Arrangement for permitting motor vehicle foot pedal release, and motor vehicle incorporating same

1. Apparatus for releasing a motor vehicle foot pedal, in a frontal crash, said apparatus comprising in combination:

(i) a primary pedal arm adapted to be mounted adjacent an upper end on a first pivot pin and adapted to carry a foot pad at a lower end;

(ii) a secondary pedal arm adapted to be mounted adjacent an upper end of said secondary pedal arm on a second pivot pin spaced from said first pivot pin, and providing, at a lower end of said secondary pedal arm an open aperture;

(iii) a linkage connecting said primary pedal arm to said secondary pedal arm during normal operation of said motor vehicle foot pedal, said linkage including a linkage pin receivable in said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm;

(iv) a trigger lever mounted on said secondary pedal arm and provided at one end with an abutment surface adapted, when said arrangement is installed in a motor vehicle and when in a frontal crash situation, to be struck and displaced by a non-deformed portion of said motor vehicle, and provided at another end with an open aperture also to receive said linkage pin and, in normal operation of said arrangement, to captivate said linkage pin within said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm; and

(v) a connection between said trigger lever and said secondary pedal arm that, in normal operation, restrains movement of said trigger lever with respect to said secondary pedal arm so as to retain captivation of said linkage pin, said connection being shearable in a frontal crash situation upon application of a force on said abutment surface of said trigger lever to cause shearing of said connection, whereby said struck trigger lever is displaced to a non-captivating position in which said linkage pin is free to exit said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm, thereby disconnecting said primary pedal arm from said secondary pedal arm and causing release of said primary pedal arm.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm is “C”-shaped, or “U”-shaped.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said open aperture of said trigger lever is “C”-shaped, or “U”-shaped.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said trigger lever is mounted on said secondary pedal arm via a shearable rivet, wherein said connector comprises said shearable rivet and wherein said trigger lever connects said secondary pedal arm and is mounted on said secondary pedal arm via said shearable rivet.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising a link pivotally attached at an end to said linkage pin and at another end to said primary pedal arm.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said link comprises a pair of arms, one located to each opposite side of said primary pedal arm and further comprises a common pivot pin passing through said pair of arms and said primary pedal arm, said linkage pin bridging the other end of said arms of said link.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said pivot pins of each of said primary and secondary pedal arms have parallel axes, said secondary pedal arm effecting Swinging movements with said primary pedal arm during normal operation of said motor vehicle foot pedal.

8. A motor vehicle having a non-deformable portion and further comprising apparatus for permitting release of a motor vehicle foot pedal, in a frontal crash, said apparatus comprising:

(i) a primary pedal arm adapted to be mounted adjacent an upper end on a first pivot pin and adapted to carry a foot pad at a lower end;

(ii) a secondary pedal arm adapted to be mounted adjacent an upper end of said secondary pedal arm on a second pivot pin spaced from said first pivot pin, and providing, at a lower end of said secondary pedal arm an open aperture;

(iii) a linkage connecting said primary pedal arm to said secondary pedal arm during normal operation of said motor vehicle foot pedal, said linkage including a linkage pin receivable in said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm;

(iv) a trigger lever mounted on said secondary pedal arm and provided at one end with an abutment surface adapted, when said arrangement is installed in a motor vehicle and when in a frontal crash situation, to be struck and displaced by said non-deformable portion of said motor vehicle, and provided at its other end with an open aperture also to receive said linkage pin and, in normal operation of said arrangement, to captivate said linkage pin within said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm; and

(v) a connection between said trigger lever and said secondary pedal arm that, in normal operation, restrains movement of said trigger lever with respect to said secondary pedal arm so as to retain captivation of said linkage pin, said connection being shearable in a frontal crash situation upon application of a force on said abutment surface of said trigger lever to cause shearing of said connection, whereby said struck trigger lever is displaced to a non-captivating position in which said linkage pin is free to exit said open aperture of said secondary pedal arm, thereby disconnecting said primary pedal arm from said secondary pedal arm, and causing release of said primary pedal arm.