DESC:ADJUSTABLE FOOT REST ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE

Field of invention:

The present invention generally relates to an automotive vehicle pedal and more particularly, relates to an adjustable foot rest assembly for an automotive vehicle.

Background of the invention:

Automotive dead pedal is an ergonomically important component for driver’s comfort. It is placed on the left side of clutch pedal for driver to rest his leg during driving. Vehicle ergonomics deals with driver’s driving habits. Different driving habits of different people make it difficult to design a component suitable for entire driver population. Majority of the vehicles present in market provide static dead pedal which cannot be altered in shape and position as per driver’s requirements.

A few adjustable dead pedal designs are present in the market. Sergeant Race Division Adjustable Dead Pedal is made on Aluminum sheet fabricated with 21 dimple dies to improve the strength, appearance and grip. Dead pedal fits in cars with bolt-on installation and matches the factory spots in place of the factory plastic dead rest pedal. Sergeant Race Division Adjustable Dead Pedal is only three stage height adjustable.

Prior art patent US 6318786 B1 also discloses an adjustable dead pedal that includes a removable bracket attached to a vehicle side wall, on which the pedal structure can be selectively secured. The pedal structure and the bracket need to be removed and reattached to suit the user’s need.

The automobile foot rest disclosed in the US patent US4955658 comprises an inflatable bladder mounted on the floor board, having plurality of flexible chamber arranged in accordion fashion to enable substantially linear movement of the foot pad between extreme inflated and deflated positions. The inflated bladder needs an external source of compressed air for inflating the bladder to selectively position the foot pad.

Another adjustable foot rest for installation on either the passenger or driver side of the driver's compartment of a vehicle, disclosed in a US patent application 4310193, includes a footrest mounting bracket for attachment to a side panel of the driver's compartment and an adjustable footrest member for attachment to the bracket. The footrest bracket as mounted in a vehicle contains a series of vertically spaced keeper slots for receiving keeper studs on the footrest member. Keeper slots and keeper studs are utilized for adjusting foot rest positions.

All the above stated prior art devices need some or other external support attachments or devices for their implementation. Also, the range of finite number of adjustable positions available to user are limited by their design.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a novel design, easy to construct and implement, which will not require any external support attachment or devices and which will be ergonomically suitable for majority of users (drivers).

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable foot rest for an automobile vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable foot rest for an automobile vehicle that is simple in construction and implementation.

Still, another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable foot rest for an automobile vehicle which facilitates the height and inclination adjustments in a simple way, making it ergonomically suitable for majority of the driver’s population.

Yet, another object of the present invention is to utilize less space for packaging of adjustable dead pedal.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides an adjustable foot rest assembly for an automotive vehicle. The adjustable foot rest assembly comprises of a base scoop, a top scoop, at least two wing screws and at least two springs.

A bottom surface of the base scoop is configured with at least one mounting hole for mounting the base scoop on the vehicle floor and at least two cylindrical mounting grooves each at one end near the peripheral wall. A top surface of the top scoop is configured with at least two internal cylindrical grooves each at one end near the peripheral wall.

The springs are fixed between the top scoop and the bottom scoop with the help of the mounting grooves and the two internal cylindrical grooves using the two wing screws. Height adjustment of the assembly is done by simultaneous or one by one equal tightening or loosening of the wing screws, while inclination adjustment is done by simultaneous or one by one unequal tightening or loosening of screws. The adjustments are easy to perform as per driver’s comfort requirements.

Brief description of the drawings:

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an adjustable foot rest assembly for an automobile vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an internal view of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a top position of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows a height adjustment of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows an inclination adjustment of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 7 shows the height and inclination adjustments of the adjustable foot rest assembly, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.

The present invention provides an adjustable foot rest assembly (a dead pedal) for an automobile vehicle. The novel foot rest design provided is simple in construction and implementation. It does not require any external support or attachments. Height and inclination adjustments can be done independent of each other and with a simple tightening and/or loosening of two screws, making it ergonomically suitable for majority of the driver’s population.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figure 1 to figure 7, an adjustable foot rest assembly (100) (hereinafter referred as, “the assembly (100)”) for an automobile vehicle, in accordance with the present invention is disclosed. The assembly (100) comprises of a base scoop (10), a top scoop (20), at least two wing screws (30a, 30b) (hereinafter referred as, “the screws (30a, 30b)”) and at least two springs (40a, 40b) (hereinafter referred as, “the springs (40a, 40b)”).

The base scoop (10) has a peripheral wall (not numbered) and a bottom surface (not numbered). In an embodiment, the base scoop (10) is made of any shape selected from having rectangular, oval and similar elongated shape. The bottom surface of the base scoop (10) is configured with at least one mounting hole (not shown) for mounting the base scoop (10) on a vehicle floor (not shown). The bottom surface of the base scoop (10) can be a flat surface or any geometry suitable with the vehicle floor on which the base scoop (10) is being mounted. In the embodiment, the mounting holes on the bottom surface of the base scoop (10) are adjusted during manufacturing to suit the foot rest for different vehicles. The base scoop (10) is further configured with at least two cylindrical mounting grooves (60a, 60b) (hereinafter referred as, “the mounting grooves (60a, 60b)”) each at one end near the peripheral wall.

The top scoop (20) has a peripheral wall (not numbered) and a top surface (not numbered). In an embodiment, the top scoop (20) is made of any shape selected from having rectangular, oval and similar elongated shape same or different as that of the base scoop (10). The top surface of the top scoop (20) is configured with at least two internal cylindrical grooves (50a, 50b) each at one end near the peripheral wall.

The springs (40a, 40b) are fixed between the top scoop (20) and the bottom scoop (10). Specifically, the springs (40a, 40b) are mounted on the mounting grooves (60a, 60b) and inside the internal cylindrical grooves (50a, 50b) using the screws (30a, 30b).

Height adjustment of the assembly (100) is done by simultaneous or one by one equal tightening or loosening of screws (30a, 30b), while inclination adjustment is done by simultaneous or one by one unequal tightening or loosening of screws (30a, 30b). The internal springs (40a, 40b) keep the top scoop (20) in tension against mounting force of hardware, hence providing stability to the top scoop (20). In an embodiment, the dimensions and shape of the top scoop (20) and base scoop (10), length and stiffness of springs (40a, 40b) and length or type of hardware is adjusted to get different ranges of height and inclination. The adjustments are easy to perform and foot rest (100) can be adjusted as per driver’s comfort requirements.

Advantages of the invention:

1. Adjustment of only two screws (30a, 30b) results in reduction of time required for pedal adjustment.
2. The assembly (100) is simple and rugged resulting in lower failure chances and the assembly (100) reduces efforts for pedal adjustment because of lower number of operations.
3. Components required to build the assembly (100) are simple and manufacturing processes for the same are well known.
4. The assembly (100) does not require any additional mounting structure (like wall mounted brackets) for its operation resulting in reduction in weight.
5. The mounting holes on the base scoop (10) can be altered during manufacturing to suit the assembly (100) for different vehicles. As the mechanism resides in inner space of the top scoop (20) and the base scoop (10), the assembly (100) does not occupy any unnecessary space in vehicle.
6. Improved ergonomic comfort for driver results in lesser fatigue in driver and hence improves drivability and safety of vehicle.
7. Lesser number of components and easy assembly makes the assembly (100) facilitate serviceability.
8. The present invention can be automated with the help of electrically operated motors.
9. Dimensions and shape of the top scoop (20) and the base scoop (10), length and stiffness of the springs (40a, 40b) and length of the hardware can be altered to get different ranges of height and inclination adjustment.
10. Mounting slots on the base scoop (10) provide positional adjustment for the assembly (100) in terms of fore and aft position.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.

,CLAIMS:We claim:

1. An adjustable foot rest assembly (100) for an automobile vehicle comprising:
a base scoop (10) having,
• a peripheral wall,
• a bottom surface configured with at least one mounting hole for mounting the base scoop (10) on the vehicle floor and at least two cylindrical mounting grooves (60a, 60b) each at one end near the peripheral wall;
a top scoop (20) having,
• a peripheral wall,
• a top surface configured with at least two internal cylindrical grooves (50a, 50b) each at one end near the peripheral wall;
at least two wing screws (30a, 30b); and
at least two springs (40a, 40b) fixed between the top scoop (20) and the bottom scoop (10), wherein the springs (40a, 40b) are mounted around the mounting grooves (60a, 60b) and inside the internal cylindrical grooves (50a, 50b) by using the wing screws (30a, 30b);
wherein, height adjustment of the adjustable foot rest assembly (100) is carried out by equal tightening and loosening of the wing screws (30a, 30b), while inclination adjustment is carried out by unequal tightening and loosening of the wing screws (30a, 30b) and further wherein a combination of both the height and inclination adjustments is carried out to get desired adjustment as per driver’s comfort requirements.

2. The adjustable foot rest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base scoop (10) and the top scoop (20) have same or different shapes selected from any one of rectangular, oval and similar elongated shape.

3. The adjustable foot rest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the base scoop (10) is selected from a flat surface or any geometry suitable with the vehicle floor.

4. The adjustable foot rest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting holes on the bottom surface of the base scoop (10) are adjusted during manufacturing to suit the foot rest for different vehicles.

5. The adjustable foot rest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dimensions and shape of the top scoop (20) and the base scoop (10), length and stiffness of the springs (40a, 40b) and length and type of hardware are adjusted to get different ranges of height and inclination.

6. The adjustable foot rest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the springs (40a, 40b) keep the top scoop (20) in tension against mounting force of the hardware, thereby providing stability to the top scoop (20).

Dated this 30th day of June 2018

Madhavi Vajirakar
(Agent for applicant)
(IN/PA-2337)