JP7148791B2 - clutch pedal unit - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a clutch pedal unit that is configured to be capable of contacting and separating operations for contacting and separating a driven plate with respect to a drive plate.

For example, in the following patent documents, a disconnecting operation/connecting operation of a clutch mechanism (an operation of contacting and separating a driven plate with respect to a drive plate: hereinafter also referred to as "contacting and separating operation") and a shift operation of a transmission mechanism are disclosed. An invention has been disclosed for a foot-operated transmission for a motorcycle (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "transmission") in which two operations can be performed only by a shift pedal.

In this transmission, when starting a stopped motorcycle, first, one of the shift pedals (a pedal extending toward the front of the vehicle; hereinafter, also referred to as a "front pedal") is stepped on. . At this time, the clutch release lever is pulled via each arm connected to the shift pedal, and the clutch mechanism is shifted to the disengaged state. Further, in this transmission, the coupling bearing portion is pressed by stepping on the speed change pedal (front side pedal), thereby shifting the speed change mechanism to 1st speed.

Next, the speed change pedal (front side pedal) is returned (the depression amount is gradually decreased) while increasing the engine speed by operating the accelerator. At this time, the clutch release lever is gradually pushed back as the amount of depression decreases, the clutch mechanism is returned to the engaged state, and power is transmitted to the drive wheels via the clutch mechanism and the speed change mechanism. As a result, the motorcycle starts running.

Furthermore, when shifting the speed change mechanism to 2nd speed as the running speed increases, the other push pedal (a pedal extending toward the rear of the vehicle: hereinafter also referred to as a "rear side pedal") of the speed change pedals is operated. Step in. At this time, the clutch mechanism is shifted to the disengaged state in the same manner as when starting the vehicle, and the coupling bearing portion is pressed to shift the transmission mechanism to the second gear. Next, the clutch mechanism is returned to the engaged state by returning the speed change pedal (rear side pedal) (gradually decreasing the depression amount). As a result, power is transmitted to the driving wheels via the transmission mechanism in a state of being shifted to second speed.

On the other hand, for example, when shifting to 1st gear while traveling in 2nd gear, the front pedal is depressed. At this time, the clutch mechanism is shifted to the disengaged state in the same manner as when starting the vehicle, and the coupling bearing portion is pressed to shift the speed change mechanism to 1st speed. The clutch mechanism is then returned to the engaged state by releasing the front pedal. As a result, power is transmitted to the driving wheels via the transmission mechanism in the state of being shifted to 1st speed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-8004 (pages 4-5, Figures 1-3)

However, the transmission disclosed in the above patent document has the following problems to be solved. Specifically, in the transmission described above, it is possible to simultaneously engage and disengage the clutch mechanism and shift the transmission by operating (depressing/releasing) the shift pedals (the front and rear pedals). configuration is adopted.

In this case, the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document is defined in its "claims" as "a manual clutch that operates a hand lever attached to a handle to operate a clutch release mechanism via an operating means such as a push-pull cable. A foot-operated clutch that replaces an operable clutch”, a configuration is adopted in which the clutch mechanism cannot be shifted to the disengaged state by lever operation (manual operation). Therefore, in the above transmission, when the shift pedal is not operated (not stepped on), the clutch mechanism is maintained in the connected state and power is transmitted to the driving wheels.

Therefore, when stopping a motorcycle equipped with the above transmission, it is necessary to shift the transmission mechanism to neutral. However, for example, when wear occurs in the transmission mechanism due to long-term use, or when the viscosity of the transmission oil is high due to insufficient warm-up, it becomes difficult to shift the transmission mechanism to neutral. Sometimes.

In this case, if the shift to neutral has not been completed by the time the vehicle stops, the clutch mechanism shifts to the engaged state when the shift pedal is released, and power is transmitted to the driving wheels, even if the user wishes to retry the shift to neutral. It will be done. Therefore, it becomes impossible to maintain the stopped state, and in such a situation, it is necessary to continue depressing the shift pedal until the vehicle starts running. Therefore, there is a problem that it is a heavy burden for the user to keep depressing the shift pedal when the vehicle must be stopped for a long time.

Further, when the vehicle is stopped and the shift pedal is continuously depressed, the vehicle cannot be held with both feet on the road surface. Therefore, there is also a problem that the holding of the vehicle becomes unstable when the vehicle is stopped.

On the other hand, for example, some racing vehicles have been remodeled so that a fixing pin can be inserted to keep the clutch lever or clutch pedal in an operated state (a state in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged). However, if a fixing pin for fixing the shift pedal is added to the structure of the transmission described above, the fixing pin must be inserted each time the shift pedal is depressed (the clutch mechanism is disengaged). , it becomes necessary to remove the fixing pin when returning the speed change pedal when starting to travel. Therefore, although it is not necessary to continue depressing the speed change pedal in order to maintain the disengaged state of the clutch mechanism, the attachment and detachment of the fixing pin becomes complicated.

Although the configuration related to the field of motorcycles has been described as an example, the clutch pedal is also used in various devices having a clutch mechanism for transmitting power from a power source, such as four-wheeled vehicles, agricultural machinery, and machine tools. A similar problem exists in that the operation of maintaining the disengaged state of the clutch mechanism by depressing is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a clutch pedal unit that can easily maintain a state in which a driven plate is separated from a drive plate.

In order to achieve the above object, a clutch pedal unit according to claim 1 is configured to be connectable to an operating force transmission portion of a contact/separation mechanism for contacting/separating a driven plate with respect to a drive plate of a clutch mechanism. A clutch pedal unit configured to be capable of contacting and separating operation to contact and separate the driven plate with respect to the drive plate by operating the contact and separation mechanism via a force transmission part, A first drive plate that is provided with a fixable base portion and a connection portion that is connected to the operation force transmission portion, is pivotally supported by the base portion, and is in a state where the driven plate is in contact with the drive plate. a contact/separation operation pedal that is rotated with respect to the base portion by the contact/separation operation between a rotating position and a second rotating position where the driven plate is separated from the drive plate; and increasing the operating force required for rotating the contact/separation operation pedal rotated to the second rotation position with respect to the base portion toward the first rotation position, a rotation restricting member for restricting rotation of the contact/ separation operation pedal, wherein the rotation restriction member is in a state in which the contact/separation operation pedal rotated to the second rotation position is not operated; In (1), the operation force required for the rotation is increased so that the contact/separation operation pedal can maintain the state rotated to the second rotation position .

Claim 1 of Claim 2 is the clutch pedal unit of Claim 1, wherein the rotation restricting member is different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal in the base portion. One end is connected to a base-side connected portion provided at a portion, and the other end is connected to a pedal-side connected portion provided at a portion different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal. A coupled coil spring is provided, and the contact/separation operation pedal rotates from the first rotation position to a third rotation position between the first rotation position and the second rotation position. The coil spring is configured to extend when the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated from the second rotation position to the third rotation position.

The clutch pedal unit according to claim 3 is the clutch pedal unit according to claim 2, wherein the rotation restricting member is a spring disposed between the one end of the coil spring and the base portion side connected portion. A shaft member provided with a connector and arranged in parallel with the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal, and a long length through which the shaft member can be inserted and extending in a direction intersecting with the expansion/contraction direction of the coil spring. One of the holes is provided in the base portion as the base portion side connected portion, and the other of the shaft member and the elongated hole is provided in the spring connector, and the contact/separation operation pedal is provided in the first When the shaft member is positioned at one end of the elongated hole when rotated to the rotation position of , the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position. In some cases, the shaft member is configured to be positioned on the other end side of the elongated hole.

The clutch pedal unit according to claim 4 is the clutch pedal unit according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the coil spring is arranged along one surface of the contact/separation operation pedal on the side of the base portion to extend between the contact/separation operation pedal and the contact/separation operation pedal. It is arranged between the base part.

A clutch pedal unit according to claim 5 is the clutch pedal unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rotation restricting member is disposed between the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal. a first biasing member that biases the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to separate them from each other; a second urging member for urging the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to bring the contact/separation operation pedal closer to the contact/separation operation pedal; At least one of the third biasing members biases the pedal toward the base.

In the clutch pedal unit according to claim 6 , in the clutch pedal unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the contact/separation operation pedal has a first movement from a supported portion pivotally supported on the base portion. A first operating portion projecting in a direction and a first operating portion projecting from the supported portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction are provided.

In the clutch pedal unit according to claim 1, a base portion that can be fixed to a device on which the clutch mechanism is mounted, and a connection portion that is connected to the operation force transmission portion are provided, and are pivotally supported by the base portion and perform the first rotation. a contact/separation operation pedal that is rotated with respect to the base portion by a contact/separation operation between a position and a second rotation position; and a contact/separation operation pedal that is rotated to the second rotation position. A rotation restricting member is provided for increasing an operation force required for rotating the base portion toward the first rotation position to restrict rotation of the contact/separation operation pedal with respect to the base portion.

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit of claim 1, when the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position, the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated toward the first rotation position. The force required for movement is increased by the rotation restricting member, and the force required to maintain the state in which the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position becomes sufficiently small. can be easily maintained in a state in which the is shifted to the disconnected state. Further, the rotation restricting member is configured to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal to the second rotation position while the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position and is not operated. By restricting the rotation by increasing the operating force required for rotation in a maintainable manner, it is possible to reliably and easily maintain the disengaged state of the clutch mechanism without continuing to operate the contact/separation operation pedal. , the vehicle can be held with both feet grounded while maintaining the amputated state.

In the clutch pedal unit according to claim 2, one end portion of the rotation restricting member is connected to a base portion side connected portion provided in a portion of the base portion different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal. In addition, a coil spring having the other end connected to a pedal-side connected portion provided at a position different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal is provided, and the contact/separation operation pedal is positioned at the first rotation position. to the third rotation position, and when the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated from the second rotation position to the third rotation position, the coil spring is extended. It is

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit of claim 2, the operation force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal from the second rotation position toward the first rotation position can be relatively simply configured. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit can be sufficiently reduced, and since failure and wear are less likely to occur, the state in which smooth pedal operation is possible is preferably maintained for a long period of time. can be maintained.

In the clutch pedal unit according to claim 3, the rotation restricting member includes a spring connector disposed between one end of the coil spring and the base portion side connected portion, and the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal. Either one of the shaft member arranged parallel to the base member and the long hole through which the shaft member can be inserted and which is long along the direction intersecting the expansion and contraction direction of the coil spring is provided in the base portion as the base portion side connected portion In addition, the other of the shaft member and the long hole is provided in the spring connector, and the shaft member is positioned at one end side of the long hole when the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the first rotation position. and the shaft member is positioned at the other end side of the long hole when the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position.

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit of claim 3, the shaft member to be engaged with the elongated hole is arranged at a position farther from the rotating shaft of the contact/separation operation pedal than the actual position. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the "increase in the operating force required for rotation" relative to the "rotation amount" of the contact/separation operation pedal without excessively increasing the total length of the rotation restricting member. As a result of being able to make it sufficiently small, smooth pedal operation can be performed.

According to the clutch pedal unit of claim 4, the coil spring is disposed between the contact/separation operation pedal and the base portion along one surface of the contact/separation operation pedal on the base portion side. Since there is no contact with the user's feet, it is possible to suitably avoid situations in which the user's shoes or clothes are soiled or the movement of the coil spring or the like is hindered.

In the clutch pedal unit according to claim 5, the rotation restricting member is disposed between the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal, and urges the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to separate them from each other. 1 biasing member, a second biasing member disposed on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal side of the base portion and biasing the base portion in a direction to approach the contact/separation operation pedal; At least one of a third biasing member disposed on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal to the base portion side and biasing the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to approach the base portion. ing.

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit of claim 5, the operation force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal from the second rotation position toward the first rotation position can be relatively simply configured. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit can be sufficiently reduced, and since failure and wear are less likely to occur, the state in which smooth pedal operation is possible is preferably maintained for a long period of time. can be maintained.

According to the clutch pedal unit of claim 6 , the first operating portion protrudes in the first direction from the shaft-supported portion pivotally supported by the base portion, and the first operation portion protrudes from the shaft-supported portion in the opposite direction to the first direction. By providing the contact/separation operation pedal with the first operation portion projecting in the second direction, the operation arm 43 is operated to move from the second rotation position to the first rotation position. Since the contact/separation operation pedal can be easily rotated toward the clutch, the clutch mechanism, which has been shifted to the disengaged state, can be easily shifted to the connected state.

2 is an external view of the clutch pedal unit 1 viewed from the surface side; FIG. FIG. 2 is an external view of the clutch pedal unit 1 as viewed from the rear side; 2 is an exploded view of the clutch pedal unit 1; FIG. 2 is an external view of the clutch pedal unit 1 viewed from the front side; FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the clutch pedal unit 1 in a state where the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotation position Pa; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the clutch pedal unit 1 in a state where the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotation position Pc; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the clutch pedal unit 1 in a state where the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotation position Pb; It is the external view which looked at the clutch pedal unit 1A from the front side. Fig. 3 is an external view of the clutch pedal unit 1B as viewed from the front side; It is the external view which looked at the clutch-pedal unit 1C from the front side. Fig. 3 is an external view of the clutch pedal unit 1D viewed from the front side;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of a clutch pedal unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration of the clutch pedal unit 1 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The clutch pedal unit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 corresponds to a "clutch pedal unit", and as an example, instead of engaging and disengaging the clutch mechanism by the clutch lever (operation to approach/separate the driven plate with respect to the drive plate). (or in combination with lever operation), and the shift lever can be used instead of the shift pedal to shift gears. ) are configured so that they can be used when retrofitting

Specifically, the clutch pedal unit 1 is attached to the motorcycle together with a clutch mechanism (not shown) and a release mechanism 10 (an example of a "contact/separate mechanism"), and a clutch wire 11 (an "operating force transmission section") is attached to the motorcycle. ), and operate the release mechanism 10 via the clutch wire 11 to operate the driven plate (clutch plate: not shown) with respect to the drive plate (friction plate: not shown) of the clutch mechanism. ) can be connected and separated. The clutch pedal unit 1 includes a base portion 2, a shaft 3, a contact/separation operation pedal 4, a coil spring 5, an engagement fitting 6, and a foot peg 7, as shown in FIGS.

Although the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example is configured integrally with the footpeg 7, the footpeg 7 is not a constituent element of the "clutch pedal unit" but is provided separately by the user. It can be used by attaching the member of In FIG. 2, in order to facilitate understanding of the structure of the clutch pedal unit 1, the outer shapes of the shaft 3 and the spring engaging metal fittings 6 are shown through the base portion 2, and the outer shape of the base portion 2 is shown. It is illustrated with a dashed line. Furthermore, although the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment includes only one contact/separation operation pedal 4, FIG. 2 shows the contact/separation operation pedal 4 (lower contact/separation operation pedal 4) and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 (upper contact/separation operation pedal 4) viewed from the back side.

The base portion 2 is an example of "a base portion that can be fixed to a device on which the clutch mechanism is mounted." As shown in FIG. An engaging pin 21 for engaging one end of the spring engaging fitting 6 is provided. The shaft 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to be able to axially support the contact/separation operation pedal 4 , and as an example, is welded to the base portion main body 20 of the base portion 2 to be integrated with the base portion 2 . In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, the center of the shaft 3 in a state integrated with the base portion 2 corresponds to "the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal in the base portion." Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the engagement pin 21 erected on the base body 20 of the base portion 2 is "a base portion provided at a location different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal. It corresponds to "the shaft member arranged in parallel to the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal" as the "side connected part" ("one of the shaft member and the long hole" is the "shaft member"). example of a configuration).

The contact/separation operation pedal 4 is an example of a "contact/separation operation pedal", and as shown in FIGS. a shaft 42a provided at the tip of the operation arm 42 and a rubber cover 42b attached thereto; a shaft 43a provided at the tip of the operation arm 43 and a rubber cover 43b attached thereto; An engaging pin 44 erected on the back side of the operating arm 42 is provided. In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (the contact/separation operation pedal 4) of this example, the base end portions of the arms 41 to 43 are connected to form the pedal body 40. As shown in FIG. Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (contact/disengage operation pedal 4) of this embodiment, the shaft hole H4 through which the shaft 3 can be inserted is a connecting portion (an example of a "supported portion") of the arms 41 to 43 in the pedal body 40. ), and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotatably supported with respect to the base portion 2 via the shaft 3 fixed to the base portion 2 as described above. It is

The connecting arm 41 is an example of a "connecting portion", and is provided with an insertion hole H41 into which the distal end portion of the clutch wire 11 can be inserted. It is configured to be connectable to the clutch wire 11 by fitting. In the clutch pedal unit 1 (contact/disengage operation pedal 4) of the present embodiment, the connecting arm 41 is projected upward with respect to the shaft hole H4 so that the insertion hole H41 is positioned above the shaft hole H4. However, depending on the position of the release mechanism 10 (clutch wire 11) in a motorcycle or the like to which the clutch pedal unit 1 is attached, the coupling arm 41 may be projected downward and the fitting hole H41 may be positioned below the shaft hole H4. A positioned configuration can also be employed.

The operating arm 42 is an example of a “first operating portion” and is configured to be stepped on by the user's foot when operating the clutch pedal unit 1 . In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (contact/separation operation pedal 4) of this embodiment, the projecting direction of the operation arm 42 with respect to the connecting portion (the portion in which the shaft hole H4 is formed) of each of the arms 41 to 43 is the "first direction”. Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (contact/separate operation pedal 4) of this example, as shown in FIGS. An engagement pin 44 as a "pedal-side connected portion" is provided upright at a "portion different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal" (an example).

The operation arm 43 is an example of a “second operation portion”, and is configured such that the user can step on it with his heel when operating the clutch pedal unit 1 . In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (contact/disengage operation pedal 4) of this embodiment, the projecting direction of the operation arm 43 with respect to the connecting portion (the portion in which the shaft hole H4 is formed) of each of the arms 41 to 43 is the "second direction”.

The contact/separation operation pedal 4 in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment includes shafts 42a and 43a and rubber covers 42b and 43b attached thereto. As for the rubber covers 42b and 43b, similarly to the footpeg 7 described above, the user can mount and use any member separately prepared without using them as a constituent element of the "clutch pedal unit".

The contact/separation operation pedal 4 has a rotational position Pa (an example of a “first rotational position”: see FIG. 5) where the driven plate is in contact with the drive plate, and a driven position Pa with respect to the drive plate. It is pivotally supported by a shaft 3 so as to be rotatable with respect to the base portion 2 by contacting and separating operations between a rotational position Pb (an example of a “second rotational position”: see FIG. 7) where the plate is separated. It is Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the driven plate is separated from the drive plate between the rotational positions Pa and Pb (the position closer to the rotational position Pa than the rotational position Pb), and the driven plate is separated from the drive plate. , a rotational position Pc (an example of a "third rotational position": see FIG. 6) at which the coil spring 5 is most stretched is defined. , and Pc.

5 to 7, the rubber covers 42b and 43b and the foot peg 7 of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 are not shown in order to facilitate understanding of the positional relationship of the components 2 to 6 of the clutch pedal unit 1. In addition, the pedal body 40 of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 are shown through to show the outer shape of other components.

The coil spring 5 is an example of a "coil spring" and constitutes a "rotation restricting member" together with the spring engaging metal fitting 6. As shown in FIG. 2 and 3, the spring engaging metal fitting 6 is an example of a "spring connecting tool", and as shown in FIGS. An engaging hole H6b to be engaged with 21 is formed. As will be described later, the spring engaging metal fitting 6 is bent largely so as to avoid the contact of the spring engaging metal fitting 6 with the shaft 3 when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated with respect to the base portion 2 . It is

In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, the end of the coil spring 5 that is engaged with the spring engaging metal fitting 6 corresponds to "one end of the coil spring", and the coil spring 5 is engaged with and disengaged from. The end of the pedal 4 that engages with the engagement pin 44 corresponds to "the other end of the coil spring". That is, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment, one end of the coil spring 5 is connected to the base portion 2 (engagement pin 21) via the spring engagement fitting 6. As shown in FIG.

Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, the engagement hole H6b of the spring engagement metal fitting 6 corresponds to the "long hole", and the engagement pin 21 as the "shaft material" can be inserted, and the coil spring 5 expands and contracts. (an example of a configuration in which "the other of the shaft member and the long hole" is a "long hole"). In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 (spring engaging metal fitting 6) of this example, as shown in FIG. When the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb as shown in FIG. It is configured to be located on the other end side (upper end side) of the engagement hole H6b.

The coil spring 5 and the spring engaging fitting 6 are attached to the base portion 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow Aa in FIG. When the coil spring 5 is rotated against the base portion 2, the force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 with respect to the base portion 2 is increased, and the rotation is restricted. The coil spring 5 expands when the release pedal 4 is rotated from the rotating position Pb toward the rotating position Pc in the direction indicated by the arrow Ab in FIG. It is attached to the base portion 2 and the shaft 3 so that the force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 with respect to the base portion 2 is increased by being moved, and the rotation is restricted.

In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pa in a state in which the contact/separation operation pedal 4 that is rotated to the rotation position Pa is not operated. The state can be maintained, and the state in which the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb can be maintained in a state in which the contact/separation operation pedal 4 rotated to the rotation position Pb is not operated. The spring rate of the coil spring 5 is defined so that the operating force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 can be increased to an extent. Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. It is arranged between the pedal 4 and the base portion 2, and prevents the user's foot from coming into contact with the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated. ing.

In the drawings referred to in this specification, the illustration is omitted in order to facilitate understanding of the positional relationship of the components 2 to 7, but in the actual clutch pedal unit 1, the base portion 2 or a cylindrical cover that is fixed to the contact/separation operation pedal 4 and covers the longitudinal central portion of the spring engaging metal fitting 6 and the shaft 3 to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the shaft 3 or the like. there is

Next, an example of how to use the clutch pedal unit 1 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

For example, when refurbishing a general motorcycle in which a clutch lever is engaged and disengaged and a shift pedal is used to shift gears, the clutch pedal unit 1 is engaged and disengaged and a shift lever is used to shift gears. , the clutch lever and the shift pedal are removed, and the clutch pedal unit 1 and the shift lever (not shown) are mounted on the motorcycle. In this case, the mounting location of the clutch pedal unit 1 and the shift lever can be changed as appropriate according to the user's preference. (via a rod, etc.) to the transmission mechanism.

As for the clutch pedal unit 1, as an example, the base portion 2 is fixed in the vicinity of the footrest for the left foot. Next, a clutch wire 11 that is shorter than the clutch wire connected to the clutch lever is prepared and replaced with the existing clutch wire, and the distal end of the clutch wire is inserted into the insertion hole H41 in the connection arm 41 of the contact/separation operation pedal 4. By inserting, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clutch wire 11 is connected to the contact/separation operation pedal 4 .

Next, the attachment angle of the clutch pedal unit 1 and the clutch wire 11 are adjusted so that the driven plate is in contact with the drive plate while the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pa. to adjust the withdrawal fee. As described above, the refurbishment is completed so that the contact/separation operation by the clutch pedal unit 1 and the shift operation by the shift lever are possible. In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 that has been completely attached, as shown in FIG. The contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ab and is maintained at the rotation position Pa.

When the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotating position Pa, the engaging pin 21 of the base portion 2 is in contact with one end (lower end) of the engaging hole H6b of the spring engaging fitting 6. An imaginary straight line (one-dot chain line L2) connecting the axial center of the engaging pin 21 and the axial center of the engaging pin 44 with which the other end side of the coil spring 5 is engaged is the axial center of the engaging pin 21. and the axis of the shaft 3 (rotational axis of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 with respect to the base portion 2) on the side of the arrow Ab (the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is moved to the rotation position) from the imaginary straight line (broken line L1) connecting It is positioned in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow Aa, which is the direction of turning operation toward Pb. In this state, in addition to the restoring force of the clutch mechanism and the release mechanism 10, the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 (the force of the coil spring 5 trying to contract) causes the engaging pins 21 and 44 to approach each other. A force acts, and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is maintained at the rotational position Pa.

On the other hand, when the vehicle equipped with the clutch pedal unit 1 is driven, first, the operation arm 42 of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is depressed to move the contact/separation operation pedal 4 with respect to the base portion 2 in the direction of the arrow Aa. By rotating and pulling out the clutch wire 11 connected to the connecting arm 41 in the direction of the arrow Ba, the driven plate is separated from the drive plate. At this time, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, the engaging pins 21 and 44 with which the "rotation restricting member (the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6)" are engaged are aligned with the axis of the shaft 3. are arranged at different positions, the distance between the axial center of the shaft 3 fixed to the base body 20 and the engagement pin 21 is constant regardless of the rotational position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4. On the other hand, the distance between the engagement pins 21 and 44 changes according to the rotational position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 with respect to the base portion 2 (shaft 3).

Specifically, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Aa from the state rotated to the rotational position Pa and reaches the rotational position Pc. , the distance between the engaging pins 21 and 44 gradually increases. As a result, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated from the rotation position Pa to the rotation position Pc in the direction of the arrow Aa, the coil spring 5 is stretched, resulting in the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 ( force to contract the coil spring 5 gradually increases. As a result, the force for pulling back the contact/separation operation pedal 4 toward the rotation position Pa, that is, the force required for rotating the contact/separation operation pedal 4 from the rotation position Pa toward the rotation position Pb is reduced. It gradually increases and its rotation is restricted.

Further, just before the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pc as shown in FIG. be done). Therefore, after shifting the speed change mechanism to the 1st gear by operating the shift lever, by gradually decreasing the amount of depression of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 (operation arm 42), the clutch mechanism and the release mechanism 10 are connected to the clutch wire. 11 is pulled back in the direction of arrow Bb and the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 (the force of the coil spring 5 trying to contract) moves the contact/separation operation pedal 4 from the pivot position Pc to the pivot position Pa. 5, and is rotated with respect to the base portion 2 in the direction of the arrow Ab, and returns to the rotation position Pa again as shown in FIG. As a result, the driven plate is brought into contact with the drive plate, and the power from the power source is transmitted to the driving wheels through the transmission geared to 1st speed, thereby shifting the vehicle to the running state.

Note that the rotation position Pc in the above operation description is an example of the "third rotation position" as described above. In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pc, the engagement hole H6b is positioned at the longitudinal center of the engagement hole H6b. When the pin 21 is positioned, an imaginary straight line connecting the axial center of the engaging pin 21 and the axial center of the engaging pin 44 becomes a virtual straight line connecting the axial center of the engaging pin 21 and the axial center of the shaft 3. The positional relationship of each part is defined so as to overlap with the straight line (broken line L1). In the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment, the coil spring 5 is in the most extended state (that is, the elastic return of the coil spring 5) when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pc. force is maximized).

When the speed change mechanism is shifted to another speed change state as the running speed increases, the operation arm 42 is first depressed to move the contact/separation operation pedal 4 to the base portion 2 in the same manner as when starting the vehicle. On the other hand, by rotating in the direction of arrow Aa and pulling out the clutch wire 11 in the direction of arrow Ba, the driven plate is separated from the drive plate. Next, after shifting the transmission mechanism to an arbitrary shift state by operating the shift lever, the amount of depression of the operating arm 42 is gradually reduced. At this time, the clutch wire 11 is pulled back in the direction of the arrow Bb, so that the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ab with respect to the base portion 2 to return to the rotation position Pa. As a result, the driven plate is brought into contact with the drive plate, and the power from the power source is transmitted to the drive wheels via the transmission mechanism that has been shifted to an arbitrary speed change state.

As described above, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment, by stepping on the operation arm 42 of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 positioned at the rotation position Pa and rotating it in the direction of the arrow Aa, the clutch wire 11 is rotated. is pulled out in the direction of arrow Ba to shift the clutch mechanism to the "disconnected state", and the amount of depression of the operating arm 42 is gradually reduced and rotated in the direction of arrow Ab, thereby moving the clutch wire 11 in the direction of arrow Bb. The contact/separation operation for shifting the clutch mechanism to the "connected state" by pulling it back can be performed with only one foot (in this example, the left foot). Further, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned between the rotation position Pa and the rotation position Pc, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 can be moved to the rotation position simply by reducing the amount of depression of the operation arm 42 . As a result of the automatic return to Pa, it is possible to engage and disengage the clutch mechanism by the clutch pedal unit 1 in the same manner as the normal lever operation.

On the other hand, for example, when it is not desired to shift the transmission mechanism to neutral when the vehicle is stopped, or when the transmission mechanism cannot be shifted to neutral before the vehicle stops, the operation arm 42 is sufficiently depressed to contact and separate. The operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb. At this time, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 in the state of being positioned at the rotation position Pa is moved with respect to the base portion 2 (shaft 3) in the same manner as the rotation operation at the time of starting running or at the time of shifting. By rotating in the direction of arrow Aa, the clutch wire 11 is pulled out in the direction of arrow Ba, and the driven plate is separated from the drive plate just before the contact/separation operation pedal 4 reaches the rotating position Pc. The clutch mechanism is moved to the "disengaged state".

Further, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is further rotated in the direction of the arrow Aa to a position closer to the rotation position Pb than the rotation position Pc, the clutch wire 11 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ba. By further pulling out, the state in which the clutch mechanism is shifted to the "disconnected state" is maintained.

In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb, the engagement pin 21 of the base portion 2 is engaged with the spring. The engaging pin 44 is in contact with the other end side (upper end side) of the engaging hole H6b in the fitting 6, and the axial center of the engaging pin 21 and the other end side of the coil spring 5 are engaged with each other. An imaginary straight line (dashed line L3) connecting the axial center is an imaginary straight line (broken line L1 ) on the side of the arrow Aa (the side opposite to the direction of the arrow Ab, which is the direction in which the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated toward the rotation position Pa). In this state, the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 (the force with which the coil spring 5 tends to contract) acts in a direction to bring the engaging pins 21 and 44 closer together.

At this time, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotational position Pb is greater than the restoring forces of the clutch mechanism and the release mechanism 10. A coil spring 5 is attached. As a result, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is prevented from rotating with respect to the base portion 2 in the direction of the arrow Ab, and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is maintained at the rotating position Pb. Even if the operation arm 42 is not continuously depressed, the clutch wire 11 connected to the connection arm 41 is prevented from being pulled back in the direction of the arrow Bb, and the driven plate is separated from the drive plate. The connected state (disconnected state) is maintained. Therefore, the foot that has been operating the clutch pedal unit 1 (operating arm 42) can be brought into contact with the road surface, so that the vehicle can be held with both feet on the road surface.

Further, when starting the vehicle from a state in which the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is positioned at the rotational position Pb and the clutch mechanism is disengaged, the operation arm 43 is depressed to release the contact/separation operation pedal 4. Rotate in the direction of arrow Ab. In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of this example, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ab from the state where it is rotated to the rotation position Pb until it reaches the rotation position Pc. The distance between the engaging pins 21, 44 gradually increases. As a result, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated from the rotational position Pb to the rotational position Pc in the direction of the arrow Ab, the coil spring 5 is stretched, resulting in an elastic restoring force of the coil spring 5 ( force to contract the coil spring 5 gradually increases. As a result, the force for pulling back the contact/separation operation pedal 4 toward the rotation position Pb, that is, the force required for rotating the contact/separation operation pedal 4 from the rotation position Pb toward the rotation position Pa is reduced. It gradually increases and its rotation is restricted.

Therefore, unlike the operation of starting the vehicle in this example, if the operation arm 43 is erroneously depressed when the vehicle should be kept stationary, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 does not reach the rotation position Pc. As long as the user does not consciously rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 to the rotation position Pa, the coil spring can make the user recognize that the operation arm 43 is depressed. The contact/separation operation pedal 4 can be returned to the rotation position Pb by the elastic restoring force of 5 . As a result, a situation in which the clutch mechanism shifts to the engaged state due to erroneous operation of the operating arm 43 is preferably avoided.

On the other hand, in this example in which an operation for starting the vehicle is performed, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to a position slightly closer to the rotation position Pa than the rotation position Pc, the drive plate is brought into contact with the driven plate (the clutch mechanism is shifted to the "connected state"), and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is further rotated in the direction of the arrow Ab, so that it is positioned at the aforementioned rotation position Pa. state. As a result, the driven plate is maintained in contact with the drive plate, and the power from the power source is transmitted to the driving wheels via the speed change mechanism, thereby shifting the vehicle to the running state. Thus, the clutch operation by the clutch pedal unit 1 is completed.

In the clutch pedal unit 1 of this embodiment, which is configured to allow the above-described operation, smooth clutch operation is possible by making the engaging hole H6b an elongated hole. Specifically, in a configuration in which the distance between the “connected portion on the base side” and the “connected portion on the pedal side” is short, the change in the distance between the two “connecting portions” with respect to the amount of rotation of the “contact/separate operation pedal” amount becomes very large. Therefore, even if the "contact/separate operation pedal" is slightly rotated, the "operating force required for rotation" is greatly increased and the rotation is restricted, which may make it difficult to operate the pedal smoothly. be.

However, in the "clutch pedal unit" such as the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the operation arm 42 is depressed by the foot with the arch of the foot resting on the footpeg 7, and the operation arm 42 is depressed with the arch of the foot resting on the footpeg 7. The operation arm 43 is stepped on with the heel. Therefore, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment as well, the operation arms 42 and 43 cannot be excessively long. cannot be excessively long.

Therefore, in the clutch pedal unit 1 of the present embodiment, the engagement hole H6b of the spring engagement metal fitting 6 is formed as "a long hole extending in a direction intersecting with the direction of expansion and contraction of the coil spring", so that the engagement pin 21 can actually move. (i.e., a position farther from the engagement pin 44 than the actual position). ' is moved to reduce the amount of change in the distance between the engagement pins 21 and 44 with respect to the amount of rotation of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 . This avoids a situation in which the "operating force required for rotation" changes abruptly when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 rotates, thereby enabling smooth pedal operation.

As described above, the clutch pedal unit 1 is provided with the base portion 2 that can be fixed to a device on which the clutch mechanism is mounted, and the connecting arm 41 that is connected to the clutch wire 11, which is pivotally supported by the base portion 2 and rotatable. The contact/separation operation pedal 4 rotated with respect to the base portion 2 by the contact/separation operation between the movement positions Pa and Pb, and the rotation position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 rotated to the rotation position Pb. A "rotation limiting member (in this example, a coil spring 5 and a spring It is equipped with an engaging fitting 6).

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit 1, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb, the force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 toward the rotation position Pa is The force is increased by the coil spring 5 and the spring engagement metal fitting 6, and the force required to maintain the state where the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb becomes sufficiently small (clutch in this example). Since the pedal unit 1 does not require the force required to maintain the state, the state in which the clutch mechanism is shifted to the "disengaged state" can be easily maintained.

Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1, one end of the "rotation restricting member" is connected to an engagement pin 21 provided in a portion of the base portion 2 different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal 4. (In this example, it is connected via the spring engaging metal fitting 6), and the other end is connected to an engaging pin 44 provided at a position different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal 4. When the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated from the rotation position Pa to the rotation position Pc, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated from the rotation position Pb to the rotation position Pc. It is configured such that the coil spring 5 is elongated when it is pushed.

Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit 1, the operating force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 from the rotating position Pb toward the rotating position Pa can be increased with a relatively simple configuration. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit 1, and it is possible to preferably maintain a state in which smooth pedal operation is possible over a long period of time because failure and wear are less likely to occur. .

Further, in the clutch pedal unit 1, the "rotation restricting member" includes the spring engaging fitting 6 disposed between one end of the coil spring 5 and the engaging pin 21, and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is An engaging pin 21 arranged parallel to the rotation axis is provided on the base portion 2 as a "base portion side connected portion", and the engaging pin 21 can be inserted and crosses the expansion and contraction direction of the coil spring 5. The spring engaging metal fitting 6 is provided with an engaging hole H6b extending in the direction of rotation. side, and the engagement pin 21 is positioned at the other end side of the engagement hole H6b when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb. It is

Therefore, according to this clutch pedal unit 1, the coil spring 5 and the spring are arranged as if the engagement pin 21 to be engaged with the engagement hole H6b is arranged at a position farther from the shaft 3 than the actual position. Since the engaging metal fitting 6 can be moved, the "operating force required for turning" relative to the "rotating amount" of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 can be obtained without excessively increasing the total length of the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6. As a result, the pedal operation can be performed smoothly.

Further, according to the clutch pedal unit 1, the coil spring 5 is arranged along one surface of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 on the side of the base portion 2 between the contact/separation operation pedal 4 and the base portion 2. Since the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 do not hit the user's foot, it is preferable to prevent the user's shoes and clothes from getting dirty and the movement of the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 to be hindered. can be avoided.

Further, according to the clutch pedal unit 1, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position in a state in which the "rotation restricting member" does not operate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 rotated to the rotation position Pb. By increasing the "operation force required for rotation" so that the state rotated to Pb can be maintained (so that the contact/separation operation pedal 4 does not rotate toward the rotation position Pc in the non-operated state) Since the disengaged state of the clutch mechanism can be reliably and easily maintained without continuing to operate the contact/separate operation pedal 4, the vehicle is held by placing both feet on the ground while maintaining the "disconnected state". can be done.

Further, according to the clutch pedal unit 1, the operation arm 42 protrudes in the "first direction" from the "supported portion" pivotally supported by the base portion 2, and the "first direction" from the "supported portion". By providing the operation arm 43 projecting in the "second direction" opposite to the "first direction" to the contact/separation operation pedal 4, the operating arm 43 can be moved from the rotation position Pb by operating the operation arm 43. Since the contact/separation operation pedal 4 can be easily rotated toward the rotation position Pa, the clutch mechanism that has shifted to the "disconnected state" can be easily shifted to the "connected state."

The configuration of the "clutch pedal unit" is not limited to the example of the configuration of the clutch pedal unit 1 described above.

For example, a clutch pedal unit 1A shown in FIG. 8 is another example of the "clutch pedal unit" and is configured with a coil spring 8 in addition to the components 2 to 7 of the clutch pedal unit 1 described above. there is In this clutch pedal unit 1A, components similar to those of the clutch pedal unit 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted. In this case, the coil spring 8 is an example of a "first biasing member", and biases the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 in the direction of the arrow E (an example of the "direction to separate them from each other"). It is disposed between the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 so as to be movable. Specifically, the coil spring 8 is arranged between the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 so that the shaft 3 is inserted therethrough.

In this case, in the clutch pedal unit 1A provided with the coil spring 8, the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 are urged by the coil spring 8 so as to separate from each other. Regardless of the rotational position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4, a resistance force is generated when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated with respect to the base portion 2, that is, The operation force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is increased compared to the state in which the coil spring 8 is not present. Thus, by attaching the coil spring 8 that generates a sufficiently large biasing force, even if the contact/separation operation pedal 4 (operation arm 42) is stopped being stepped on, the contact/separation operation pedal 4 will remain at its rotational position. position is maintained. Therefore, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb, the state is maintained by the coil spring 8, so even if the operation of the operation arm 42 is stopped, the clutch mechanism is "disengaged". state” is maintained.

As described above, according to the clutch pedal unit 1A, the "rotation restricting member" is disposed between the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 so that the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4 are mutually connected. A coil spring 8 is provided as a "first biasing member" that biases the two in the direction of separating them from each other. Therefore, according to this clutch pedal unit 1A, similarly to the above-described clutch pedal unit 1, when the contact/separation operation pedal 4 is rotated to the rotation position Pb, the contact/separation operation is performed toward the rotation position Pa. The force required to rotate the operating pedal 4 is increased by the coil spring 8, and the force required to maintain the state in which the contact/separation operating pedal 4 is rotated to the rotating position Pb becomes sufficiently small. (In the clutch pedal unit 1A of this example, the force required to maintain the state is not required.) Therefore, the state in which the clutch mechanism is shifted to the "disengaged state" can be easily maintained. Further, since the operation force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4 from the rotation position Pb toward the rotation position Pa can be increased with a relatively simple configuration, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit 1A is reduced. can be sufficiently reduced, and failure and wear are less likely to occur, so that a state in which smooth pedal operation is possible can be preferably maintained for a long period of time.

A clutch pedal unit 1B shown in FIG. 9 is still another example of the "clutch pedal unit", and does not include the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 in the clutch pedal unit 1A. Instead of the base portion 2 and the contact/separation operation pedal 4, a base portion 2a and a contact/separation operation pedal 4a are provided. In the clutch pedal unit 1B and clutch pedal units 1C and 1D which will be described later, the same components as those in the clutch pedal units 1 and 1A are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

In this case, the base portion 2a of the clutch pedal unit 1B is provided with a base portion main body 20 without the engaging pin 21 instead of the base portion 2 in the clutch pedal units 1, 1A. Further, the contact/separation operation pedal 4a of the clutch pedal unit 1B includes a pedal body 40 without an engaging pin 44 instead of the contact/separation operation pedal 4 in the clutch pedal units 1, 1A. Further, in this clutch pedal unit 1B, similarly to the clutch pedal unit 1A, a coil spring 8 is arranged between the base portion 2a and the contact/separation operation pedal 4a.

As described above, according to the clutch pedal unit 1B, the "rotation restricting member" is disposed between the base portion 2a and the contact/separation operation pedal 4a to mutually connect the base portion 2a and the contact/separation operation pedal 4a. A coil spring 8 is provided as a "first biasing member" that biases the two in the direction of separating them from each other. Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit 1B, similarly to the clutch pedal unit 1A, the operation force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4a from the rotation position Pb toward the rotation position Pa is reduced. Since it can be increased with a relatively simple configuration, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit 1B can be sufficiently reduced. It can be suitably maintained over a period of time.

Furthermore, a clutch pedal unit 1C shown in FIG. 10 is still another example of the "clutch pedal unit", and does not include the coil spring 5 and the spring engaging metal fitting 6 like the clutch pedal unit 1A. A portion 2a, a contact/separation operation pedal 4a and a coil spring 8, a flanged shaft 3a instead of the shaft 3 in the clutch pedal units 1, 1A and 1B, a base portion 2a and a contact/separation operation pedal A washer 9 is arranged between 4a. In this case, the coil spring 8 in the clutch pedal unit 1C is an example of a "second biasing member", and is located on the opposite side of the base portion 2a to the contact/separation operation pedal 4a side (the base portion 2a and the shaft 3a). The base portion 2a is urged in the direction of approaching the contact/separation operation pedal 4a.

In such a configuration, the base portion 2a is pressed against the contact/separation operation pedal 4a by the coil spring 8 (in this example, the base portion 2a is pressed against the contact/separation operation pedal 4a via the washer 9). state), the contact/separation operation pedal 4a can be moved with respect to the base portion 2a regardless of the rotational position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4a with respect to the base portion 2a. This is a state in which a resistance to rotation is generated, that is, the operating force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4a is greater than in the state in which the coil spring 8 is not present.

As described above, according to the clutch pedal unit 1C, the "rotation restricting member" is arranged on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal 4a in the base portion 2a, so that the base portion 2a functions as the contact/separation operation pedal. A coil spring 8 is provided as a "second biasing member" that biases it in a direction to bring it closer to 4a. Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit 1C, similarly to the clutch pedal units 1A and 1B, the operation required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4a from the rotation position Pb toward the rotation position Pa is determined. Since the force can be increased with a relatively simple configuration, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit 1C can be sufficiently reduced, and failure and wear are less likely to occur, enabling smooth pedal operation. can be suitably maintained for a long period of time.

Further, a clutch pedal unit 1D shown in FIG. 11 is still another example of the "clutch pedal unit". It includes a portion 2a, a contact/separation operation pedal 4a and a coil spring 8, a shaft 3b with a collar instead of the shaft 3a in the clutch pedal unit 1C, and a shaft 3b between the base portion 2a and the contact/separation operation pedal 4a. A washer 9 is provided. In this case, the coil spring 8 in the clutch pedal unit 1D is an example of a "third biasing member", and is located on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal 4a from the base portion 2a (on the contact/separation operation pedal 4a). It is disposed between the flange portion of the shaft 3b and urges the contact/separation operation pedal 4a toward the base portion 2a.

In such a configuration, the contact/separation operation pedal 4a is pressed against the base portion 2a by the coil spring 8 (in this example, the contact/separation operation pedal 4a is pressed against the base portion 2a via the washer 9). state), the contact/separation operation pedal 4a can be rotated with respect to the base portion 2a regardless of the rotational position of the contact/separation operation pedal 4a with respect to the base portion 2a. A state in which a resistance force is generated when moving, that is, a state in which the operating force required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4a is greater than in the state in which the coil spring 8 does not exist.

As described above, according to the clutch pedal unit 1D, the "rotation restricting member" is arranged on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal 4a from the base portion 2a side so that the contact/separation operation pedal 4a is placed on the base portion. A coil spring 8 is provided as a "third biasing member" that biases toward the direction of approaching 2a. Therefore, according to the clutch pedal unit 1D, similarly to the clutch pedal units 1A to 1C, the operation required to rotate the contact/separation operation pedal 4a from the rotation position Pb toward the rotation position Pa is determined. Since the force can be increased with a relatively simple configuration, the manufacturing cost of the clutch pedal unit 1D can be sufficiently reduced, and malfunction and wear are less likely to occur, enabling smooth pedal operation. can be suitably maintained for a long period of time.

In addition, an engagement pin 21, which is an example of a "shaft member", is formed in the base portion 2 as a "base portion", and an example of a "long hole" is formed in a spring engaging metal fitting 6, which is a "spring connector". Although the clutch pedal units 1 and 1A having the engaging hole H6b were described as an example, instead of such a configuration, a "long hole" is formed in the "base portion" and a " A "rotation restricting member" can also be configured by forming a "shaft material" (not shown). Furthermore, it is also possible to form a "shaft member" in either the "base part" or the "spring connector" and form a "round hole" or a "square hole" (a hole that is not a "long hole") in the other. (not shown). In addition, the "rotation restricting member" is configured with only the "coil spring" without the "spring connector", or the "coil spring" and the "biasing member" are configured without the "spring connector". It is also possible to configure a "rotation restricting member" (not shown).

Furthermore, the clutch pedal units 1A to 1D configured with the coil spring 8 as the "biasing member" have been described as an example, but the clutch pedal units 1A to 1D having the "biasing member" such as the "plate spring" and the "spring washer" have been described. can also be configured (not shown). Also, the configuration including the operating arm 43 as the "second operating section" has been described as an example, but a single "operating section" may be provided without the "second operating section". A "contact/separate operation pedal" can also be configured. In the case where such a configuration is adopted, as an example, the "contact/separate operation pedal" can be rotated in an arbitrary rotation direction by stepping on and lifting with the tip of the foot. A mechanism can transition to a "connected state" and a "disconnected state".

In addition, although an example of being mounted on a motorcycle, which is an example of "mounted equipment", has been described, "various types of equipment (mounted equipment) that require clutch operation" other than motorcycles, such as four-wheeled vehicles, agriculture, etc. It can be configured so that it can be used by being mounted on various types of equipment such as machines and machine tools.

Reference Signs List 1, 1A to 1D clutch pedal unit 2, 2a base portion 3, 3a, 3b shaft 4, 4a contact/separation operation pedal 5 coil spring 6 spring engaging metal fitting 7 footpeg 8 coil spring 9 washer 10 release mechanism 11 clutch wire 20 base Part main body 21 Engaging pin 40 Pedal main body 41 Connecting arm 42, 43 Operating arm 42a, 43a Shaft 42b, 43b Rubber cover 44 Engaging pin H4 Shaft hole H41 Fitting hole H6a, H6b Engaging hole Pa-Pc Rotation position

Claims (6)

The contact/separation mechanism is configured to be connectable to an operation force transmission portion of a contact/separation mechanism for bringing the driven plate into contact/separation with respect to the drive plate of the clutch mechanism, and the drive plate is operated by operating the contact/separation mechanism via the operation force transmission portion. A clutch pedal unit configured to be capable of contacting and separating operation to contact and separate the driven plate with respect to
a base portion that can be fixed to a device on which the clutch mechanism is mounted;
A connection portion connected to the operation force transmission portion is provided and pivotally supported by the base portion, and a first rotation position in which the driven plate is in contact with the drive plate and the drive plate. a contact/separation operation pedal that is rotated with respect to the base portion by the contact/separation operation between a second rotation position at which the driven plate is separated from the
By increasing the operating force required for rotating the contact/separation operation pedal rotated to the second rotating position with respect to the base portion toward the first rotating position, and a rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the contact/separation operation pedal.,
The rotation restricting member is configured so that the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position in a state in which the contact/separation operation pedal that has been rotated to the second rotation position is not operated. Increase the operating force required for the rotation so that the state can be maintained clutch pedal unit. One end of the rotation restricting member is connected to a base-side connected portion provided at a portion of the base portion different from the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal, and the contact/separation operation pedal A coil spring having the other end connected to a pedal-side connected portion provided at a portion different from the rotation axis of the pedal is provided, and the contact/separation operation pedal is moved from the first rotation position to the first rotation position. 1 and the second rotation position, and the contact/separation operation pedal is moved from the second rotation position to the third rotation position. 2. A clutch pedal unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coil spring is expanded when rotated to said rotating position. The rotation restricting member includes a spring connector disposed between the one end of the coil spring and the base-side connected portion,
Either a shaft member arranged parallel to the rotation axis of the contact/separation operation pedal, or a long hole through which the shaft member can be inserted and which is elongated in a direction intersecting with the expansion/contraction direction of the coil spring. is provided on the base portion as the base portion side connected portion, and the other of the shaft member and the long hole is provided on the spring connector,
When the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the first rotation position, the shaft member is positioned on one end side of the elongated hole, and the contact/separation operation pedal is rotated to the second rotation position. 3. A clutch pedal unit according to claim 2, wherein said shaft member is positioned on the other end side of said elongated hole when rotated to said rotational position. 4. The clutch pedal unit according to claim 2, wherein the coil spring is disposed between the contact and separation operation pedal and the base along one surface of the contact and separation operation pedal on the base portion side. The rotation restricting member is a first biasing member disposed between the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal to bias the base portion and the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to separate them from each other. a second biasing member disposed on the side of the base portion opposite to the contact/separation operation pedal side and biasing the base portion in a direction to approach the contact/separation operation pedal; At least one of a third biasing member disposed on the opposite side of the contact/separation operation pedal to the base portion and biasing the contact/separation operation pedal in a direction to approach the base portion. 5. A clutch pedal unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: The contact/separation operation pedal includes a first operating portion projecting in a first direction from a supported portion pivotally supported by the base portion, and a first operating portion projecting in a first direction from the supported portion in a direction opposite to the first direction. 6. A clutch pedal unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a first operating portion projecting in a second orientation.

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