Vehicle pedal operated switch

Claim 2

A switch for use in a foot pedal assembly on a motor vehicle which has an arm pivoted between its upper and lower ends, foot pedal on the lower end of said arm, said arm having an opening near its upper end, and a cable extending through said opening in the arm and having an enlargement on its front end in front of said opening in the arm, said switch comprising: first and second contact members having confronting engageable contact portions; and means attaching said contact members to one another for handling as a unit and insulating said contact members from each other; said first contact member having open-ended slot means therein for passing said cable when said first contact member is inserted between the front of said arm and said enlargement on the cable; said first contact member being engageable from in front by said enlargement to cause relative movement between said confronting contact portions of the contact members to operate the switch When the foot pedal is depressed.

Claim 3

A switch according to claim 1, wherein: said first contact member has a back wall portion for engaging the front of said arm adjacent the latter''s upper end, and a contact portion connected flexibly and resiliently at one end to said back wall portion and extending at an acute angle to said back wall portion toward the contact portion of the second contact member; and said slot means comprises aligned slots in said back wall portion and said contact portion of the first contact member which are open at said one end of the latter.

Claim 4

A switch according to claim 1, wherein said confronting contact portions of the contact members are normally spaced apart, and said confronting portions engage one another to close the switch when the foot pedal is depressed.

Claim 5

A switch according to claim 1, wherein said confronting contact portions of the contact members normally engage one another, and said confronting portions are separated to open the switch when the foot pedal is depressed.

Claim 6

A swtich for use in an accelerator pedal assembly on a motor vehicle which has an arm pivoted between its upper and lower ends, an accelerator foot pedal on the lower end of said arm, said arm having an opening near its upper end, and a throttle cable having an inner wire extending through said opening in the arm and having an enlargement on its front end in front of said opening in the arm, said switch comprising: a first contact member having a back wall portion for engaging the front of said arm at its upper end and contact portion connected flexibly and resiliently at its lower end to the lower end of said back wall portion and extending up spaced in front of said back wall portion, said back wall portion and said contact portion having aligned, upwardly extending slots therein which are open at their lower ends to pass said cable and to position said enlargement on the inner wire of the cable in front of said contact portion when the first contact member is inserted down between the upper end of said arm and said enlargement; and a second contact member attached to and insulated from the first contact member and positioned in confronting relationship to the upper end of said contact portion of the first contact member for operation of the switch when the accelator pedal is depressed.

Claim 7

A swtich for use in an accelerator pedal assembly on a motor vehicle which has an arm pivoted between its upper and lower ends, an accelerator foot pedal on the lower end of said arm, said arm having an opening near its upper end, and a throttle cable having an inner wire extending through said opening in the arm and having an enlargement on its front end in front of said opening in the arm, said switch comprising: a first contact member having a back wall portion for engaging the front of said arm at its upper end and contact portion connected flexibly and resiliently at its lower end to the lower end of said back wall portion and extending up spaced in front of said back wall portion, said back wall portion and said contact portion having aligned, upwardly extending slots therein which are open at their lower ends to pass said cable and to position said enlargement on the inner wire of the cable in front of said contact portion when the first contact member is inserted down between the upper end of said arm and said enlargement; and a second contact member attached to and insulated from the first contact member and positioned in confronting relationship to the upper end of said contact portion of the first contact member for operation of the switch when the accelator pedal is depressed.

Claim 8

A switch according to claim 5, wherein said second contact member normally is spaced from said contact portion of the first contact member, and said second contact member and said contact portion of the first contact member engage each other to close the switch when the foot pedal is depressed.

Claim 9

A switch according to claim 5, wherein said second contact member normally engages said contact portion of the first contact member, and said second contact member and said contact portion of the first contact member separate to open the switch when the foot pedal is depressed.

Claim 10

A switch according to claim 5, wherein said contact portion of the first contact member normally extends upward at an acute angle away from said back wall portion and terminates in a free upper end.

Claim 11

A switch according to claim 8, wherein said slot in said contact portion of the first contact member has an enlarged upper end for seating said enlargement on the inner wire of the cable.

Claim 12

A switch according to claim 5, and further comprising insulation means sandwiched between the second contact member and the upper end of said back wall portion of the first contact member.

Claim 13

A switch according to claim 10, wherein said second contact member has a tip at its lower end projecting toward said contact portion of the first contact member adjacent the latter''s upper end.