Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.

Takashi Hayashihara

Noboru Fujiwara

Akihiko Fukase

Nobuyuki Kikukawa

Hiroshi Isono

Hakumi Ishii

Daisuke Nakamura

Takumi Uno

Isao Yagi

Hiroyuki Masumo

An electric operating apparatus for a vehicle including an operational member operated in accordance with a traveling request or a braking request of a driver; and a reaction force adjuster that can electrically adjust a reaction force of the operational member; and wherein a driving force or a braking force is electrically controlled in accordance with a requested operation applied to the operational member against the reaction force; comprises (a) an operational information detecting device for detecting operational information concerning a requested operation applied to the operational member by the driver; (b) an environmental information detecting device for detecting environmental information concerning a driving environment of the vehicle; (c) a target pattern setting means for setting a target pattern concerning the requested operation based on the environmental information; and (d) a driving support means for controlling the reaction force adjusted by the reaction force adjuster based on the operational information so that the requested operation is performed in accordance with the target pattern.

Electric operating apparatus for vehicle

A vehicle brake apparatus includes (a) a brake operating member operable by a vehicle driver; (b) a variable output mechanism which is disposed between the brake operating member and an output member, for mechanically changing a multiplying ratio of an output force in relation to an operational input force from the brake operating member in accordance with an operating stroke of the brake operating member; and (c) a brake controlling unit which is operated in accordance with the output force applied to the output member, wherein a load sensor for detecting the output force is provided between the variable output mechanism and the output member.

Vehicle brake apparatus

An adjustable pedal device including (a) a support shaft fixedly disposed on a bracket, (b) a pedal including a pivotal member and a pedal member, and a return spring interposed between the bracket and the pedal member, and wherein the pivotal member is pivotable about the support shaft, while the pedal member is movable relative to the pivotal member to a selected one of a plurality of relative positions, and has at its lower end an operating portion at which the pedal member is operated so that the pedal member and the pivotal member are pivoted together about the support shaft, the return spring biasing the pedal member so as to pivot the pedal about the support shaft in a first direction toward a non-operated position of the pedal, and producing a force of resistance to a pivotal motion of the pedal in a second direction away from the non-operated position when the pedal is operated, and wherein the positions of opposite end portions of the return spring at which the spring is fixed to the bracket and the pedal member are determined such that a length of an arm of a moment produced by the spring to bias the pedal in the first direction changes so as to reduce an amount of change of the force of resistance, as the pedal member is moved relative to the pivotal member.

Pedal device wherein non-operated position of operating portion is adjustable

Pedal device mounted on a bracket fixed to a vehicle body, and including a pedal arm having an operating portion, and a position adjusting device to adjust the non-operated position of the operating portion in vehicle longitudinal direction, the position adjusting device includes a first member having a pair of guides, a second member disposed movably relative to the first member in a substantially vertical plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and having a pair of guide pieces are movable in engagement with the respective, and a positioning device to establish a desired relative position between the first and second members, by moving the guides and the guide pieces relative to each other, wherein one of the first and second members has the operating portion and is movable relative to the other to move the operating position, and the guides are formed such that an attitude of the operating portion changes as the operating portion is moved in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

Vehicle pedal device wherein non-operated position of operating portion is adjustable in longitudinal direction of vehicle

A vehicle pedal device including: a depressable portion which is to be operationally depressed by a driver of the vehicle; an output member which is pivotably supported by a supporting shaft provided in a bracket that is fixed to a body of the vehicle, such that the output member is pivoted about the supporting shaft when the depressable portion is operationally depressed, for thereby applying to a motive-power transmitting member an output corresponding to a depression force which is applied to the depressable portion; a longitudinal adjustment device which moves the depressable portion in a longitudinal direction of the body of the vehicle when the depressable portion is not being operationally depressed; and a pedal-ratio varying mechanism which is disposed between the output member and the motive-power transmitting member, and which is capable of adjusting a pedal ratio of the pedal device.

Vehicle pedal device capable of adjusting pedal position in longitudinal direction of vehicle

An adjustable pedal device including (a) a pedal including a pivotal member and a pedal member, the pivotal member being supported by a support shaft disposed on a bracket such that the pivotal member is pivotable about the support shaft, the pedal member being disposed movably relative to the pivotal member in a plane perpendicular to the support shaft, the pedal member having an operating portion at which the pedal member is operated, (b) a guiding device including (i) a pair of guides and a pair of guide pieces which are provided on one and the other of the pivotal and pedal members and which engage each other, to guide a movement of the pedal member relative to the pivotal member, and (c) an adjusting device connecting the pivotal and pedal members and operable to effect the relative movement of the pedal and pivotal members and to hold these members at a desired relative position, and wherein each guide extends linearly, and each guide piece is linearly movable in sliding surface contact with the corresponding guide, and each guide pieces is disposed rotatably about a support pin perpendicular to the sliding plane, the adjusting device being connected to the pedal and pivotal members such that the adjusting device is rotatable relative to these members about respective two connecting pins perpendicular to the sliding plane.

A vehicle-pedal-backward-displacement preventing device for preventing a depressable portion of an operating pedal from being displaced toward an operator's seat of the vehicle in the event of displacement of a dash panel of the vehicle toward the operator's seat. The device includes a connecting member which is disposed between a pedal bracket and a reinforcement member of the vehicle and connects the pedal bracket with the reinforcement member, and which is deformable in the event of displacement of the dash panel toward the operator's seat. The connecting member includes a contactable portion which is to be brought into contact with the operating pedal upon deformation of the connecting member, for thereby causing the operating pedal to be pivoted in such a direction that causes the depressable portion of the operating pedal to be displaced in the forward direction of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Toyota, Japan

Takashi Hayashihara