Accelerator Patents (Class 74/513)
  • Patent number: 12385218
    Abstract: A working machine includes: an operator's seat; and at least one pedal to be operated by being stepped on with a foot, or with feet. The at least one pedal is disposed ahead of the operator's seat. The at least one pedal includes a pedal body extending in a predetermined direction, a pedal shaft having an axis intersecting the predetermined direction and supporting the pedal body in such a way as to allow pivotal motion of the pedal body around the axis, and a tread surface provided on an upper surface of the pedal body and being a surface on which an operator places the foot. The tread surface is sloped such that a height from the pedal body decreases gradually from a portion closer to a big toe of the foot of the operator placed thereon toward a portion closer to a little toe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Horii
  • Patent number: 12366879
    Abstract: A pedal device includes a shaft, a pedal, a housing, a reaction force generating mechanism, and a connecting rod. The connecting rod includes an arm portion and a push portion. The arm portion is connected to a back surface of the pedal. The push portion is connected to the arm portion. The push portion is configured to transmit force from the pedal to the reaction force generating mechanism by contacting the reaction force generating mechanism when the pedal is stepped on by an operator. Further, the connecting rod is connected to the back surface of the pedal, to rotate with the pedal about the axis of the shaft when the operator steps on the pedal, while an angle defined between the back surface of the pedal and an axis of the connecting rod is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Fukuda, Etsugo Yanagida, Daisuke Hokuto, Masashi Arao
  • Patent number: 12366878
    Abstract: An electronic pedal apparatus may be operated by a driver with a small force. When the driver operates a pedal pad, the pedal pad is operated with a fine displacement, but a change in a pedal force is increased through compression of a return spring using a rotation lever and a spring guide, so that the driver is capable of easily recognizing an operation situation of a pedal. Furthermore, safety during operation of the pedal may be more enhanced by using a dual sensing structure in which first and second permanent magnets and first and second printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim, Kyung Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 12298799
    Abstract: A pedal device to be pedaled by a user includes: a pedal supported to be swingable about an axis and to swing toward one side in a circumferential direction about the axis when being pedaled by the user; a housing; a reaction force generation portion disposed in the housing and to apply a force to the pedal toward another side in the circumferential direction; and a stopper. The stopper is arranged outside the housing, to swing about the axis together with the pedal while being supported by the pedal, and to stop the pedal by coming into contact with the housing in a non-pedaled state in which the pedal is not pedaled by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishimura, Etsugo Yanagida, Yuki Matsunaga, Daisuke Hokuto
  • Patent number: 12292756
    Abstract: A pedal device mounted on a vehicle includes a housing, a pedal pad, and a reaction force generation mechanism. The housing is mounted on a vehicle body. The pedal pad is provided to be rotatable with respect to the housing. The reaction force generation mechanism is configured to include a plurality of resilient members each having a predetermined leaf spring. The reaction force generation mechanism is arranged in a space on the side opposite to a surface stepped on by a driver in the pedal pad to generate a reaction force against a pedaling force applied to the pedal pad by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Fukuda, Etsugo Yanagida, Daisuke Hokuto, Takao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 12286010
    Abstract: A power transmission mechanism of an accelerator device includes a first power transmission member, a second power transmission member, a coupling elastic member, and an actuator lever, and applies a reaction force to a pedal lever via the first power transmission member, the second power transmission member, and the actuator lever using a driving force of a drive source. The first power transmission member has a first stopper, and the driving force is transmitted to the first power transmission member. The second power transmission member has a second stopper that comes into contact with the first stopper. The first stopper and the second stopper are separated from each other in an initial state, and when the drive source is energized, and come into contact with each other when the first power transmission member is driven against an elastic force of the coupling elastic member by energizing the drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuto Kita, Noriyuki Inagaki, Yuta Fujinaka, Hideyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 12276999
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes an accelerator pedal module and a brake pedal module that are operated in a pressure-manipulated type are popped up to allow manipulation by a driver in a manual driving mode, and hide to prevent manipulation by the driver in a autonomous driving mode, to generate a signal related to a pedal function by manipulation of the accelerator pedal module and the brake pedal module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 12269452
    Abstract: A pedal pad in an organ-type pedal device swings about a predetermined axis when stepped on by a driver's foot. A sensor unit outputs a signal corresponding to a swing angle of the pedal pad. A reaction force generation mechanism has an elastic member that generates a reaction force against a driver's pedaling force applied to the pedal pad. A first housing covers the reaction force generation mechanism, and an opening at least on one side. A second housing is provided on one side of the first housing in a swing direction of the pedal pad. Further, the first housing has a largest opening on a second housing side, which is closed by the second housing and into which the elastic member of the reaction force generation mechanism in a non-bending state is insertable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Hokuto, Etsugo Yanagida, Masashi Arao, Kengo Ito, Yasuhisa Fukuda
  • Patent number: 12194847
    Abstract: An accelerator device includes a pad, a case portion having a front wall with an opening, a rear wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, an internal movable mechanism with a shaft, and an arm. The first side wall has a first bearing portion for receiving one end of the shaft, and at least one first groove portion provided vertically below a central axis of a surface facing the shaft of the first bearing portion and connected to the first bearing portion. The second side wall has a second bearing portion for receiving the other end of the shaft, and at least one second groove portion provided vertically below a central axis of a surface facing the shaft of the second bearing portion and connected to the second bearing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyasu Kihara, Takashi Iguchi, Yasuhiro Otaka, Takehiro Saito
  • Patent number: 12187253
    Abstract: A pedal sensor is provided with a carrier that can be mounted to a motor vehicle. A housing is formed at the carrier, and a pedal arm is mounted on the carrier so as to be pivotable. A mechanism to transmit movements of the pedal arm relative to the carrier is arranged in the housing, and a sensor for measuring the movements is provided. A damping element is fixed to the carrier in a groove in such a way that any contact between the pedal arm and the carrier is dampened. The damping element is securely held on the carrier. This is achieved by the damping element being secured on both sides against slipping out of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Heinrich-Reinhold (Heinz) Brües, Kristin Gees, Ali Kemal Kücükyavuz, Sascha Kuhlmann, Ahmet Özcapci, Ruben Pella, Lothar Rehage, Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Patent number: 12179587
    Abstract: An accelerator device includes a case provided on a floor, a pad arranged outside the case to be stepped on by a driver, a pedal arranged in the case to be rotatable in an accelerator opening direction by a stepping force of the pad, an arm connecting the pad to the pedal, and a biasing member configured to bias the pedal in an accelerator closing direction. One end of the arm is press-fitted into a connecting portion of the pad in a press-fitting direction. At least one of the arm or the pad is provided with a play removing part that is configured to eliminate a play between the one end of the arm and the connecting portion in the press-fitting direction by contacting the one end of the arm and the connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyasu Kihara, Kiyoshi Kimura, Takehiro Saito, Yasuhiro Otaka
  • Patent number: 12184152
    Abstract: A vibration damping apparatus for mounting an electric actuator on a hydraulic drive is disclosed herein. A mounting assembly comprises a mounting adapter and a vibration damping clamp. A base plate is coupled to and positioned between a housing of the electric actuator and the drive to mount the actuator housing to the drive. A support arm extends from the base plate and the damping clamp is coupled to a distal end of the support arm. The damping clamp extends circumferentially about a housing of an electric motor of the actuator to secure the electric motor to the drive. A fastener may couple a drive adapter to a trunnion, and a magnet is mounted to the fastener and positioned adjacent to a magnetic field sensor positioned within an electric actuator housing. A spring biases the magnet into a positional range adjacent to the field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jordan J. Brinkley, Nathan R. Eversole
  • Patent number: 12172520
    Abstract: An accelerator device includes a pedal lever, at least one drive source, a power transmission mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The pedal lever operates in response to a depressing operation. The drive source is configured to exert a reaction force as a force in a returning direction to the pedal lever. The power transmission mechanism transmits a drive force from the drive source to the pedal lever. The locking mechanism is capable of regulating the operation of the pedal lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hariu, Kiyoshi Kimura, Takehiro Saitoh, Takuto Kita, Hideyuki Mori, Souichi Kinouchi, Yuusuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12145440
    Abstract: A vehicular pedal assembly includes a pedal housing with a mounting surface on a forward side for securement within a vehicle. A rotatable pedal has a proximal portion positioned in the pedal housing and a distal portion including a foot pad spaced from the pedal housing. The pedal is biased to a first limit position with respect to the pedal housing, and the distal portion is configured to be actuated from the first limit position in a forward direction. A friction system is provided for generating a resistance force against movement of the pedal toward and away from the first limit position. The friction system includes a friction lever having a friction pad, the friction lever being carried by the pedal and pivotable on the pedal to establish friction contact with a friction contact surface of the pedal housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: John Clark, James M. Post, Brandon D. Elek
  • Patent number: 12124287
    Abstract: A pedal apparatus for a vehicle, includes a pedal pad rotatably coupled to an upper end portion of a foldable pedal arm so that a contact area may be increased when a driver's foot comes into contact with the pedal pad, which makes it possible to improve convenience and safety for the driver when the driver performs the pedal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, Kyung Chang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Kyung Nam Kim, Dae Yeon Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim
  • Patent number: 12103384
    Abstract: A vehicle, an accelerator pedal system, and a method of controlling the vehicle are provided. The accelerator pedal system has an accelerator pedal, a pedal limit connected to a motor and movable towards and away from the accelerator pedal, wherein the pedal limit limits movement of the accelerator pedal in a first direction when the pedal limit is in contact with the accelerator pedal, and a controller configured to control the motor to move the pedal limit to a first position in contact with the accelerator pedal in response to receiving a cruise control input from a driver to maintain a selected vehicle speed without actuation of the accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Walton, Douglas Raymond Martin
  • Patent number: 12092223
    Abstract: A coil spring of a throttle valve device around a shaft between a valve and a valve gear has one end rotated together with a first guide, and another end rotated together with a second guide. The both ends of the coil spring contact a holding portion and a driving portion at a valve intermediate position of the shaft. The driving portion pushes the one end of the coil spring while the holding portion holds the other end of the coil spring during movement of the shaft from the valve intermediate position toward a valve fully-open position or a valve fully-closed position. The first guide and the second guide have insertion holes that face each other in an axial direction when the both ends of the coil spring are positioned near the valve intermediate position of the shaft and are not in contact with the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keina Hitsuyu, Tohru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 12084022
    Abstract: A brake device for a vehicle includes: a brake pedal having a pedal portion and a lever portion that rotates about a rotation axis when the pedal portion is operated; a housing that rotatably supports the lever portion; and a plate member configured to generate a reaction force with respect to the lever portion in response to a stroke amount of the brake pedal. The plate member has a longitudinal surface defined by a side extending in a longitudinal direction of the plate member and a side extending in a width direction of the plate member. The longitudinal surface is arranged so as to face the lever portion. When the pedal portion is operated, the plate member is bent to generate the reaction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Etsugou Yanagida, Kunio Nanba, Daisuke Hokuto
  • Patent number: 12043234
    Abstract: A brake device includes: a brake pedal including a pedal and a lever that rotates about a rotation axis when the pedal is operated; a housing that rotatably supports the lever; a reaction force generator that generates a reaction force to the lever in accordance with a stroke amount of the brake pedal by receiving a force from the lever when the brake pedal is operated; a deformation member including a deformation portion that is deformed by a force received from the lever when the brake pedal is operated in a state where the reaction force generated by the reaction force generator is generated; and a stroke sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the stroke amount and outputs a value indicating that operation of the brake pedal is abnormal and instructing execution of control for stopping a vehicle when the deformation portion is deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Etsugou Yanagida, Kunio Nanba, Daisuke Hokuto
  • Patent number: 12043112
    Abstract: A pedal for a motor vehicle is provided, having a pedal arm with at least one first resetting spring and with a friction system comprising a separate friction element and a friction surface of the base part corresponding to the separate friction element. The friction system features a rocker arranged in a rotatable manner on the base part and the at least one first resetting spring is arranged between the separate friction element and the rocker. The separate friction element is connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one first resetting spring and at least one connection element. At least one second resetting spring is arranged between one bearing part connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one connection element and the base part or the rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner Austermeier, Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Ridder, David Schliwa, Claus Viethen, Bernd Schmitt, Robert Schuermann
  • Patent number: 12013715
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a foot pedal switch structure for reducing foot fatigue caused by pressing the foot pedal switch that comprises a body, a pedal, and a support pad. The body has a holding space; a pivot shaft is located in each left and right outer side in the rear area thereof separately; and the rear bottom side of the body has a joint unit. The pedal has a pivot hole located in each left and right side separately, wherein the pivot holes are placed over the pivot shafts of the body; the pedal is placed over and covers the holding space of the body. The support pad has a connecting plate extended therefrom, wherein the connecting plate is connected with the joint unit of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: E Sew Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Denny Wung
  • Patent number: 11994894
    Abstract: A pedal assembly actuates a rigid actuator of a functional system in a motor vehicle. The assembly comprises a mounting bracket having spaced apart support members defining a pedal receiving space. A pedal arm has a pedal pad and an actuator connector. A pair of retainer brackets are normally in a retaining position secured against front-rear movement. At least one pivot pin pivotally connects the proximal end of the pedal arm to the retainer brackets. A pyrotechnic actuator has an input for receiving an actuating signal and when triggered enables deformation of the retainer bracket to a releasing position wherein the retainer brackets permit the at least one pivot pin and the proximal end of the pedal arm to move rearwardly with respect to the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: VENTRA GROUP CO.
    Inventors: Steve Jarjoura, Terry Reid, Joaquin Hung
  • Patent number: 11987118
    Abstract: A foldable accelerator pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes: a pedal housing fixedly installed in a lower space of a driver seat, a pedal pad rotatably coupled to the pedal housing, and a hysteresis module to generate hysteresis when a driver manipulates the pedal pad. In a manual driving mode in which a driver directly drives the vehicle, the pedal pad 200 protrudes from the pedal housing 100 and is popped up to be exposed to the driver, and in an autonomous driving mode in which the driver does not directly drive the vehicle, the pedal pad 200 is inserted into the pedal housing 100 and is in a hidden (hide) state in which the exposure to the driver is blocked. It is possible to implement hysteresis through the hysteresis module 300 when the pedal pad 200 is manipulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, Kyung Chang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim, Ji Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11953931
    Abstract: A pedal assembly includes a housing having a cavity. A pedal arm is at least partially received in the cavity. The pedal arm is configured to move within the cavity relative to the housing. At least two pivot levers are positioned within the cavity and configured to pivot upon a contact by the pedal arm. A spring retainer is formed in the housing. The spring retainer has a spring positioned therein. A spring member is disposed about the spring retainer and is moveable about the spring retainer. At least two sensors are attached to the spring housing. At least two sensor assemblies are positioned in the housing and configured to sense an amount of travel of the at least two sensors. When a load is applied to the pedal pad, the pedal arm contacts the at least two pivot members pivoting the pivot members and moving the spring housing wherein the sensors movement is sensed by the respective at least two sensor assemblies indicative of the amount of depression of the pedal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KSR IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Marty Vanek, James Hartford
  • Patent number: 11932220
    Abstract: A pedal assembly includes a housing, a spring arm member, a pedal arm, a spring carrier, and a spring guide member. The spring arm member is coupled to the housing. The pedal arm has a hub portion and an opposite pedal pad. The hub portion is pivotally retained in the housing by the spring arm member at the hub portion. The spring carrier is coupled to the pedal arm and to the spring arm member. The spring carrier has at least one spring positioned to provide a first pedal effort force to the pedal arm at a first amount of predetermined travel of the pedal arm. The spring guide member contacts a second at least one spring from the pedal arm when the pedal arm exceeds a second amount of predetermined travel of the pedal pad. The at least one spring provides a second pedal effort force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: KSR IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Wjatscheslaw Kauz
  • Patent number: 11892867
    Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to a pedal pad assembly. The pedal pad assembly includes an outer housing that has a cavity, an inner housing that has an outer surface and is slidably received within the cavity of the outer housing, a pedal pad coupled to the inner housing and is configured to translate the inner housing along a movement axis in response to a load applied to the pedal pad and a sensor assembly that includes a plurality of target members coupled to the outer surface of the inner housing and a sensor configured to sense a position of at least one target member. During a translation of the inner housing along the movement axis, at least one target member of the plurality of target members moves with the inner housing from a first position to a second position indicative of the movement of the inner housing within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: KSR IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Marty Vanek, Shaun Fuller, Lingmin Shao, Jaesung Kim, Addison Copeland, Martin Parks
  • Patent number: 11833899
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an organ-type electronic pedal apparatus including a high-load spring module 500 and a hysteresis lever 400 and capable of tuning a pedal effort, a stroke, and a hysteretic force, which are required to vary depending on the types of vehicles, by changing components of the hysteresis lever 400, as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, KYUNG CHANG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim, Ji Soo Kim, Jong Hwan Han
  • Patent number: 11813998
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle, includes a pedal module popped up to be manipulated by a driver in a manual driving mode in which a driver drives manually, wherein the pedal module may be hidden so as not to be manipulated by the driver in a self-driving mode, and the foldable function of pedals may be implemented by moving the pedal module forwards and backwards by the rotation of the rotation module by operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11789484
    Abstract: A foot pedal for a mobile machine may include a foot support, an arm, and a mounting frame. The arm may have a first end coupled to the foot support and a second end opposite the first end. The arm may have a change in curvature, a concave side, and a convex side opposite the concave side. The mounting frame may be configured to be mounted to a surface extending in a first direction. The convex side may face the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Rex Dare, Michael D. Case, Mihai Lazaroiu, Hunter Smalley, Carson Osmond, Reid Gramm, Tim Carstens
  • Patent number: 11789485
    Abstract: A pedal apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm coupled to a pedal housing such that the pedal arm is rotated with respect to a first axis by an actuating force applied to a pedal pad disposed on a distal end of the pedal arm, a pressing member for applying a force to a proximal end of the pedal arm in response to the pedal arm being rotated, a pedal reaction force generating unit disposed between the pedal arm and the pressing member to generate a pedal reaction force corresponding to the actuating force, a first friction member disposed at the pressing member to contact the proximal end of the pedal arm, and a second friction member disposed at the proximal end of the pedal arm to contact an inner surface of the pedal housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SL Corporation
    Inventor: Taejo Kim
  • Patent number: 11746515
    Abstract: A pressing panel, including a panel, buttons and elastic pieces; the buttons are hinged to the panel, and each button is movable with respect to the panel through a pair of hinge shafts; each button is fixedly provided with an elastic piece; each elastic piece is provided with an elastic supporting arm extending backwards; each elastic supporting arm abuts the panel; when each button moves, a portion of a corresponding elastic supporting arm corresponding to an abutting position of the corresponding elastic supporting arm and the panel slides; when each button is in an initial state before being pressed, the abutting position between the corresponding elastic supporting arm and the panel, compared with a position of the corresponding pair of hinge shafts, is farther away from a fixing position between the button and the corresponding elastic piece; when pressing each button, the corresponding elastic piece moves along with the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Yaping Tang
  • Patent number: 11673573
    Abstract: A vehicle is a vehicle on which an ADK is mountable. The vehicle includes: a VP that controls the vehicle in accordance with an instruction from the ADK; and a VCIB that serves as an interface between the ADK and the VP. The VP outputs an accelerator pedal position signal in accordance with an amount of depression of an accelerator pedal by a driver, and outputs an accelerator pedal intervention signal, to the ADK through the VCIB. The accelerator pedal intervention signal indicates that the accelerator pedal is depressed, when the accelerator pedal position signal indicates that the amount of depression is larger than a threshold value, and indicates beyond autonomy acceleration of the vehicle, when an acceleration request in accordance with the amount of depression is higher than a system acceleration request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ikuma Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11667270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a floor mounted brake pedal for an electrically controlled vehicle brake, comprising a first pedal lever, a second pedal lever arranged in front of the first pedal lever, a pedal platform having a stepping area and a shaft protruding from the stepping area in a forward direction, a first pedal sensor for detecting a position of the brake pedal, and a second pedal sensor for independently detecting the position of the brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kristijan Tarandek, Josko Kurbasa, Hans Joerg Feigel
  • Patent number: 11656648
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The foldable pedal apparatus is configured such that pedal pads protrude into an interior of a vehicle to be exposed toward a driver in a pop-up state in a manual driving mode in which the driver manually drives, and the pedal pads are inserted into a case on a footrest panel not to be exposed toward the driver in a hidden state in an autonomous driving mode in which the driver does not manually drive, and is configured to be able to operate and generate a signal related to a pedal function by pressure when the pedal pads have been popped up by pressure-based operating pedal assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11656647
    Abstract: Provided is a foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle that is configured such that pedal pads protrude toward a driver to be exposed (pop-up state) such that the pedal pads can be operated by the driver in a manual driving mode in which the driver manually drives, and the pedal pads are hidden not to be exposed to the driver (hidden state) such that the pedal pads cannot be operated by the driver in an autonomous driving situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11630475
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes a misoperation prevention pad, an accelerator pedal pad and a brake pedal pad. In a manual driving mode in which a driver directly drives, the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad protrude and are exposed toward the driver and then enter into a popped-up state so that operation of the pedal pads by the driver may be performed. In an autonomous driving situation, the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad are hidden and then enter into a hidden state in which exposure toward the driver is blocked so that the operation of the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad by the driver is unable to be performed. Furthermore, the misoperation prevention pad is provided between the accelerator pedal pad and the brake pedal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11597340
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to facilitate application and portability of activity profiles and vehicle cabin configuration are disclosed. An example method includes receiving an activity profile and a user setting associated with a user. The activity profile is one of multiple predetermined activity profiles selectable by or associated with the user. The method includes applying the activity profile and the user setting to the vehicle to adjust at least one characteristic of the vehicle's cabin to facilitate a performance of an activity during navigation of the vehicle and/or while the vehicle is stationary. The activity profile and the user setting may be received during, prior to, or after receipt of data indicative of the user's identity. Applying of at least the activity profile to the vehicle may be performed upon successful authentication of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Satya B. Vardharajan
  • Patent number: 11584385
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein concern a reconfigurable throttle-by-wire pedal subsystem for a vehicle and associated methods. One embodiment detects a pedal error in which a driver of the vehicle mistakenly actuates an accelerator foot pedal unit of the vehicle instead of a separate brake pedal of the vehicle, the accelerator foot pedal unit controlling a throttle of the vehicle, and performs the following in response to the detected pedal error: reconfiguring the accelerator foot pedal unit to control a braking subsystem of the vehicle instead of the throttle and reconfiguring a haptic feedback of the accelerator foot pedal unit from a throttle-by-wire mode to a brake-by-wire mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Manuel Ludwig Kuehner
  • Patent number: 11543848
    Abstract: An accelerator device having an organ structure includes a pad, a case, an inside movable mechanism, an arm, and a cover. The pad is pressed by a driver. The case is attachable to a vehicle body and includes a front wall, a rear wall, and an opened side. The inside movable mechanism is housed in the case and includes a shaft, a pedal, and a bias member. The arm penetrates an opening of the case so as to connect the pad to the pedal. The cover covers the opened side. The case on the vehicle body includes a drain passage positioned below a lowest position of a root of the pedal in a movement track while the pedal is moved from an accelerator idle state to an accelerator full-throttle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyasu Kihara, Haruhiko Suzuki, Yasuhiro Ootaka
  • Patent number: 11537159
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle comprising a mechanism for adjusting the angular position of a vehicle pedal includes a motor for generating and transmitting rotary motion to a rotating member, a first pedal assembly having a first support frame with a first slotted hole, rotatably supported on a first fulcrum and supporting a first pedal, a first motion conversion mechanism, having a first rotating member rotatable about a first rotation axis and a first translating member, receiving and converting rotational motion into translational motion, and a first pin, for joint translation with the first translating member and sliding inside the first slotted hole. Sliding of the first pin draws the first support frame in rotation about the first fulcrum between a first and a second angular position. The mechanism includes a second pedal assembly. The first rotating member is connected to the motor to receive rotary motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND MODULES AUTOMOTICE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Beniamino Miletto, Renato Antonio Cavaglia'
  • Patent number: 11517276
    Abstract: A carrier positioning device includes a carrying base (100) and a carrier (200). A clamp (110) is arranged on the carrying base (100) and a protruding hook (113) protrudes from one side of a distal end (111) of the clamp (110). The carrier (200) has a pipe (210), and a joint (220) is disposed at one end of the pipe (210). The protruding hook (113) hooks one side of the joint (220) so that at least another portion of the carrier (200) is in contact with the carrying base (100). Accordingly, the carrier (200) can be quickly installed or be removed along a lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Hsu, Yi-Da Tsai
  • Patent number: 11505064
    Abstract: A pedal device for a vehicle includes: a pedal pad; a single reference hole formed in one of a base member and a supporting member comprising at least one of a panel or a bracket; a through-hole for fixing that is formed in the base member; a reference shaft member that is supported by the other of the base member or the supporting member, and is inserted into the reference hole while forming a first clearance between the reference shaft member and the reference hole, and whose extension line intersects the pedal pad; and a shaft member for fixing that is inserted into the through-hole for fixing while forming a second clearance that is larger than the first clearance between the shaft member for fixing and the through-hole for fixing, and that fixes the base member to the supporting member by being fixed to the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironori Kadoi
  • Patent number: 11427082
    Abstract: An accelerator device includes a pad, a case having an internal accommodation space, an internal movable mechanism, and an arm configured to connect the pad and the internal movable mechanism. When the case is viewed from the side of the pad, a fully open stopper is provided on an outer wall surface of the case at a position in an outer circumference of an area that overlaps with the internal accommodation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyasu Kihara, Yasuhiro Ootaka
  • Patent number: 11414057
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes a body having a passenger compartment and a pedal assembly disposed within the passenger compartment. The pedal assembly includes a brake pedal emulator housing and at least one pedal coupled to the brake pedal emulator housing. The at least one pedal is actuatable by an occupant. The vehicle includes a first gearing element operably coupled to the pedal and a second gearing element operably coupled with the first gearing element. The vehicle further includes an actuator operably coupled to the second gearing element. The actuator is configured to disengage from the second gearing element and apply a motive force to the second gearing element. The vehicle further includes at least one controller in communication with the actuator. The controller is configured to control the actuator to move the pedal to the first position and control the actuator to move the pedal to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ali Ghaffari, Steven J. Weber, Tomasz R. Warzecha
  • Patent number: 11402864
    Abstract: A pedal for a vehicle is provided, which includes a support, a pedal arm mounted to the support, and a rocker mounted to the support. The rocker comprises a first rocker arm and a second rocker arm. The pedal also includes a return spring. The pedal is built in such a manner that when the second rocker arm is pressed with a friction section against a friction surface of the pedal arm, when the pedal arm is forced into a direction of the maximum deflection position of the pedal arm. In order to provide a pedal for a vehicle of alternative design, the pedal arm, the rocker and the return spring are built and positioned to each other in such a manner that an external actuating force is continuously and steadily increasing in a first section of an actuating path and is continuously and steadily decreasing in a second section of the actuating path until a predefined deflection position is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Heinrich Berglar
  • Patent number: 11383682
    Abstract: An organ-type electronic brake pedal apparatus enables a pedal pad to be manipulated when a driver tries to manipulate the pedal pad by rotating his/her foot in the manner of manipulating an organ-type pedal or when the drivers tries to manipulate the pedal pad by stretching his/her foot forwards in the manner of manipulating a pendant-type pedal. The organ-type electronic brake pedal apparatus inhibits the pedal pad from being manipulated when the driver tries to manipulate a pedal arm part, which is positioned close to a hinge pin of the pedal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, Kyung Chang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim, Ji Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11364881
    Abstract: An organ type electronic brake pedal apparatus having a high-load spring module and a hysteresis module is capable of tuning a pedal effort, a stroke and a hysteresis operation force, desired differently for each vehicle model, by changing a component of the high-load spring module or hysteresis module. In particular, the organ type electronic brake pedal apparatus includes: a pedal housing to be fixedly installed on a floor below a driver seat of a vehicle; a pedal pad pivotably coupled to the pedal housing to be operated by a driver of the vehicle; a high-load spring module including a first end and a second end pivotably coupled to the pedal housing and the pedal pad, respectively; and a hysteresis module to connect the pedal housing and the pedal pad and generate hysteresis when the pedal pad is operated by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, KYUNG CHANG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim, Ji Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11327520
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus of a vehicle with a hysteresis module, may include a pedal pad is in a popped-up state of protruding from a pedal housing to be exposed toward a driver, in a manual driving mode in which the driver directly drives the vehicle; the pedal pad is in a hidden state of being inserted into the pedal housing and blocked from being exposed to the driver, in the autonomous driving mode in which the driver does not directly drive the vehicle; and hysteresis may be implemented by a hysteresis module when the pedal pad is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, Kyung Chang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Ji Soo Kim, Hyeon Uk Kim
  • Patent number: 11312236
    Abstract: A foldable pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes: a pedal housing rotatably coupled to a footrest panel disposed below a driver seat, configured to come in contact with a front inclined surface of the footrest panel when rotating forward, and configured to come in contact with a bottom surface of the footrest panel when rotating rearward; a brake pedal pad rotatably coupled to the pedal housing and configured to be rotated by a driver; and an accelerator pedal pad rotatably coupled to the pedal housing and configured to be rotated by the driver, wherein when the pedal housing is in contact with the front inclined surface of the footrest panel by rotating forward, the brake pedal pad and the accelerator pedal pad are folded to be positioned between the front inclined surface and the pedal housing and are kept in a hidden state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11235759
    Abstract: A vehicle that includes: an input device that is configured to receive a user command from a user; and a controller that is configured to: obtain vehicle driving information, based on the vehicle driving information, control the vehicle to travel autonomously, determine whether the user command is inconsistent with the vehicle driving information, based on a determination that the user command is inconsistent with the vehicle driving information, determine to ignore the user command, in response to a determination to ignore the user command, control the vehicle based on the vehicle driving information without the user command, based on a determination that the user command is consistent with the vehicle driving information, determine to apply the user command, and in response to a determination to apply the user command, control the vehicle based on the vehicle driving information and the user command is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Cheolmun Kim, Sanghyuk Lee, Jonghwa Yoon