Mazda Motor Corporation

Other

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Mazada Motor Corporation

Kuroishi Iron Works Co., Ltd.

Auto Technica Corporation

Keisuke Miyoshi

Shuji Sanagi

Kazutaka Ishikura

Kouki Makino

Hiroyuki Utsumi

Hideaki Fujioka

Toshihiro Matsuoka

Toshiteru Yoshimura

Yukinori Nishiyama

Masayuki Tokumo

Michitaka Ohta

Kiyoshi Hayashi

Tetsuo Hiura

Matsuhiro Tanaka

Akira Marumoto

Hisaaki Yamaguchi

Toshiki Ikeda

Michio Kado

Masamitsu Tanaka

Hideaki Tanaka

Masashi Ohtsuka

Katsuhiko Yamamoto

Yasushi Yanai

Fumihiko Hiasa

Hirokazu Nishikado

Toshiaki Ogawa

Yosuke Iwasaki

Kazunori Tomono

Fumihiko Nomura

Takeshi Murayama

Kazunori Tomonou

Tetsuo c/o Auto Technica Corporation Hiura

Katsuhiko c/o Auto Technica Corporation Yamamoto

A pedal bracket () affixed to a dash panel () pivotably supports a pedal unit () via a first pivot shaft () and a pivotable lever () via a second pivot shaft (). A shaft retainer () prevents a downward displacement of the first pivot shaft () under normal conditions, whereas the pivotable lever () goes into contact with a side member () of a vehicle body and pivots on the second pivot shaft () in a specific direction in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby thrusting and displacing the first pivot shaft () downward and disengaging the pedal unit () from the pedal bracket (). At this time, the shaft retainer () draws back from underneath the first pivot shaft (), for instance, as a result of pivoting of the pivotable lever () and goes into a nonrestrictive state in which the shaft retainer () allows a displacement of the first pivot shaft ().

Operating pedal support structure

A support structure for a pedal of a vehicle pivotablly supports a pedal assembly () to a pedal bracket () mounted on a vehicle dash panel (). The support structure for a pedal of a vehicle includes a reinforce member () for the vehicle body; an upper pedal member (); a lower pedal member () having a pedal () at its lower end; an abutting member () not coming into contact with the reinforce member when the vehicle is in a normal operation, while it abuts against the reinforce member at its abutting portion () by moving in the rearward direction of the vehicle body when the vehicle crashes; and a connecting mechanism () for connecting the abutting member to the lower pedal member in such a manner that relative movement with respect to each other is prevented when the vehicle is in a normal operation, while the connecting mechanism forcibly displaces the lower portion () of the lower pedal member, which is the part locating below the pivot shaft of the lower pedal member, in a forward direction with respect to the upper pedal member when the vehicle crashes.

Support structure for pedal of vehicle

A second pedal bracketthat supports a brake pedalby a pedal support shaftis swingably connected, via a bracket support shaft, to an upper part of a first pedal bracketfixed to a dashpanel. Both the first and second pedal bracketsandand a restricting/derestricting memberare connected to each other by a boltto restrict swinging of the second pedal bracket. Upon collision of an automobile, a rear end wallof the restricting/derestricting memberabuts against an instrument member, thus moving the memberand boltrelatively forward to derestrict the second pedal bracket. Then, an armextended upward from the second pedal bracketabuts against the instrument member, thus rotating the second pedal bracketto displace the pedal support shaftbackward.

Automotive pedal support structure

To avoid a steering shaft changing its orientation during a frontal collision, an automotive pedal support structure equipped with an operating pedal is disposed behind a dash panel of an automotive vehicle and the steering shaft comprising a universal joint disposed in the proximity of the operating pedal. Provided are a first bracket including first and second side wall portions, a connecting portion and a second bracket pivoted to the first bracket so as to be rotated during the frontal collision. The operating pedal is pivoted to the second bracket. During the frontal collision, the universal joint is longitudinally moved relative with respect to the first bracket while contacting with side surfaces of the first and second side wall portions.

In a supporting structure for a brake pedal assembly pivotally mounted for rocking motion on the rear surface of a dash panel of an automobile through a first bracket, a front portion of the first bracket is fixed to the dash panel and the rear end thereof is coupled to a second bracket, fastened to a cowl member in a cabin, so as to be disengageable by the application of a load of automobile collision above a predetermined level. The brake pedal assembly is pivotally mounted for rocking motion to the first bracket. At the lower end of the second bracket, a pedal lever stop is provided which abuts against the rear end of the brake pedal assembly when the first and second brackets are disengaged in an automobile collision so that the brake pedal assembly moves backward. The brake pedal assembly is restrained by abutment on the pedal lever stop against backward movement. This ensures to prevent the brake pedal assembly from moving backward in an automobile collision while providing a simple and highly reliable structure.

Pedal assembly supporting structure for automobile

In a supporting structure for a brake pedal assembly pivotally mounted for rocking motion on the rear surface of a dash panel of an automobile through a first bracket, a front portion of the first bracket is fixed to the dash panel and a rear-end upper portion thereof is coupled to a second bracket fastened to an instrument panel member as a car body member in a cabin so as to be disengageable by the application of a load of automobile collision above a predetermined level. The brake pedal assembly is pivotally mounted for rocking motion to the first bracket. On the underside of the second bracket, an inclined guide surface is provided which abuts against the upper end of the brake pedal assembly when the coupling between the first and second brackets is disengaged in an automobile collision so that the first bracket moves backward together with the brake pedal assembly. The inclined guide surface guides the brake pedal assembly in its downward movement through its abutment against the inclined guide surface. This ensures to prevent the brake pedal assembly from moving backward in an automobile collision while providing a simple and highly reliable structure.

A shifting arrangement for an automatic transmission with manual gear shift feature has a control member which is operative to connect and disconnect operational linkage between a shift lever and a shift cable connected to a manual valve in a hydraulic control circuit. The control member is supported to slide relatively to the shift lever while the shift lever is operated between driving positions including an automatic gear shift selecting position so as that the shift lever remains operationally connected to the shift cable and is coupled to the shift lever when the shift lever is moved in the transverse direction from the automatic gear shift selecting position to a manual gear shift selecting position so as to operationally disconnect the shift lever from the shift cable. The shift lever is movable relative to the control member in the transverse direction when the control member is connected to the shift cable.

Shift select lever device for manually-shiftable automatic transmission

A shift lever of a shifting arrangement for manually shiftable automatic transmission is movable between a drive range position in which the transmission is automatically shifted and a manual shift position in which the shift lever is shiftable forward or backward to cause a manual shift of the transmission. The shift lever is brought into engagement with an actuator member when moved to the manual shift position when a lock/release button is depressed before movement of the shift lever to the manual shift position and subsequently released with an intention to cause a manual shift after the movement of the shift lever to the manual shift position. A shift switch is actuated by the actuator member forced by the shift lever in response to operation of the shift lever in the manual shift position.

Shifting arrangement for automatic transmission

A steering apparatus support structure includes a steering support member extending transversely in a vehicle body and secured to rigid side components of the vehicle body which are likely free from deformation during a frontal end collision and a support bracket device secured to and supported by the steering support member for supporting forward and rearward portions of the steering column. The support bracket device is releasably linked to a vehicle body part which can be deformed backward during a frontal end collision, and the vehicle body part is allowed to be disconnected from the support bracket device when backward deformation is caused in the vehicle body part.

Support structure for supporting steering apparatus of vehicle

A steering wheel structure includes a steering wheel ring, a first spoke extending downward from a steering shaft and carrying the steering wheel ring on the steering shaft and, an air bag case disposed on a tip end portion of the steering shaft. An air bag received in the air bag is case in a folded state and an inflator is provided for inflating the air bag with gas. An igniter is used to ignite a material in the inflator to produce the gas. A displacing device is provided for allowing the spoke and lower portion of the steering wheel ring to be displaced when subjected to a forward force beyond a predetermined value. An impact energy therefore, can be effectively and safely absorbed.

Steering wheel structure for vehicle

A structure for supporting a collapsible steering column of a vehicle is covered partially by a column cover between an instrument panel and a steering wheel. The steering column passes through an opening formed in the instrument panel and extends towards a driver's seat. The column includes a meter cover for covering meters installed in the instrument panel. The meter cover is shaped so as to define an upper portion of the opening and is integrally formed with a knee pad adapted to be hit and forced, by knees of a driver thrown out of the driver's seat upon a collision of the vehicle, to move the meter cover upwards. Such expands the opening sufficiently to eliminate crushing of the column cover against the meter panel.

Steering column supporting structure of automotive vehicle

A structural arrangement for supporting a tilt steering device includes a steering column into which a steering shaft coupled at one end thereof with a steering wheel, is inserted so as to be rotatable. A lower steering column bracket is attached to the lower end portion of the steering column, and a connecting bracket is attached to the vehicle body, facing the lower steering column bracket. A shaft supports the lower steering column bracket to the connecting bracket so that each bracket is able to rotate with respect to each other. A rotation blocking element is located between the lower steering column bracket and the connecting bracket so that the bracket does not rotate with respect to each other when a force, which is larger than a predetermined force, is applied between each bracket.

Structural arrangement for supporting a tilt steering drive

A throttle opening controller provided between an accelerator pedal and an engine throttle of an automobile. It has an output shaft driven by a motor, a motor lever fixedly mounted on the output shaft and ring members including an accelerator ring, a motor ring and a throttle ring all rotatably mounted on the output shaft. The accelerator ring is connected to the accelerator pedal and the throttle ring is connected to the throttle through wires. The motor lever is controlled by a traction control device. When the traction control is not activated, the motor lever is kept in its FULL-OPEN position, allowing the movement of the accelerator pedal to be transmitted as it is to the throttle through the accelerator ring, the motor ring coupled to the accelerator ring through a spring, and the throttle ring adapted to turn in the throttle-opening direction by and with the motor ring.

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Hiroshima, Japan

Keisuke Miyoshi