Accelerator pedal device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9811108-B2
Application number	US-201214129706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2012
Priority date	Jun 27, 2011
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

An accelerator pedal device includes a housing which pivotably supports a pedal arm, a return spring, a magnetic position sensor which detects an angular position of the pedal arm, and a drive source, a return lever, and a control circuit board serving as an active control mechanism which controls to push back the pedal arm toward a rest position under predetermined conditions, a circuit for a Hall element of the position sensor is arranged on the control circuit board. According to the above, a conventionally-required circuit board dedicated to a position sensor is not required to be arranged and the position sensor is connected via bus bars and the like while eliminating lead wire and the like.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An accelerator pedal device, comprising:
a pedal arm formed with resin material;
a first housing main body and a second housing main body which are formed with resin material and arranged to sandwich the pedal arm from opposing sides along a predetermined axis line, the first housing main body having a first side wall portion and a first bearing portion which is arranged coaxially with the predetermined axis line at an inner side of the first side wall portion;
the second housing main body having a second side wall portion and a second bearing portion which is arranged coaxially with the predetermined axis line at an inner side of the second side wall portion, the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion pivotably supporting the pedal arm about the predetermined axis line between a rest position and a maximum depression position by sandwiching the pedal arm in cooperation with each other;
a first housing cover connected to the first housing main body at an outer side of the first side wall portion opposite to the inner side of the first side wall portion where the second housing main body is connected;
a return spring for exerting urging force to return the pedal arm to the rest position;
a single position sensor for detecting an angular position of the pedal arm, the single position sensor including a ring-shaped armature and an arc-shaped permanent magnet both held at a cylindrical portion of the pedal arm, and a stator and a Hall element both arranged at a columnar portion formed at the inner side of the first side wall portion coaxially with the cylindrical portion, the stator being formed of a magnetic material;
a return lever for exerting a returning force to the pedal arm by coming into contact with the pedal arm;
a torque motor for rotating the return lever; and
a single control circuit board electrically connected to the torque motor by terminals embedded within the first side wall portion,
wherein the torque motor is arranged at the second housing main body from an outer side of the second side wall portion opposite to the inner side of the second side wall portion,
the control circuit board is arranged and held at the outer side of the first side wall portion between the first housing main body and the first housing cover, and
the position sensor is arranged so as to be separated from the torque motor by the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion and is connected electrically with the control circuit board.

2. The accelerator pedal device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second housing cover connected to the second housing main body so as to cover the torque motor in cooperation with the second housing main body.

3. The accelerator pedal device according to claim 1 , wherein the torque motor includes a rotor which integrally includes a permanent magnet and rotates with electromagnetic force, a coil for magnetization, and a yoke which forms a magnetic path,
a temperature sensor for detecting temperature of the coil is held at the first housing main body, and
a circuit for the temperature sensor is arranged on the control circuit board.

4. The accelerator pedal device according to claim 1 , further comprising a hysteresis generating mechanism which generates hysteresis at pedaling force contacted to the pedal arm,
wherein the second housing main body includes a cylindrical portion, and
the hysteresis generating mechanism includes a pair of sliders which generates pressing force against an inner wall face of the cylindrical portion of the second housing main body with a wedge action caused by the pedaling force of the pedal arm as being slidably arranged in the cylindrical portion of the second housing main body, and an urging spring which urges the pedal arm toward the rest position as being contacted to one of the pair of sliders.

Assignees

• Kumamoto Masato
• OHSAWA Tsuyoshi
• Mikuni Kogyo Kk

Inventors

• Kumamoto Masato
• OHSAWA Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• G05G1/38

  comprising means to continuously detect pedal position · CPC title

• B60K26/021

  with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics · CPC title

• B60W2540/10

  Accelerator pedal position · CPC title

• G01B7/30 Primary

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• G05G1/44

  pivoting · CPC title