Brake pedal apparatus with variable pedal ratio

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160968-A1
Application number	US-201514928219-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A brake pedal apparatus with a variable pedal ratio includes a pedal shaft rotatably disposed in a pedal plate. A brake pedal is coupled to the pedal shaft A slider is coupled to the pedal shaft so as to be axially movable relative to the pedal shaft while being capable of rotating together with the pedal shaft. A drive unit may axially move the slider in accordance with a driver's actuation. An adjusting rod is fixed to the slider and is obliquely disposed. A transmission shaft is coupled to the adjusting rod so as to be movable and is coupled to a dual brake valve to operate the dual brake valve. A pedal ratio is adjusted while the adjusting rod moves together with the slider during axial movement of the slider while the transmission shaft is coupled to the dual brake valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A brake pedal apparatus with a variable pedal ratio comprising:
a pedal shaft rotatably disposed in a pedal plate; a brake pedal coupled to the pedal shaft and configured to rotate the pedal shaft while rotationally moving about the pedal shaft during a drivers operation of the brake; a slider coupled to the pedal shaft so as to be axially movable relative to the pedal shaft while being capable of rotating together with the pedal shaft; a drive unit configured to axially move the slider in accordance with a driver's actuation; an adjusting rod fixed to the slider and is obliquely disposed so that a distance between the adjusting rod and the pedal shaft increases in an axial direction of the pedal shaft; and a transmission shaft coupled to the adjusting rod so as to be movable relative to the adjusting rod in an axial direction of the adjusting rod and coupled to a dual brake valve at an end portion of the transmission shaft to operate the dual brake valve during vertical movement of the transmission shaft depending on the driver's operation of the brake, wherein a pedal ratio is adjusted while the adjusting rod moves together with the slider, during axial movement of the slider while the transmission shaft is coupled to the dual brake valve.

2 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slider is an external pipe coupled to an outer circumference of the pedal shaft by a serration coupling structure or a key and key groove coupling structure.

3 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising support rods, wherein the slider has two opposing sides in the axial direction of the pedal shaft, the support rods extend from both opposing sides of the slider, and the adjusting rod is connected and disposed between the support rods.

4 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transmission shaft vertically extends from the adjusting rod, the end portion of the transmission shaft coupled to the dual brake valve is a lower end portion of the transmission shaft, and the transmission shaft is rotatably coupled to the adjusting rod.

5 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises a pneumatic cylinder having a cylinder body and a piston rod, the cylinder body is fixedly mounted to the pedal plate, and the piston rod is coupled to the slider.

6 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the drive unit further comprises:
an air tank filled with compressed air; an air supply line through which the compressed air is supplied to the pneumatic cylinder from the air tank; and a control valve switch configured to control the supply of air to the pneumatic cylinder to adjust forward and backward movement positions of the piston rod.

7 . The brake pedal apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control valve switch comprises a valve means configured to drive the pneumatic cylinder by controlling the flow of air from the air supply line, and the control valve switch is a mechanical button operation valve switch configured so that the driver's actuation of the valve means can be performed.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Myung Seo

Classifications

• B60T7/04

  foot actuated · CPC title

• F16H21/44 Primary

  for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions · CPC title

• G05G1/30

  Controlling members actuated by foot · CPC title

• B60T7/06 Primary

  Disposition of pedal · CPC title

• G05G1/44

  pivoting · CPC title