The present invention relates to a pedal control device, in particular for the accelerator of a motor vehicle.

More specifically, the subject of the invention is a pedal control device comprising a support structure which is stationary in use, a rocker lever mounted rotatably about an axis with respect to the support structure and having a first arm a part of which projects from the said structure and functions as a pedal, and a second arm which extends on the opposite side of the said first axis from the first arm, resilient biasing means tending to urge the said lever towards a pre-determined rest position relative to the said structure, and an electric position sensor connected to the said structure and operable to provide electric signals indicative of the angular position of the said lever.

One object of the present invention is to provide a pedal control device of the above-specified type having improved characteristics, in particular in terms of low operating noise, and which has a simpler structure and is more economic to produce.

These and other objects are achieved with a pedal control device the essential characteristics of which are defined in the annexed Claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the

following detailed description, given with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limitative example, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pedal control device according to the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are partially sectioned side views of the pedal control device according to the present invention, which is shown in particular in the rest position and, respectively, in a working position corresponding to its complete actuation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a plate of an electric position sensor included in the pedal control device according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a partially sectioned, partial perspective view, which shows the arrangement of the electric position sensor in a device according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cover connectable to the body of the device according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a partial transverse section view of the device according to the preceding Figures;

Figure 7a is an enlargement of the portion Vila of Figure 7;

Figure 8 is a partial sectional view essentially taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a rocker lever included in the device according to the present invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view which shows a pair of friction pads included in the device according to the present invention;

Figure 10a is a sectional view taken on the line Xa-Xa of Figure 2;

Figure 11 shows a first variant embodiment of the said friction pads;

Figure 12 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 10a, and shows a further embodiment of the invention;

Figures 13 and 14 are partial representations of the device according to the invention in two different working conditions, with the friction pads disposed in a first orientation or position;

Figures 15 and 16 are views similar to those of Figure 13 and 14, and show the device in two different operating conditions, with the said friction pads disposed in a second orientation or position;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a component utilised in a variant embodiment of the device according to the invention; and

Figures 18 and 19 are views similar to those of Figures 13 and 14, but relate to a variant embodiment including the component shown in Figure 17.

With reference to the drawings, and in particular to Figures from 1 to 3, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a pedal control device according to the present invention.

The device 1 essentially comprises a support structure 2 which is stationary in use, in which a rocker lever 3 is mounted rotatably about an axis A-A.

The rocker lever 3 has two arms 3a and 3b (Figures 2 and 3) which extend on opposite sides from the axis A-A. The arm 3a is distinctly longer and serves as the said pedal itself, terminating with an enlarged formation or head 3c intended to be engaged by the user's foot. See in particular Figures 2, 3 and 9.

As is shown in Figure 1, the head 3c can have a cover element 50 fitted to it, for example made of metal, intended to serve as a tread. This element 50 can be provided on its outer surface with anti-slip knurling and/or markings in relief or grooves, such as weave marks or the like.

In the illustrated embodiment the cover element 50 has a lower tubular projection 50a which can pass though a corresponding through hole in the head 3c to receive, on the other side from this, a fixing screw 50b. From the lower face of the element 50 projects a pin 50c intended to engage in a corresponding opening in the head 3c so as to prevent, in use, rotation of the element 50 relative to the said head.

The support structure 2 essentially comprises a body 4 of moulded plastics material to which can conveniently be coupled (for example by means of snap-engagement members) a terminal closure cover 4a (Figures 1-3 and 5) . This cover can have a binary code formed by one or more recesses (such as that indicated 4b in Figure 5) able to distinguish, for example, one type of pedal control device from others (for example depending on whether or not it is provided with the ^Λ foot reaction' function in kick-down phase, about which more will be said later) .

The lever 3 is mounted in a housing 5 (Figures 2 and 3) defined between a pair of facing walls 6 and 7 (Figures 7 and 11) of the body 4, which are substantially orthogonal to the axis A-A.

The lever 3 is supported for rotation by means of a pin 8 which extends through respective co-axial circular apertures 6a, 7a of the said walls 6 and 7 and a corresponding

transverse passage 9 arranged in the lever (see for example Figures 1 and from 7 to 9) .

The base wall 10 of the housing 5 is coupled to a plate-like element 11 (Figures 2 and 3) . The functions of this plate- like element 11, which is also visible in Figures 12 to 16, will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The reference numerals 12 and 13 in Figure 2 and 3 indicate two coil springs disposed on opposite sides of the axis A-A between the support structure 2 and the two arms 3a and 3b of the lever 3.

In particular the spring 12 is disposed between the arm 3a of the lever and the plate-like element 11, whilst the spring 13 is disposed between the arm 3b of the lever and the upper wall 14 of the housing 5 formed in the support structure 2.

The springs 12 and 13 tend to cause the lever 3 to rotate in the same sense about the axis A-A (the clockwise sense as seen in Figures 2 and 3) . The lever 3 is, in particular, urged by these springs to an angular rest position, shown in Figure 2, in which it stops against the upper wall of the housing 5 defined in the support structure 2. From this rest position the lever 3 can be moved away, by acting with the foot on the head 3c, and in the limit can be brought to the ^Λ floored' or ^Λ kick-down' position against the action of the biasing springs 12 and 13.

By associating the springs 3, which are counterposed with respect to the axis A-A associated with the lever 3, it is possible to avoid unwanted noise in operation, which, on the

other hand, would occur in prior art devices which comprise co-penetrating co-axial springs.

The lever 3 is associated with an electric position sensor device generally indicated 15 in Figure 5. This sensor is intended to provide, in use, electrical signals indicative of the angular position of the lever 3.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated the position sensor 15 comprises a plate 16 of electrically insulating material, carrying at least one resistive track 17 and disposed in a cavity 18 defined in the body 4. The plate 16 is associated with a movable cursor 19, fixed for rotation with the lever 3 and sliding on the resistive track 17 (Figures 5 and 7) .

As seen in Figure 4, the plate 16 is conveniently formed in one piece with an electric connector unit 20 including a plurality of essentially coplaner and parallel terminals. This electric connector unit 20 has an essentially planar shape and extends from one edge of the plate 16 of the sensor.

A socket 22 (Figures 5 and 8) is formed in the body 4 of the device adjacent the cavity 18 in which the sensor 15 is housed, which socket communicates via a narrow passage 23 (Figure 8) with the cavity 18. This socket 22 receives the connector unit 20 as is shown in Figure 8.

As seen in Figures 5 and 8, the cavity 18 formed in the body has an aperture 18a able to allow the introduction of the plate 16 into this housing, and the insertion and positioning of the associated electric connector unit 20 into the seat 22 through the said narrow passage 23.

As will be appreciated from observation of Figure 8, the narrow passage 23 has a flared shape, diverging towards the socket 22 and has a minimum transverse section close to the cavity 18, able to house the connector unit 20 with firm local coupling in such a way as to allow oscillation of the assembly formed by this connector unit 20 and the plate 16 of the sensor during the introduction and positioning of this plate into the cavity 18.

With reference to Figure 5, in the cavity 18 is formed a retention formation 24 able to engage with the plate 16 of the sensor 15 when this reaches its operative position upon assembly, for the purpose of establishing the position thereof. This formation can be a projecting appendix of plastics material which can be hot pressed over the plate 16 after this has been disposed in the correct working position.

The cursor 19 of the angular position sensor 15 is conveniently coupled to the lever 3 in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

As can be seen for example in Figures 7 and 8, the housing 5 into which the lever 3 extends is adjacent the cavity 18 in which the sensor 15 is disposed. In effect, this housing and the said cavity are separated from one another by the wall 7.

The pin 8 which is fixed for rotation with the lever 3 and is supported for rotation in the apertures 6a, 7a of the walls 6 and 7, has a prolungation 8a of smaller diameter, which extends into the cavity 18 through the wall 7. The cursor arm 19 of the angular position sensor is fixed to prolungation 8a of the pin.

As seen in particular in Figure 7, the prolungation 8a of the pin 8 extends through an aperture 7b of small diameter in the wall 7.

The anchorage of the cursor arm 19 to the prolungation 8a of the pin 8 is conveniently achieved by means of a self-tapping screw 26 (Figures 5-8) . The cursor arm 19 conveniently has a collar 19a surrounding the head of the screw 26 and which can be hot pressed onto it. The head of the screw 26 conveniently has a plurality of projections 26a projecting in the form of blades or keys extending from the part facing the pin 8, able to embed themselves in the pin 8 and in the arm 19 rendering them fixed for rotation together, as is shown in particular in Figure 7a.

Alternatively, in a variant not illustrated, the said anchorage can be achieved by means of an internally and externally knurled bush which is an interference fit in an annular space between the prolungation 8a of the pin 8 and the cursor arm 19.

The cavity 18 in which the position sensor 15 is housed is closed by a cover 27 (Figures 1 and 6) . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated this cover 26 has a plurality of peripheral gripping formations in the form of ears 28 snap- engageable with corresponding projections or retention teeth 29 in the body 4 (Figures 1 and 5) .

At least one of these projections or teeth 29 can be hot pressed and welded to corresponding ears 28 to form an ^Λ anti- tampering guarantee' of the position sensor device.

Alternatively, the cover 27 can be simply welded, for example by ultrasound, to the body 4.

With reference to Figure 6, in the outer face of the cover 27 is conveniently defined a field in which are formed from 1 to n (in the illustrated example n is equal to 4) recesses in predefined positions, to form a sort of code with 2n possible values. These recesses ^Λ readable' by means of feeler devices known per se, make it possible for example to identify or rather distinguish different versions of the pedal control device, which require for example a different calibration.

Such a code can however be formed not necessarily on the cover 27 but rather in any other accessible portion of the surface of the body 4.

As an alternative to the variable resistance sensor described above it is possible to envisage the use of a sensor of so- called ^Λ contactless' type, for example a magnetic field variation sensor.

The pedal control device described above may be provided with means for introducing hysteresis into its mechanical operating characteristic.

In the illustrated embodiment such means comprise a pair of essentially symmetrical friction pads, indicated 30 and 31 in Figures 9 - 16 and 18 - 19.

As seen in particular in Figure 10, each of the friction pads 30 and 31 has a respective plate-like portion 30a, 31b, which in the illustrated embodiment is of essentially rectangular shape. From the plate-like portions of these friction pads

30 and 31 extend respective aligned and facing tubular portions 30b, 31b, and a spring 32 disposed within these tends to separate the friction pads .

As will be understood by observing Figure 9, the friction pads 30 and 31 are disposed on the sides of the portion or arm 30a of the lever 30 adjacent the axis A-A, their tubular portions 30b, 31b extending into corresponding passages provided in the said lever.

The arrangement of the friction pads 30, 31 and of the associated spring 32 is such that, as can be seen in Figure 10a, the plate-like portions of the said friction pads press against the side walls 6 and 7 of the housing 5 in which the lever 3 is rotateably mounted. The friction between the friction pads 30, 31 on the said walls of the support casing make it possible to introduce hysteresis into the operating characteristics of the pedal device.

Obviously, although the use of a pair of counterposed friction pads 30, 31 appears preferable for various reasons, the hysteresis is in principle achievable even with a single friction pad device loaded by a spring.

In Figure 11 there is shown a variant embodiment in which the friction pads 30 and 31 have respective legs 30b, 31b of semi-tubular form, which are placed side by side and slidable with respect to one another in a longitudinal sense, or rather in a direction transverse the plate-like portions 30a, 31a of the said friction pads.

In Figure 12 there is shown a variant embodiment in which the friction pads 30, 31 have co-penetrating tubular legs in a substantially telescopic manner.

As will appear more clearly hereinafter, the friction pads 30 and 31 can be assembled with the lever 3 selectively in a first or in a second orientation or position, in which the respective plate-like portions 30a and 31a extend parallel to and, respectively, essentially orthogonal to the lever 3. In Figures 9, 13 and 14 the friction pads 30 (31) are shown in the orientation or position parallel to the lever 3, whilst in Figures 15 and 16 these pads are shown in the orthogonal orientation or position.

One exemplary way of making possible the two different relative positionings of the friction pads 30, 31 relative to the lever 3 is the following. As seen in Figure 9, the tubular portions 30b and 31b of the friction pads 30 and 31 have respective projections 30c and 31c selectively engageable in one of two hollow seats arranged in the lever 3a in positions spaced by 90 degrees around the axis of the tubular portions of these friction pads. In Figure 16 these seats are illustrated in broken outline and are indicated 32 and 33 respectively.

As is seen in particular in Figures 10a - 16, from the upper face of the plate-like element 11 which is connected to the support housing of the pedal control device extend two pairs of vertical arms 41, 42 and 43, 44 in facing pairs. These arms have in their upper portions respective inclined planes with which the plate-like portions 30a, 31a of the plates 30, 31 are able to interfere when the lever 3 is lowered to the floor (kick down) if, upon assembly, the friction pads 30, 31

were disposed in the position shown in Figures 9, 13 and 14. Interference of the friction pads with the arms 41-44 of the plate-like element 11 makes it possible to give to the user a ^Λ foot reaction' sensation in the kick down phase.

However, if it is not desired to achieve this pedal reaction effect in the kick down phase it is sufficient during assembly to dispose the friction pads 30 and 31 in the orthogonal orientation or position, as shown at 15 and 16: as seen in Figure 16, in these conditions friction pads 30 and 31 extend between the arms 41-44 of the plate-like element 11 without interfering with them.

The arrangement described above, however, makes it possible in a simple and economic manner to satisfy (or not) the possible requirements of a reaction at the pedal in the kick- down phase.

In Figure 17 there is shown a variant embodiment of the plate-like element 11, in which in place of the four vertical arms there are instead provided two lateral facing side panels 52, 53 intended to be engaged by the friction pads 30 and 31 when the pedal is actuated, as is shown by the sequence of Figures 18 and 19.

In the variant embodiment just described the foot reaction in kick down phase is not achievable.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and the embodiments can be widely varied with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limitative example, without

by this departing from the ambit of the invention as defined in the annexed claims.