GB2362449A

GB2362449A - Dual pedal control apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2362449A
Application number: GB0011910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Saph
Original assignee: HE MAN EQUIPMENT Ltd
Current assignee: HE MAN EQUIPMENT Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-17
Filing date: 2000-05-17
Publication date: 2001-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-17
Also published as: GB2362449B; GB0011910D0

Abstract

Dual pedal control apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, comprises a first assembly 1 including pedals 37, 39 (only partly shown) for operation by a passenger, a second assembly including control pedals 5, 7 for operation by the driver, and cables 9a, 11a connecting the pedals of the first and second assemblies whereby the driver is able to operate the control pedals in the normal way, and the passenger is able to operate the control pedals by operating pedals 37, 39. In normal operation of the control pedals, elements 89, 91 on fittings 65, 66 attached to the control pedals slides along the cables, but when pedals 37, 39 are operated by the passenger connectors 67, 68 fitted to the free ends of the cables engage the elements 89, 91 to operate the control pedals. Resilient elements 69, 70 maintains the cables under tension.

Description

236244,9 1 DUAL PEDAL CONTROL APPARATUS The present invention relates to a

dual pedal control apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, and particularly a dual pedal control apparatus which utilises cables to transmit the force applied to pedals of the apparatus to respective control pedals of the vehicle.

A dual pedal control apparatus is installed in a vehicle used for giving driving tuition 1 in order that the instructor, as a passenger of the vehicle, can take over operation of at 10 least one of the control pedals of the vehicle, such as the brake or clutch pedals of the vehicle.

GB-A-2252604 discloses one such dual pedal control apparatus. This earlier apparatus developed by the applicant comprises a first assembly which is fitted to the bulkhead or floor in front of the passenger seat and a second assembly which is fitted above the control pedals and connected to the first assembly by cables. The second assembly compr ises first and second spring-loaded levers, each provided with a push plate, which in use of the apparatus are brought into contact with respective ones of the control pedals to operate the same.

Whilst this apparatus functions perfectly satisfactorily, the design of modem vehicles has meant that there is increasingly less space above the control pedals in which to mount the spring-loaded levers.

It is thus an aim of the present invention to provide an improved dual pedal control apparatus which inter alia can be fitted more easily to modem vehicles.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a dual pedal control apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising: a first assembly including at least one pedal for )o operation by a passenger of the vehicle; a second assembly including at least one pedal-operating unit, each for operating a control pedal of the vehicle on operation of 2 the respective at least one pedal of the first assembly; and at least one cable connecting the first and second assemblies; wherein each pedal- operating unit comprises a fitting for connection to the respective control pedal of the vehicle, the fitting including an aperture through which one cable is slideably entrained, guide means for guiding the cable to the aperture, a connector fitted to the free end of the cable extending through the aperture., the connector being configured to engage the fitting on operation of the respective at least one pedal of the first assembly, and a resilient element for biasing the cable such as to maintain the cable under tension.

Preferably, the fittin,(,,, comprises a main body for connection to the respective control pedal of the vehicle and a rotatable element which is rotatably disposed to the main body and includes the aperture.

Preferably, the resilient element comprises a tension spring.

Preferably, the guide means comprises a pulley unit.

Preferably, the first assembly includes first and second pedals and the second assembly comprises first and second pedal-operating units for connection to respective ones of first and second control pedals of the vehicle, and comprising first and second cables connecting respective ones of the first and second pedals of the first assembly and the first and second control pedals of the vehicle.

Preferably, the cable is a Bowden cable.

The present invention also extends to an automotive vehicle including the abovedescribed dual pedal control apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described hereinbelow 33 by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in w 0 C 1 hich:

j Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a first assembly of a dual pedal control apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a front elevational view of the first assembly of Figure 1; Z Figure.3 3 illustrates a side elevational view of the first assembly of Figure 1 (viewed in the direction of arrow A in Figure 1); 0 Figure 4 illustrates a side elevational view of a pedal-operating unit of a second assembly of the dual pedal control apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in the rest position; Figure 5 illustrates a side elevational view of the pedal-operating unit of Figure 4, C Z:) Z:1 illustrated with the control pedal in the depressed position as caused by operation of the control pedal by the driver; and Figure 6 illustrates a side elevational view of the pedal-operating unit of Figure 4, illustrated with the control pedal in the depressed position as caused by operation of the respective pedal of the first assembly by the passenger.

The dual pedal control apparatus comprises a first assembly I fitted to the floor or bulkhead of an automotive vehicle in front of the passenger seat, a second assembly 33 connected to first and second control pedals 5, 7 of the vehicle, and first and second cables 9, 11 connecting the first and second assemblies 1, 3. In this embodiment the cables 9, 11 are Bowden cables and each comprise an inner cable element 9a, I I a and an outer sheath 9b, I I b The first assembly 1 comprises a base plate 13 mounted to the floor or bulkhead of the vehicle, first and second spaced bridge-like members 15, 17 fixed to the base plate 1 3), )o and a bar 19 interconnecting the bridge-like members 15, 17.

4 The first assembly 1 further comprises first and second bearing units 21, 23 fixed to respective ones of the first and second bridge-like members 15, 17, a top plate 25 fixed to and extending between the first and second bearing units 21, 23), and a third bearing 1 unit 27 fixed to the underside of the top plate 25 centrally between the first and second bearing units 21, 23.

W The first assembly 1 further comprises first and second shafts 29, 31 rotatably supported by the first and third bearing units 21, 27 and the second and third bearing C1 Z:> units 231, 27 respectively. The shafts 29, 31 each include a lever 33), 35 fixed to the inner end thereof.

The first assembly 1 further comprises first and second pedals 37, 39 connected to 3 respective ones of the outer ends of the shafts 29, -) 1. The pedals 37, 39 each include a splined aperture which engages with axial splines provided on the outer ends of the shafts 29, 3 1.

The first assembly 1 farther comprises first and second pulleys 41, 43 which are rotatably mounted to the base plate 13, a cover plate 45 for covering the pulleys 41, 43), and a connector plate 47 which includes first and second apertures 49, 51 in alignment with respective ones of the pulleys 41, 43) through which the respective ones of the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a of the cables 9, 11 extend. In this embodiment one end of each of the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a is connected to the distal end of a respective one of the levers 33), 35 and the outer sheaths 9b, 1 lb are connected to the connector plate 47 by threaded glands 53, 55.

The second assembly 3 comprises first and second pedal-operating units 57, 59 which each comprise a pulley unit 61, 6-33 mounted to the bulkhead of the vehicle on the driver side of the vehicle adjacent the respective one of the operating pedals 5, 7, a fitting 65, 66 attached to the respective one of the operating pedals 5, 7 through which the inner cable element 9a, 11 a of the respective cable 9, 11 is entrained, a connector 67, 68 connected to the other end of the respective inner cable element 9a, 11 a extending through the fitting 65, 66, and a resilient element 69, 70, in this embodiment a tension spring, connecting the connector 67, 68 to a support member 71 located forwardly of the operating pedals 5, 7 and beneath the dashboard. In this embodiment the support member 71 is fixedly mounted, but in an alternative embodiment could be mounted such as to pivot between the points of connection to the resilient elements 69, 70. In maintaining the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a under tension, the fittings 65, 66 are able to slide freely over the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a during depression of the operating pedals 5, 7 by the driver, and there is no risk of the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a kinking which could lead to the malfunction of the apparatus through either repeated damage to the inner cable elements 9a, 1 la or the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a becoming trapped.

The pulley units 61, 63 each comprise a support element 7-33, 75 mounted to the bulkhead of the vehicle and a pulley 77, 79 rotatably mounted to the support element 73, 75 about which the respective inner cable element 9a, 11 a of the cable 9, 11 is guided. In this embodiment the other ends of the outer sheaths 9b, 11 b of the cables 9, t> 11 are connected to respective ones of the support elements 73, 75 by a threaded gland 81, 83 The fittings 65, 66 each comprise a main body 85, 87 fixedly mounted to the respective operating pedal 5, 7 and a rotatable element 89, 91 which is rotatably disposed to the main body 85, 87 and includes an aperture 93, 95 through which the inner cable element 9a, 11 a of the respective cable 9, 11 extends.

In use, and without passenger assistance, the driver is able to operate the operating pedals 5, 7 norTnally without any different feel as the fittings 65, 66 attached to the CI operating pedals 5, 7 slide freely over the respective inner cable elements 9a, 11 a of the cables 9, 11. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate respectively the rest and depressed positions of the operating pedals 5, 7 without any operation of the pedals 37, 39 of the first assembly 1 by the passenger. When assistance is required from the passenger, one or 3 YO both of the pedals 37, 39 of the first assembly 1 can be depressed which causes the respective inner cable elements 9a, 11 a to be retracted over the pulleys 77, 79 of the respective pulley units 6L. 63, which retraction causes the respective connectors 67, 68 6 to engage the rotatable elements 89, 91 of the respective fittings 65, 66 and thereby cause the respective operating pedals 5, 7 to be depressed. On releasing the one or both of the pedals 37, 39 of the first assembly 1, the resilient elements 69, 70 return the respective inner cable elements 9a, 1 la to the extended position and so allow the respective operating pedals 5, 7 to return to the rest position.

C> Finally, it will be understood that the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment and can be modified in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

For example, in one alternative embodiment the connectors 67, 68 of the pedaloperating units 57, 59 could include a threaded adjuster to adjust the tension in the inner cable elements 9a, 11 a of the cables 9, 11 7

Claims

I A dual pedal control apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a first assembly including at least one pedal for operation by a passenger of the vehicle; a second assembly including at least one pedal- operating unit, each for operating a control pedal of the vehicle on operation of the respective at least one pedal of the first assembly; and at least one cable connecting the first and second assemblies; wherein each pedal-operating unit comprises a fitting for connection to the respective control pedal of the vehicle, the fitting including an aperture through which one cable is slideably entrained, guide means for guiding the cable to the aperture, a connector fitted to the free end of the cable extending through the aperture, the connector being configured to engage the fitting on operation of the respective at least one pedal of the first assembly, and a resilient element for biasing the cable such as to maintain the cable under tension.

I The a paratus of claim 1, wherein the fitting comprises a main body for p C> connection to the respective control pedal of the vehicle and a rotatable element which is rotatably disposed to the main body and includes the aperture.

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the resilient element comprises a tension spring.

4. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide means comprises a pulley unit.

5. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first assembly includes first and second pedals and the second assembly comprises first and second pedaloperating units for connection to respective ones of first and second control 0 pedals of the vehicle, and comprising first and second cables connecting Z-^> 8 respective ones of the first and second pedals of the first assembly and the first and second control pedals of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of any of claims I to 5, wherein the cable is a Bowden cable.

7. An automotive vehicle including the apparatus of any of claims 1 to 6.

C1 8.

A dual pedal control apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.