Patents by Inventor Robert Douglas Elton

Robert Douglas Elton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6073515
    Abstract: An adjustable foot support for an automotive vehicle, having at least one adjustable actuating foot pedal movable between forward and rear pedal adjustment positions to accommodate varying leg lengths of various operators, includes a normally stationary foot rest for optionally resting a foot of a vehicle operator during periods of inactivity and foot rest adjusting means for selectively adjusting said foot rest between stationary forward and rear foot rest adjustment positions to position the foot rest in a comfortable position that accommodates the varying leg lengths of various operators. The adjusting means may be a powered linkage and is optionally movable in concert with the adjustment linkage of an associated pedal, such as a brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Douglas Elton, Michael Joseph McKale
  • Patent number: 6019015
    Abstract: An adjustable pedal mechanism for automotive vehicles includes a pivoting presenter arm with a swinging lower end that provides a pivot for a pedal actuating mechanism. A link connecting the actuating pedal with the operated device, such as an accelerator throttle or power control cable, extends essentially parallel to the presenter arm. the link has a length equal to that of the presenter arm so that pivoting of the presenter arm to move the pedal pivot point forward or back causes an equivalent pivoting motion of the link and thereby maintains the pedal attitude constant over a substantial range of adjustment positions. By making the presenter arm of substantial length and limiting its angular adjustment motion on either side of a vertical line, the height of the pedal above the vehicle floor is maintained relatively constant over the total range of adjustment of the pedal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Douglas Elton
  • Patent number: 5996439
    Abstract: A brake pedal mechanism limits the reaction force applied on a brake pedal lever pivot. The pivot is formed by a slot closed by a tang yieldably connected to a retaining arm of a pivotable release lever. A release arm of the release lever is engagable by an actuating rod of a brake booster when moved beyond the normal travel limit of the rod. In one case, excessive brake pedal force causes the tang to yield and release the brake pedal pivot pin. In another case, excess rearward motion of the actuating rod pivots the release lever, lifting the tang and freeing the pivot pin. In either case, the reaction force on the pivot is maintained below a desired limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Douglas Elton, Michael Joseph McKale
  • Patent number: 5996438
    Abstract: An adjustable pedal mechanism for automotive vehicles includes a pedal lever with a pivot near its center between its ends. An upper end of the lever is connected with a throttle cable that extends through a conduit to an operated device, such as a throttle valve or other power control. A lower end of the lever carries a foot pedal engagable by a driver's foot to operate the pedal. The central pivot is carried in a bracket having a slot or other form of track along which the pivot is movable generally longitudinally of the vehicle. As the pivot is moved rearward along the slot, the pedal is moved closer to the driver. The slot is positioned or configured so that the height of the pedal remains constant or is slightly lowered as the pedal is moved rearward. If the vehicle is provided with an electronic throttle control, or similar device, the upper end of the lever may be omitted and a position controller may be mounted at or adjacent the location of the pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Douglas Elton
  • Patent number: 5927154
    Abstract: An adjustable pedal mechanism for automotive vehicles utilizes a slave lever pivoted on a conventionally located laterally extending front pivot and actuated by a pedal lever on a parallel rear pivot located behind and below the front pivot. The levers are connected by an adjustable link lying generally parallel with the plane of the front and rear pivots to form a parallelogram linkage with the link side being of variable length to vary the initial angular position of a foot pedal at the lower end of the pedal lever. The slave lever connects with an actuator rod for actuating a vehicle device such as a brake or clutch and is applied by forward motion of the foot pedal acting through the pedal lever and adjustable link to the slave lever which moves the actuator rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Douglas Elton, Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5918917
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a rotatable fork bolt that is latched by a detent in primary or an intermediate secondary latch position. The detent is operated via an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via suitable mechanical linkage. The door latch includes a locking lever that disables the door handles from operating the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes a cinching mechanism that automatically engages the fork bolt in the primary latch position when the intermediate secondary latch position is reached. The cinching mechanism shifts out of the way responsive to an unlatching operation to provide a fail-safe feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Douglas Elton, Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr.