Vehicle brake control module and pedal lever mounting and hinge means therefor

Claim 2

In a vehicle brake mechanism having a brake pressurizing device, the improvement comprising: a brake pedal arm having a foot pad mounted at one end, a push rod pivotally attached to a center portion and connected to the brake pressurizing device for actuation of the device and controlling the limits of return movement of said pedal arm, and a scrolled other end curved about the pivot axis of the pedal arm, a fixed support with said brake pressurizing device mounted thereon and having a scrolled end receiving said pedal arm scrolled end in pivotal interlocking relation and cooperating therewith to form a pivot joint permitting pivotal movement of said pedal arm about the said pedal arm pivot axis and within a predetermined range of pivotal movement determined by said push rod and the device limiting said arm to such pivotal movement.

Claim 3

A pivotal lever mounting arrangement comprising: a support and fulcrum member having an upper plate and a pair of side plates extending therefrom, said upper plate having a portion extending therefrom formed to provide a scroll having a constant radius of curvature for more than 180* and a scroll axis extending between portions of said side plates, the outer end of said scroll being under and circumferentially spaced from and generally parallel to the main body of said upper plate, a lever having a force-receiving section and a force-applying section and a pivot section, said pivot section having a scroll formed by one end of said lever, said scroll having a constant radius of curvature for more than 180* and of less outer surface radius than the inner surface radius of said upper plate scroll and having a section extending tangentially from the inner end of said scroll to a point beyond the outer surface radius of said upper plate scroll and then bent toward the outer end of said scroll and spaced therefrom and then merging with said lever force-applying section, said lever scroll being received pivotally within said upper plate scroll and between said side plates with said scrolls having a common axis when in operative assembled relation.

Claim 4

A pivotal lever mounting arrangement comprising: a support and fulcrum member having an upper plate and a pair of side plates extending therefrom, said upper plate having a portion extending therefrom formed to provide a scroll having a constant radius of curvature for more than 180* and a scroll axis extending between portions of said side plates, the outer end of said scroll being under and circumferentially spaced from and generally parallel to the main body of said upper plate, a lever having a force-receiving section and a force-applying section and a pivot section, said pivot section having a scroll formed by one end of said lever, said scroll having a constant radius of curvature for more than 180* and of less outer surface radius than the inner surface radius of said upper plate scroll and having a section extending tangentially from the inner end of said scroll to a point beyond the outer surface radius of said upper plate scroll and then bent toward the outer end of said scroll and spaced therefrom and then merging with said lever force-applying section, said lever scroll being received pivotally within said upper plate scroll and between said side plates with said scrolls having a common axis when in operative assembled relation.

Claim 5

The pivotal lever mounting arrangement of claim 2 in which said lever tangentially extending scroll section is placed primarily in compression when said lever has force applied to its force-receiving section at least during substantially the last half of the movement of said lever pivotally toward the main body of said upper plate.

Claim 6

The pivotal lever mounting arrangement of claim 2 further having flexible bushing means received between said scrolls in surface bearing relation and secured to one scroll outer end and extending between said scrolls over the bearing surface of the scroll to which said bushing means is secured.

Claim 7

In a pinless hinge of the type having a pintle roll and a knuckle roll receiving the pintle roll in pivotal relative movement, the improvement comprising: a low friction coefficient flexible sheet bushing received between the pintle roll and the knuckle roll in surface bearing relation and secured to one of said rolls against circumferential movement.

Claim 8

In a pinless hinge of the type having a pintle roll and a knuckle roll receiving the pintle roll in pivotal relative movement, the improvement comprising: a low friction coefficient flexible sheet bushing received between the pintle roll and the knuckle roll in surface bearing relation and secured to one of said rolls against circumferential movement.

Claim 9

In a pinless hinge of the type having a pintle roll and a knuckle roll receiving the pintle roll in pivotal relative movement, the improvement comprising: first and second hinge sections respectively extending tangentially from said pintle roll and said knuckle roll, said knuckle roll being circumferentially open ended in an amount sufficient to translationally receive said pintle roll for assembly only when said first hinge section is at an obtuse angle from said second hinge section, the relationship between the degrees of circumferential extension of said rolls and the diameters thereof preventing relative axial translational movement of said rolls at least throughout the acute angle pivotal movement range between said first and second hingE sections.

Claim 10

In a pinless hinge of the type having a pintle roll and a knuckle roll receiving the pintle roll in pivotal relative movement, the improvement comprising: first and second hinge sections respectively extending tangentially from said pintle roll and said knuckle roll, said knuckle roll being circumferentially open ended in an amount sufficient to translationally receive said pintle roll for assembly only when said first hinge section is at an obtuse angle from said second hinge section, the relationship between the degrees of circumferential extension of said rolls and the diameters thereof preventing relative axial translational movement of said rolls at least throughout the acute angle pivotal movement range between said first and second hingE sections.

Claim 11

In the improved hinge set forth in claim 6, a lever integrally formed with said first hinge section and extending therefrom at an obtuse angle on the side thereof opposite said second hinge section, said hinge rolls cooperatively providing a fulcrum for said lever, said first hinge section being primarily in compression when said lever is forcibly pivoted about the hinge fulcrum to move said first hinge section toward said second hinge section throughout at least a major portion of said acute angle pivotal movement range.

Claim 12

In the improved hinge set forth in claim 6, said second hinge section having folded sides substantially closing off the axial ends of said knuckle roll and preventing substantial axial movement of said pintle roll relative to said knuckle roll.

Claim 13

A vehicle brake control module for installation through an apertured vehicle panel and comprising: a mounting bracket having secured thereto a brake system operator on one side and a pivotal brake pedal lever on the other side, and means for removably attaching the mounting bracket to the apertured vehicle panel so that the mounting bracket fills and closes the aperture with the brake system operator extending on one panel side and the brake pedal lever extending on the other panel side, said brake pedal lever and said brake system operator being connected by means extending through said bracket for operation of said brake system operator by pivotal movement of said brake pedal lever toward and away from said brake system operator; said mounting bracket and said brake pedal lever having cooperating coaxially positioned scrolls formed thereon providing a pinless pedal hinge having an operative assembled pivotal relation interlocked against disassembly when the pedal lever is in any brake system operator operating position and having a brake pedal lever scroll axis in translatable relation to the axis of the mounting bracket scroll for removal and replacement of the brake pedal lever when the connecting means is disconnected from the brake pedal lever and the brake pedal lever is pivoted away from the brake system operator beyond any brake system operator operating position.

Claim 14

A vehicle brake control module for installation through an apertured vehicle panel and comprising: a mounting bracket having secured thereto a brake system operator on one side and a pivotal brake pedal lever on the other side, and means for removably attaching the mounting bracket to the apertured vehicle panel so that the mounting bracket fills and closes the aperture with the brake system operator extending on one panel side and the brake pedal lever extending on the other panel side, said brake pedal lever and said brake system operator being connected by means extending through said bracket for operation of said brake system operator by pivotal movement of said brake pedal lever toward and away from said brake system operator; said mounting bracket and said brake pedal lever having cooperating coaxially positioned scrolls formed thereon providing a pinless pedal hinge having an operative assembled pivotal relation interlocked against disassembly when the pedal lever is in any brake system operator operating position and having a brake pedal lever scroll axis in translatable relation to the axis of the mounting bracket scroll for removal and replacement of the brake pedal lever when the connecting means is disconnected from the brake pedal lever and the brake pedal lever is pivoted away from the brake system operator beyond any brake system operator operating position.