. As a result, the pedal arm can be released and intrusion limitations in an impact can be met.

By means of the rocker, a correspondingly dimensioned force can thus be exerted on the pedal arm at a defined location. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pedal arm is pushed down from the storage in Pedalbock down. It is therefore preferably provided that the rocker upon release of the at least one pyrotechnic actuator exerts a force on the pedal axle, which includes a vertically downward force component. The force can therefore be directed vertically or obliquely downwards. Compared to solutions in which a pedal arm is pushed in the event of a collision in the horizontal direction from a pedal bracket, this has the particular advantage that the unlocking direction is perpendicular to the direction of actuation of the pedal. This ensures that the pedal arm can not be decoupled already by a normal operation of the pedal.

The pedal axle can be designed in different ways and with different individual components. In one embodiment of the invention, the pedal axle is formed, for example, at least by a pedal tube and a guided through the pedal tube bearing pin. The pedal tube is firmly connected to the pedal arm, so that pedal arm and pedal tube form a unit which are rotatably mounted on the fixed bearing pin. The bearing pin is mounted for this purpose between two cheeks of the pedal bracket by being held in respective receptacles in the cheeks. Preferably, the bearing pin is held by clamping force in the recordings, and this clamping force can be overcome by applying the force of the rocker on the pedal axle. In this way, the bearing pin can be released from the recordings, whereby the pedal arm is no longer held on the pedal bracket.

The force for releasing the pedal arm on various individual components of the Pedal axis are applied. For example, a direct application of a force from the rocker to the bearing bolt would be possible. In another embodiment, the rocker brings a force on the pedal tube, via which the force is transmitted to the bearing bolt therein. In such an embodiment, when the at least one pyrotechnic actuator is triggered, the rocker contacts the pedal tube and applies a force to the pedal tube, by means of which the bearing of the bearing pin in the receptacles of the cheeks of the pedal bracket can be released.

In one embodiment of the invention, the respective receptacles in the cheeks of the pedal bracket are open at at least one edge location. The bearing pin is held during operation of the pedal assembly by clamping force in the recordings, but can then move in the event of a collision after application of the force by the rocker at least partially at this edge point of the recordings out. Such recordings are thus cutouts in a lower edge of the cheeks of the pedal bracket.

As a pyrotechnic actuator, in particular a pyrotechnic gas generator can be used. This is ignited or actuated at a current pulse and generates a gas, by which a pressure is generated. This gas is therefore often referred to as compressed gas. With the compressed gas, the rocker can be acted upon directly at a location to rotate about its pivot axis. However, the pressurized gas may initially set one or more intermediate elements in motion before they in turn move the rocker.

The at least one pyrotechnic actuator is supported on a vehicle part. It is thus mounted between the rocker and a vehicle part. In particular, the at least one pyrotechnic actuator is mounted for this purpose between the rocker and the pedal bracket. In this way, the pedal assembly together with the actuators form a unit that can be preassembled and then placed in the vehicle. The design of the pedal assembly can be made so compact and modular, so that the overall structure can be attached to the pedal bracket in the footwell of a motor vehicle.

The rocker can z. B. have two or more actuating lever parts which are interconnected so that they act together as a rocker. For example, two or more actuators can be used, which are meaningfully ignited at the same time. If more than one pyrotechnic actuator is used, each of these actuators can be mounted with a separate connection point on a vehicle part or the pedal bracket and act on the rocker and / or each one of its actuating lever parts. However, a plurality of pyrotechnic elements can also be supported on a vehicle part via a common connection point or a fastening element. This can be done for example via a rail to which the plurality of pyrotechnic actuators are suitably attached, this rail is then connected to the pedal bracket.

The pivoting of the at least one rocker can be carried out in various ways, so that the rocker can take various forms. Also, the pivot axis can be realized at various suitable positions on a rocker. As a pivot axis can in particular serve a bolt which is guided by one or more operating lever parts of the rocker. The bolt is connected with at least one end fixed to a vehicle part. For example, such a bolt may be mounted between the two cheeks of the pedal bracket.

In one embodiment of the invention, the pivot axis is arranged on the rocker between the at least one pyrotechnic actuator and a contact point on the rocker, via which a force is exerted by the rocker on the pedal axle. The pivot axis can then be located centrally on the rocker, wherein a pyrotechnic actuator engages one end of the rocker and thus rotates about the pivot axis. In this way, a force can be applied to the pedal axle with the opposite end of the rocker, wherein the leverage can be exploited. However, a pyrotechnic actuator could, for example, also attack between the pivot axis and the contact point to the pedal axle.

• 1 eine schematische Seitendarstellung einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Pedalanordnung,
• 2 eine schematische Explosionsdarstellung der Pedalachse mit Pedalarm,
• 3 einen schematischen Schnitt der Pedalanordnung gemäß 2 bei der Montage der Pedalachse,
• 4 einen schematischen Schnitt der Pedalanordnung gemäß 2 mit montierter Pedalachse,
• 5 eine schematische Teilansicht einer Pedalanordnung von der Seite,
• 6 eine schematische Teilansicht einer Pedalanordnung gemäß 5 von vorne,
• 7 eine schematische Frontansicht der Pedalanordnung gemäß 1,
• 8 eine schematische Ansicht eines Pedalbocks,
• 9 eine schematische Seitendarstellung der Pedalanordnung gemäß 1 mit gelöstem Pedalarm,
• 10 eine schematische Ansicht einer Pedalanordnung gemäß 9 mit gelöstem Pedalarm,
• 11 eine schematische Seitenansicht der Pedalanordnung gemäß 10,
• 12a eine schematische Ansicht eines pyrotechnischen Aktuators zur Verwendung in einer Pedalanordnung in schematischer Darstellung, und
• 12b eine schematische Ansicht eines pyrotechnischen Aktuators gemäß 12a nach der Aktuierung.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims and the following description of the figures. Show it:

• 1 a schematic side view of an embodiment of the pedal assembly according to the invention,
• 2 a schematic exploded view of the pedal axle with pedal arm,
• 3 a schematic section of the pedal assembly according to 2 during assembly of the pedal axle,
• 4 a schematic section of the pedal assembly according to 2 with mounted pedal axle,
• 5 a schematic partial view of a pedal assembly from the side,
• 6 a schematic partial view of a pedal assembly according to 5 from the front,
• 7 a schematic front view of the pedal assembly according to 1 .
• 8th a schematic view of a pedal bracket,
• 9 a schematic side view of the pedal assembly according to 1 with released pedal arm,
• 10 a schematic view of a pedal assembly according to 9 with released pedal arm,
• 11 a schematic side view of the pedal assembly according to 10 .
• 12a a schematic view of a pyrotechnic actuator for use in a pedal assembly in a schematic representation, and
• 12b a schematic view of a pyrotechnic actuator according to 12a after the actuation.

In the different figures, the same parts are always provided with the same reference numerals, which is why these are usually described only once.

In the 1 shown schematic side view shows an example of an embodiment of a pedal assembly according to the invention for a motor vehicle. The pedal assembly has at least one pedal, which is in particular a brake pedal. However, the invention could also be applied to gas or clutch pedals. The pedal has a pedal arm 10 on, at its lower end a pedal plate 11 is attached, with which the pedal can be operated with the foot. About its pedal axle is the pedal with the pedal arm 10 swiveling in a pedal bracket 20 stored so that the pedal plate 11 can be pressed with the foot. A brake booster is typically behind a dash panel 70 arranged the footwell.

The pedal bracket 20 is formed by at least two lateral cheeks, of which in the schematic side view of 1 only a first cheek 21 is shown. The second cheek 22 is for example the view of 8th refer to. These cheeks 21 and 22 are preferably connected to each other and to a vehicle part, so that they are firmly attached to the body of the motor vehicle. The pedal arm 10 is about a pedal axle 30 swiveling between the two cheeks 21 . 22 hung, as it in particular the 2 to 4 demonstrate.

The 2 shows an example of a pedal axle 30 having a pedal tube 31 , which with the pedal arm 10 is welded. This pedal tube 31 is on opposite sides of the top of the pedal arm 10 from. Through the pedal tube 31 become a support sleeve 32 and two bearing sleeves 33 and 34 guided. This will be the bearing sleeves 33 . 34 on the two ends of the support sleeve 32 plugged. The two bearing sleeves 33 . 34 each have a collar as a stop at the ends of the pedal tube 31 on, so that the bearing sleeves 33 . 34 up to her collar in the pedal tube 31 be inserted. This assembly of sleeves becomes a bearing pin 35 with a thread on which a nut 36 can be screwed on.

The pedal tube 31 with the sleeves 32 . 33 . 34 will be between the two cheeks 21 , 22 of the pedal bracket 20 placed as it is 3 shows. Subsequently, the bearing pin 35 through the cheek 21 , the inner sleeves and the cheek 22 led and with a mother between the two cheeks 21 . 22 braced ( 4 ).

As a result, a clamping force is applied, with which the thus formed pedal shaft is held with the pedal arm in Pedalbock. The pedal arm 10 can be with his pedal tube 31 around the bearing pin 35 rotate.

To the pedal arm 10 in a frontal collision of the vehicle with an obstacle from the pedal bracket 20 to separate, a safety device is provided. This comprises at least one rocker, which has a pivot axis 42 is stored on a vehicle part. The presentation of the 1 shows an operating lever part 41 of the rocker, but it can also be two operating lever parts 40 and 41 be used, as for example, the three-dimensional view of the 5 can be seen. Both operating lever parts 40 . 41 the rocker are connected together and preferably via a common pivot axis 42 between the two cheeks 21 . 22 of the pedal bracket 20 suspended.

In each case a first end of the two actuating lever parts 40 . 41 The rocker is located in the area of the pedal axle 30 , The pivot axis 42 is in the embodiment of the figures centered on the actuating lever parts 40 . 41 arranged. At the pedal axle 30 opposite end of the actuating lever parts 40 . 41 each is at least one pyrotechnic element 43 . 44 arranged. Such a pyrotechnic element is also referred to below as a pyrotechnic actuator. 1 shows that to the operating lever part 41 belonging pyrotechnic element 43 , The second pyrotechnic element 44 the operating lever part 40 is for example the view of 5 refer to.

These pyrotechnic actuators are, for example, cylindrical Components that are mounted between the respective operating lever part and a vehicle part. By way of example only, both are pyrotechnic elements 43 and 44 on a common fastener 47 attached, which in turn in the area of the bulkhead 70 can be connected to a vehicle part. For example, the fastener 47 be formed by a U-shaped rail (U-profile). An example is a mounting plate 25 with both cheeks 21 . 22 of the pedal bracket. In a preferred embodiment, the rail 47 on the cheeks 21 and 22 attached, as in 7 is recognizable.

The pedal bracket 20 forms with the pyrotechnic actuators 43 . 44 a unit that can be preassembled and then installed in the vehicle.

The schematic view of 6 shows in particular the arrangement of the two operating lever parts 40 . 41 the seesaw between the two cheeks 21 . 22 of the pedal bracket. Also, the schematic front view of 7 shows these two lateral cheeks 21 and 22 of the pedal bracket between which the pedal arm 10 with the pedal tube 31 is suspended. The presentation is greatly simplified and is only intended to reproduce the essential components of the suspension. The two operating lever parts 40 and 41 The safety device is located next to the pedal arm 10 and one of the cheeks 21 . 22 ,

The bearing bolt 35 is doing by shooting inside the two cheeks 21 . 22 led the pedal bracket. These shots are the view of 8th to see which shows a pedal assembly without hinged pedal. In the first cheek 21 is a recording 23 trained while on the second cheek 22 a corresponding recording 24 is trained. These two shots 23 . 24 have the shape of downwardly open slots, so that the bearing pin 35 can be moved down out of the shots. However, during normal operation of the pedal, the pedal will become one of the bearing pin 35 and the mother 36 generated clamping force between the cheeks 21 . 22 held.

As a pyrotechnic actuator in particular a gas generator is used, as it is known from the field of deployment of airbags. Every pyrotechnic actuator 43 . 44 is with a control unit 50 connected, via which the respective gas generator can be triggered in the event of a frontal collision of the motor vehicle with an obstacle (see control unit 50 in 1 ). The control unit 50 is preferably in connection with one or more sensors on the vehicle, which are designed to detect such a collision. If the sensors report a sufficiently severe impact of the vehicle on an obstacle in the front area, the gas generators become active 43 . 44 triggered so that they produce a pressurized gas. Due to the compressed gas, the in 1 right end of the operating lever parts 40 . 41 pushed up.

As already mentioned, the actuating lever parts together form a rocker. Due to the leverage of this rocker simultaneously lowers the left end of the operating lever parts 40 . 41 and contacts the pedal tube 31 or pushes it down. This pivoting movement is in the 9 marked with a rotary arrow. In this way, a force from above on the pedal tube 31 exercised, causing the bearing pin 35 from the pedal bracket 20 solves. At the same time the pedal arm moves 10 down so that it is pushed down from the pedal bracket 20. The force of the operating lever parts 40 . 41 , So the rocker thus has a force component in a direction vertically downwards. The resulting position of the pedal arm 10 with triggered pyrotechnic actuators is also in the 10 shown. In this condition is the bearing pin 35 from the pedal bracket 20 solved, so the pedal arm 10 only at the junction 12 hangs. It no longer provides a fixed component in the footwell over which forces are transmitted to the feet and legs of a driver, which could lead to injuries. The pedal arm 10 is now rather yielding.

11 shows a side view of the pedal bracket with the cheek 21 from whose inclusion 23 the bearing pin 35 has dissolved down. If the clamping force is overcome by the action of the pyrotechnic actuators, the bearing pin can 35 also move down. He is doing along the slot-shaped recording 23 pushed down. The same thing happens in the opposite shot 24 instead of.

The pyrotechnic actuators used for such a pedal assembly with safety device can each have a cylindrical base body, in which a bolt is mounted. 12a shows an example of an actuator 43 with such a basic body 48 , The cylinder is open at the top and in this opening is a bolt 45 , If the actuator is triggered, a compressed gas is generated within the actuator, which moves the bolt 45 out of the top of the cylinder. This condition is in the 12b shown. With this bolt 45 can then be pivoted one end of the rocker or actuating lever part, so that the rocker or the operating lever part pushes the pedal tube of the pedal suspension down.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

pedal arm

11

pedal plate

12

junction

20

pedal block

21.22

cheek

23.24

admission

25

mounting plate

30

pedal axle

31

pedal tube

32

support sleeve

33.34

bearing sleeve

35

bearing bolt

36

mother

40.41

Operating lever part of the rocker

42

swivel axis

43.44

Pyrotechnic element, actuator, gas generator

45

bolt

47

Fastening element, rail

48

body

50

control unit

60

Brake booster

70

bulkhead

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

• DE 19617372 C1 [0004]
• DE 102011082153 A1 [0005]
• DE 102011082146 A1 [0006]
• DE 102011082148 A1 [0007]
• EP 2078644 A1 [0008]

Claims (10)

Pedal arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a pedal arm (10) which is pivotally mounted on a pedal shaft (30) on a pedal bracket (20), characterized in that at least one rocker via a pivot axis (42) on the pedal bracket (20) is mounted wherein the rocker is rotatable about the pivot axis (42) by triggering at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44) thereby exerting a force on the pedal axle (30) by the rocker through which the bearing of the pedal arm (10) on the pedal bracket (20) is detachable. Pedal arrangement after Claim 1 characterized in that the pedal axle (30) is formed at least by a pedal tube (31) and a bearing pin (35) guided through the pedal tube (31), the pedal tube (31) being fixedly connected to the pedal arm (10) and the Bearing pin (35) is mounted between two cheeks (21; 22) of the pedal bracket (20) by being held in respective seats (23; 24) in the cheeks (21; 22). Pedal arrangement after Claim 2 , characterized in that the bearing pin (35) by clamping force in the receptacles (23, 24) is held, and this clamping force by applying the force of the rocker on the pedal axle (30) can be overcome. Pedal arrangement according to one of Claims 2 or 3 , characterized in that the rocker upon release of the at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44) contacts the pedal tube (30) and applies a force to the pedal tube (31) through which the bearing of the bearing pin (35) in the receptacles (23 24) of the cheeks (21; 22) of the pedal bracket (20) is releasable. Pedal arrangement according to one of Claims 2 to 4 Characterized in that the respective receptacles (23; 24) in the cheeks (21; 22) of an edge point are designed to be open at least on. Pedal arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rocker upon release of the at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44) exerts a force on the pedal axle (30), which includes a vertically downward force component. Pedal arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44) between the rocker and the pedal bracket (20) is mounted. Pedal arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality, preferably two actuating lever parts (40; 41) are connected to the rocker, which are mounted rotatably about a common pivot axis (42) on the pedal bracket (20), wherein each actuating lever part (40 41) in each case by triggering at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43, 44) about this pivot axis (42) is rotatable. Pedal arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pyrotechnic actuators (43; 44) of the rocker or each actuating lever part (40; 41) are connected to the pedal bracket (20) via a common fastening element (47). Pedal arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis (42) on the rocker between the at least one pyrotechnic actuator (43; 44) and a contact point on the rocker, via which a force from the rocker on the pedal axle (30) is exercised.

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