JP2001117655A - Leg-protecting pedal device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a leg-protecting pedal device of a vehicle for controlling pedal step force, when external force acts at least so as not to exceed the maximum value of the pedal step force in a normal driving operation, in order to prevent damage to a driver's leg due to the large increase of the pedal step force, when large external force acts, for example, at a vehicle collision time. SOLUTION: A pedal arm is divided into a first pedal arm 2 and a second pedal arm 3, and the second peal arm 3 is shifted form the first pedal arm 2 and is pivotally fixed freely rotatably. Also, a spring member 8 is suspended between the first and second arms 2 and 3, and a stopper 6 is arranged to determine a normal pedal position, and when an outer force acts, the second pedal arm 3 is rotated to a direction away from the first pedal arm 2, while being accompanied by a step power P1 and an inertia moment Mp, and the value of the pedal step force P1 can be set to a desired value from the balancing of these forces.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can control a pressing force applied to a lower limb for operating a petal, particularly an ankle, when a large external force is applied at the time of a vehicle collision or the like. The present invention relates to a lower limb protection petal device for a vehicle that protects a lower limb with a maximum petal pedaling force or less.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 3, a petal mechanism such as a brake petal or a clutch petal is disposed in a vehicle cabin. This petal mechanism section includes a petal arm 10 having a base end side pivotally supported by the vehicle and having a petal tread plate 7 at a distal end side, a master cylinder 11 connected to an intermediate portion of the petal arm 10, and the like. The petal operation is performed by placing the lower limb 12 on the petal tread 7 as shown in the figure and applying a treading force to the petal tread 7 by the lower limb 12. When a large external force is applied to the front end side of the vehicle at the time of a vehicle collision or the like, the vehicle is deformed, and a large force acts on various parts of the occupant with this deformation. For this reason, various occupant safety devices are also employed in the prior art. On the other hand, a large force is applied to the lower limb, especially the ankle, which is directly mounted on the petal tread of the petal such as a brake petal, when the external force acts, but this protective means has not been sufficiently devised in the past.

[0003]

During normal operation, the brake petal is not operated except during the stopping operation of the vehicle, during the speed reduction, and during the slow running. On the other hand, when analyzing the movement of the occupant at the time of a vehicle collision or the like, if the occupant feels danger, the occupant performs an operation of pressing the brake petal and also depresses the petal to extremely increase the pressing force. External force at the time of collision or the like greatly acts on the petal tread, but since the occupant's lower limb steps strongly on the petal tread, the external force acts on the lower limb via the petal tread. That is, a large external force acts on the lower limb. For this reason, especially the ankle 12a of the lower limb 12
(A portion indicated by a two-dot chain line circle in FIG. 3) may exert a large force to cause injury to the lower limb 12 and the ankle 12a.

[0004] As described above, there are many known techniques as protection means for preventing damage around the lower limb when a large external force is applied such as at the time of a vehicle collision. For example, JP
0-236288, JP-A-11-5563, and JP-A-11-43073. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-236288 discloses a "vehicle petal support structure" in which a rivet at a mounting portion of a petal bracket for supporting a petal is sheared when an external force is applied, and the force directly acting on the petal is reduced. Also, JP-A-11-55
No. 63, "Vehicle Petal Displacement Control Structure" is such that a petal bracket is slidable when an external force is applied, and the force directly acting on the petal is reduced as described above. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-43073 discloses, in part, a technique for reducing the external force applied to a petal by deforming or bending a pressing member engaged with a petal arm. is there.

[0005] All of the above-mentioned known techniques are effective in protecting the petal when an external force is applied, and protect the occupant's lower limbs. However, in any case, the petal arm simply moves in the front-rear direction when the external force is applied. However, the petal treading force cannot be controlled to an arbitrary value, and in particular, the petal treading force cannot be freely controlled to a certain value or less. In addition, it does not directly protect the lower limbs, particularly the ankles, and the reliability of lower limb protection is not sufficient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when the external force acts, the portion of the petal tread moves in the direction in which the portion of the petal tread departs with respect to the direction of the external force. This value can be freely controlled, and the petal treading force under the action of external force can be made not to exceed the value of the maximum petal treading force during normal operation. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a petal arm supported on a vehicle side and a petal tread provided at the tip of the petal arm and operated by a driver's lower leg. A petal device for a vehicle, wherein the petal arm is formed by dividing the petal arm into a first petal arm supported on the vehicle side and a second petal arm separate from the first petal arm, wherein the second petal arm is The first petal arm and the second petal arm are arranged side by side by being shifted by an appropriate dimension from the first petal arm, the base end side of which is pivotally supported by the first petal arm and the petal tread plate is provided at the distal end side. A spring member for pulling the second petal arm toward the first petal arm is provided between the second petal arm and the pivot point of the second petal arm. A lower limb protection petal device in a vehicle in which a locking portion in which the first petal arm and the second petal arm are detachably engaged with each other during normal operation is formed at an intermediate portion between the positions where the members are arranged. is there.
Further, the locking portion comprises a fixing hole provided on the second petal arm side and a stopper protrudingly formed on the first petal arm side to be fitted in the fixing hole. When the maximum value of the petal treading force at the time of normal petal operation is Pmax, the first petal arm is used so that the force acting on the lower limb on the petal tread plate at the time of external force action does not exceed the Pmax. The amount of shift, the mass, the spring characteristics of the spring member, and the mounting position are determined.

The petal arm is connected to the first petal arm and the second petal arm.
, The second petal arm is shifted from the first petal arm by an appropriate amount, and the proximal end thereof is pivotally supported by the first petal arm. A spring member is provided between the first petal arm and the second petal arm to pull the second petal arm toward the first petal arm. Further, a stopper is provided on the first petal arm side. During normal operation, by appropriately setting the shift amount of the first petal arm and the spring characteristics of the spring member,
A desired petal pedaling force can be maintained. When an external force acts due to a collision or the like, the second petal arm rotates under the action of the inertial force and the treading force in a direction away from the first petal arm, and from this balance of the force around the second petal arm,
You can control the value of petal treading force. Second
By devising the specifications of the petal arm, the shift position, the spring characteristics and arrangement of the spring member, and the like, it is possible to reduce the petal treading force when an external force is applied as compared with that during normal operation. This ensures that the lower limb is protected.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the lower limb protection petal device of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a lower limb protection petal device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the structure of each part in the present embodiment viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. In the case of FIG. 3, the petal arm 10 is a single one, but in the present embodiment, the petal arm is divided into the first petal arm 2 and the second petal arm 3.

The first petal arm 2 has a base end (not shown) pivotally supported on the vehicle side like a petal arm 10 shown in FIG.
A master cylinder 11 and the like are connected to the intermediate portion. FIG. 1 shows only the lower side of the first petal arm 2. A rotating shaft 4 (indicated by point O) to which the second petal arm 3 is pivotally fixed is fixed to the lower side. A locking portion 5 to which the spring member 8 is engaged is provided at a point separated by a distance H from the rotating shaft 4 below the rotating shaft 4, and a locking portion 5 at a distance h shorter than the distance H is provided. One stopper 6 is provided so as to protrude.

On the other hand, the second petal arm 3 has an L-shaped bent shape. That is, the first member 3a having the length b is formed on the upper side, and the elongated second member 3b which is bent substantially at right angles from the end of the first member 3a is integrally formed. The base end side of the first member 3 a is pivotally supported by the rotating shaft 4. A petal tread plate 7 is provided on the tip side of the second member.
Is fixed. Note that the length from the pivot point (point O) of the second petal arm 3 to the petal tread 7 is longer than the distance H in the first petal arm 2. Also,
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a fixing hole 13, which is one of the locking portions, is formed in the middle of the second member 3 b of the second petal arm 3, and the stopper 6 is provided in the fixing hole 13. Inserted and retained. The first petal arm 2 and the second petal arm 3 are substantially juxtaposed in this state. The second member 3b of the second petal arm 3 is provided with a locking portion 9 for locking the spring member 8. The spring member 8 is made of a material having a spring characteristic (K).
And between the engaging portions 9 of the petal arm 3, and normally urges the second petal arm 3 to be pulled toward the first petal arm 2 side. In this state, the bottom surface of the fixing hole 13 of the second petal arm 3 comes into contact with the tip of the stopper 6. In FIG. 1, the length b is the second petal arm 3.
Almost coincides with the shift amount. When the center of gravity of the second petal arm 3 is G, the inertial force generated at the point G when the second petal arm 3 rotates causes an inertia moment M around the pivot point (point O). Note that the value of M is proportional to the mass of the second petal arm 3.

The force balance in the state shown in FIG. 1 will be described. That is, it is assumed that the first and second petal arms 2 and 3 are arranged in the state shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the external force F = 0 and the pedal depression force is P in FIG. A force Fk acts on the spring member 8 in the leftward direction as shown. This force Fk acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to P. The position of the stopper 6 is Fs in the direction opposite to the force Fk.
Reaction force is acting. From the above, pivot point (O point)
The following force balance equation holds. P · b = Fk · H−Fs · h (1) (F = 0, M = 0) Now, the petal treading force P at the moment when the second petal arm 3 separates from the stopper 6 is calculated as the petal treading force at the normal time. Assuming the maximum value Pmax, equation (2) is obtained. Pmax · b = Fk · H (2) (F = 0, M = 0, Fs = 0) If Fk ≒ (K) · b in the equation (2), Pmax = [(K) · b · H] / b = (K) · H (3) Therefore, by appropriately setting the value of the spring characteristic (K) of the spring member 5, the value of Pmax can be set to a desired value.

Next, a description will be given of the balance between the operation and the force of the lower limb protection petal device when an external force acts upon a vehicle collision or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, when the pedaling force of the lower limb 12 exceeds the maximum value Pmax of the petal treading force and the petal tread 7 continues to be stepped on by the lower limb 12 when the external force F ₁ is applied, the second petal arm moves the rotary shaft 4 as shown in FIG. It pivots as shown in the figure. Therefore, the second petal arm 3 moves away from the stopper 6 of the first petal arm 2 while extending the spring member 8. The balance of forces in this state is as follows. In this case, assuming that the inertial force generated at the point G at the pivot point (point O) is Mp, the direction of action is counterclockwise as shown in the figure. Further, if the spring tension acting on the position of the extended spring member 8 is Fk ₁ and the position where the pedaling force P ₁ acts on the rotating shaft 4 is substantially (b + Δ) from the rotating shaft 4, the pivot point (O The balance of the force with respect to (point) is expressed by equation (4). _{P 1 · (b + Δ)} = Fk 1 · H-Mp ··· (4) _{wherein, Fk 1 ≒ (b + Δ} ) · (K) to the _{P 1 = (K) · H} -Mp / (b + Δ) ·· (5) In the equation (5), (K) · H is the Pmax,
Mp increases as the deceleration of the vehicle increases, that is, the external force F
_As the value of ₁ increases, the value increases, and the value of Mp / (b + Δ) increases as a whole. Thus, as the external force F ₁ becomes larger, namely, the value of P ₁ larger the impact force is increased Pm
ax. From the above, by appropriately setting the values of the spring characteristics (K) and H of the spring member 8 and the specifications of the second petal arm 3 (such as the mass b related to the shift amount b and Mp), the external force In the above, the value of P ₁ is
max or less. Therefore, lower limb 1
2 is smaller than a predetermined value when a shocking external force is applied, and the lower limb 12 can be protected.

[0014]

According to the petal device for protecting a lower limb in a vehicle according to the present invention, the force acting on the lower limb (ankle) when a large external force is applied is greatly reduced, and the lower limb is protected and safety is ensured. Further, it is possible to control the force applied to the lower limb when the external force acts, and it is easy to make this force not exceed the maximum value of the petal treading force during normal driving.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic structure of a lower limb protection petal device in a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view for explaining an operation of the lower limb protection petal device in the vehicle of the present invention when a shocking external force is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the outline of a conventional general petal structure and the relationship between the lower limbs.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lower limb protection petal apparatus 2 1st petal arm 3 2nd petal arm 4 Rotating shaft 5 Locking part 6 Stopper 7 Petal tread plate 8 Spring member 9 Locking part 10 Petal arm 11 Master cylinder 12 Lower limb 12a Ankle 13 Fixing hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A petal device for a vehicle having a petal arm supported on a vehicle side and a petal tread plate provided at the tip of the petal arm and operated by a driver's lower leg, wherein the petal arm is supported on the vehicle side. A first petal arm and a second petal arm separated from the first petal arm are formed, and the second petal arm is juxtaposed by being shifted by an appropriate dimension from the first petal arm and arranged at a base end thereof. Side is pivotally supported by the first petal arm, and the petal tread is provided at the distal end side. The second petal arm is provided between the first petal arm and the second petal arm on the first petal arm side. A tension spring member is erected, and an intermediate portion between a pivot point of the second petal arm and a position where the spring member is disposed is the first spring during normal operation. A petal arm and a second petal arm are formed with a locking portion that detachably engages with each other. 2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion comprises a fixing hole provided on the second petal arm side and a stopper protrudingly formed on the first petal arm side to fit into the fixing hole. Item 7. A petal device for protecting lower limbs in a vehicle according to Item 1. 3. When the maximum value of the petal treading force during normal petal operation is Pmax, the force acting on the lower limb on the petal tread plate when an external force acts is the Pmax.
The lower limb protection petal device according to claim 1, wherein a shift amount, a mass, a spring characteristic of the spring member, and a mounting position of the first petal arm are determined so as not to exceed.