GB2377912A

GB2377912A - Removable vehicle pedal

Info

Publication number: GB2377912A
Application number: GB0117974A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Richards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-24
Filing date: 2001-07-24
Publication date: 2003-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-24
Also published as: GB2377912B; GB0117974D0

Abstract

A vehicle pedal 3 and connecting rod 1, such as for controlling the accelerator, brake or clutch is capable of easily being removed or bent out of the way should the driver's foot or leg become trapped behind the pedal as a consequence of a vehicle accident. Preferably the rod includes a weakened section 5 which may bend or break when a horizontal or vertical force is applied to the pedal or rod. A safety device 2, such as a movable collar, may prevent the accidental removal, bending or breaking of the rod. The end of the rod 4 may be provided with an extension for the attachment of a lever for increasing the force which may be applied to the rod in order to bend/break it.

Description

VEHICLE SAFETY PEDAL DESCRIPTION This invention relates to the pedals and their connecting rods as found in a vehicle, of the type that control the accelerator, brakes and clutch There are a large number of such designs, but they all suffer from the disadvantage that during a road traffic accident, they can trap a driver's foot or lower leg and prevent rescue or medical assistance An object of this invention is to allow the easy removal of the pedal and rod by the driver or another person, thus freeing a leg or foot trapped during an accident Accordingly, this invention uses a rod that is rigid when downward pressure is applied during normal operation, but easy to remove or bend when horizontal or upward pressure is applied.

Preferably the rod would comprise a safety feature preventing accidental removal or bending should horizontal or upward pressure be applied unintentionally The rod may also comprise a fitting that would facilitate the use of a lever to assist in bending or breaking the rod The lever may be specifically designed for the task and carried in the vehicle, or could equally be a generic tool such as a wrench carried by rescue services A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure I shows a side view of the pedal and rod Figure 2 is a view from below the pedal.

Figure 3 is a view from above the pedal.

Figure 4 is a 3D view of the safety feature.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the driver compartment during normal circumstances.

Figure 6 shows a side view of the driving compartment following an accident Figure 7 shows a side view of the driving compartment following an accident, once the pedal and rod have been removed As shown in Figure one the invention relates to a pedal 3 and connecting rod I The connecting rod has a section specifically created to bend or break 5 when horizontal or upward pressure is exerted upon it.

The safety feature 2 fits into the breaking section 5 preventing accidental bending or

breaking To bend or break the rod one would first have to remove the safety feature ')

An extension to the rod 4 would facilitate the easy attachment of a lever to assist in applying pressure to the rod During a road traffic accident Figure 6 the driver of the vehicle 6 is thrown forward whilst the front of the vehicle 8 is compressed backwards The net effect may result in one or both of the driver's feet being forced between the connecting rods 1 of the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals 3.

The seat in which the driver is sitting 9 is now much closer to the dashboard than prior to the crash, pinning the driver forward. As the legs cannot be removed backwards, they must be removed sideways, but the pedals 3 and rods I may prevent this.

By removing the safety feature 2 the rod can now be broken and removed or bent out of the way to free the driver's legs Figure 7. In this way, medical attention can be administered more rapidly than if the driver's legs were still trapped in the vehicle

Claims

1 The pedals and connecting rods as found in a vehicle to control the accelerator, brake or clutch that can be readily removed or bent out of the way should a driver's foot or leg become jammed behind or between them.

2. A pedal and rod as described above claim including a fixture for the attachment of a lever to assist in applying force to the rod.

2 A pedal and rod as described in Claim 1 that includes a device to prevent accidental removal, bending or breaking of the rod.

3. A pedal and rod as described in any preceding claim including a fixture for the attachment of a lever to assist in applying force to the rod.

Amended claims have been filed as follows

1 A vehicle control pedal for controlling an accelerator, brake or clutch mechanism, comprising of a pedal and connecting rod which may be readily removed or bent out of the way by means of a weakened section in the connecting rod that is surrounded in normal use by a movable reinforcing collar.