Brake pedal device
A tubular member is provided between an inner wall of a hole portion in a fixed member and a shaft. A predetermined gap is provided between an inner wall of the tubular member on a radial inside thereof and the shaft, so that the shaft is rotatable around an axis with respect to the tubular member. On the other hand, the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member are fixed to each other. When a load is applied to a predetermined position of a brake pedal, where a driver can apply a pedaling force in a stuck state in which the tubular member and the shaft are stuck together, a torque that releases fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member is greater than 0, and is smaller than a damaging torque that damages at least a part of the brake pedal device.
1 . A brake pedal device to be mounted on a vehicle, the brake pedal device comprising:
a fixed member to be fixed directly or indirectly to a vehicle body;
a shaft supported by an inside of a hole portion that is provided in the fixed member, and provided to be rotatable about a predetermined axis with respect to the fixed member;
a brake pedal fixed to the shaft and operated in a predetermined angular range around the axis of the shaft when being depressed by a driver; and
a tubular member provided at a position between an inner wall of the hole portion and the shaft, wherein
a predetermined gap is provided between the inner wall of the tubular member on a radial inside and the shaft, to allow the shaft to rotate around the axis with respect to the tubular member,
the tubular member and the inner wall of the hole portion provided in the fixed member are fixed to each other, and are configured to be released by a release torque in a stuck state where the tubular member and the shaft are stuck together, and
when a load is applied to a predetermined position of the brake pedal where the driver is capable of applying a pedaling force in the stuck state, the release torque that releases fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member in the stuck state is greater than 0, and is smaller than a damaging torque which damages at least one of the fixed member, the shaft, the brake pedal, or at least one of connection points therebetween.
2 . The brake pedal device of claim 1 , wherein
the release torque, which releases the fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member when the load is applied to the predetermined position in the stuck state, is greater than 0, and is smaller than a torque at which the brake pedal reaches a maximum stroke position on a depression side when the load is applied to the predetermined position in a non-stuck state where the tubular member and the shaft are not stuck together.
3 . The brake pedal device of claim 1 further comprising:
an elastic member provided in an operation range of the brake pedal, from a midway position between an initial position, at which the pedaling force of the driver is not applied to the brake pedal, and the maximum stroke position on the depression side, to the maximum stroke position on the depression side, wherein
the release torque that releases the fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member when the load is applied to the predetermined position in the stuck state is greater than 0, and is smaller than a torque at which the brake pedal reaches a position where the brake pedal contacts the elastic member when the load is applied to the predetermined position in the non-stuck state.
4 . The brake pedal device of claim 1 , wherein
the inner wall of the hole portion provided in the fixed member and the tubular member are fixed to each other by press-fitting.
5 . A brake pedal device to be mounted on a vehicle, the brake pedal device comprising:
a fixed member to be fixed directly or indirectly to a vehicle body;
a shaft supported by an inside of a hole portion that is provided in the fixed member, and provided to be rotatable about a predetermined axis with respect to the fixed member;
a brake pedal fixed to the shaft and operated in a predetermined angular range around the axis of the shaft when being depressed by a driver; and
a tubular member provided at a position between an inner wall of the hole portion and the shaft, wherein
a predetermined gap is provided between the inner wall of the tubular member on a radial inside and the shaft, to allow the shaft to rotate around the axis with respect to the tubular member,
the tubular member and the inner wall of the hole portion provided in the fixed member are fixed to each other, and are configured to be released by a release torque in a stuck state where the tubular member and the shaft are stuck together,
the brake pedal device further comprises:
a rotation restricting portion provided on at least one of the inner wall of the hole portion and an outer wall of the tubular member, to restrict a rotation of the tubular member with respect to the inner wall of the hole portion, and
the rotation restricting portion is configured to be damaged and to release the fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member, when a predetermined load is applied to the predetermined position in the stuck state.
6 . The brake pedal device of claim 5 , wherein
the rotation restricting portion includes:
a concave portion provided on one of the inner wall of the hole portion and the outer wall of the tubular member; and
a convex portion protruding from an another one of the inner wall of the hole portion and the outer wall of the tubular member, and fitting into the concave portion, and
at least one of the concave portion or the convex portion is configured to be damaged when the predetermined load is applied to the predetermined position in the stuck state, and to release the fixation between the inner wall of the hole portion and the tubular member.