Adjustable pedal assembly (banana rod)

Claim 2

An adjustable pedal assembly comprising; a support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) for mounting said assembly; an arcuate male rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) cantilevered from and extending in an arcuate path from said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) to a distal end, a pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) having a longitudinal axis (A) extending between an upper end and a lower end for operational movement from an operational position in response to a force, a female mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) surrounding said rod for movement along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ), said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) depending from said female mechanism with said longitudinal axis (A) thereof extending through said mechanism for changing the angle of said longitudinal axis (A) of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) relative to said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) during movement of said mechanism ( 122 , 212 , 312 , and 412 ) and said operational position of said lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) in said arcuate path along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) independently of said operational movement.

Claim 3

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) includes a drive system for adjusting said operational position of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) in said arcuate path along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ).

Claim 4

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive system includes a threaded screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a threaded nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) threadedly engaging said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a power unit ( 128 , 228 and 428 ) for rotating said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) to move said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ), said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) being connected to said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) for moving said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 and 416 ) in response to rotation of said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ).

Claim 5

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a rotational connection ( 130 , 230 and 430 ) between said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) and said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) for accommodating said changing angle of said longitudinal axis (A) of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) relative to said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) during said adjustment of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 and 416 ).

Claim 6

An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) is straight and including a lost motion connection ( 131 , 231 and 431 ) between said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) and said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) for accommodating the change in distance between said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and said rod ( 116 , 216 and 416 ) as said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) moves along said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ).

Claim 7

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive system includes at least one gear ( 324 ) in meshing engagement with said rod ( 316 ) and a power unit ( 328 ) for rotating said gear ( 324 ) for moving said pedal lever ( 318 ) along said rod ( 316 ) in response to rotation of said gear ( 324 ).

Claim 8

An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said rod ( 316 ) comprises a plate with top and bottom edges and rack teeth ( 326 ) disposed along at least one of said edges and in said meshing engagement with said gear ( 324 ).

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a pivotal connection ( 132 , 232 and 332 ) for pivotally mounting said support ( 112 , 212 and 312 ) so that said rod ( 116 , 216 and 316 ) pivots about said pivotal connection ( 132 , 232 and 332 ) during said operational movement in response to the force from an operator.

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a pivotal connection ( 432 ) for pivotally connecting said pedal lever ( 418 ) to said mechanism ( 422 ) so that said pedal lever ( 418 ) pivots relative to said rod ( 416 ) about said pivotal connection ( 432 ) during said operational movement in response to the force from an operator.

Claim 11

An assembly as set forth in claim 9 including a signal generating device ( 433 ) for generating an electronic signal in response to said pedal lever ( 418 ) pivoting relative to said mechanism ( 422 ).

Claim 12

An adjustable pedal assembly comprising: a support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) for mounting said assembly; a rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) extending from said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) to a distal end, a pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) having a longitudinal axis (A) extending between an upper end and a lower end for operational movement from an operational position in response to a force, a mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) supporting said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) on said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) and being the control of movement of said operational position of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ), said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) being arcuate to establish an arcuate path for changing the angle of said longitudinal axis (A) of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) relative to said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) during movement of said mechanism ( 122 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) and said operational position of said lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) in said arcuate path along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) independently of said operational movement, said mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) including a drive system for adjusting said operational position of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ), said drive system including a threaded screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a threaded nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) threadedly engaging said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a power unit ( 128 , 228 and 428 ) for rotating said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) to move said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ), said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) being connected to said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) for moving said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 and 416 ) in response to rotation of said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ), and a pivotal connection ( 132 and 232 ) for pivotally connecting said support ( 112 and 212 ) so that said rod ( 116 and 216 ) pivots about said pivotal connection ( 132 and 232 ) during said operational movement in response to the force from an operator.

Claim 13

An adjustable pedal assembly comprising: a support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) for mounting said assembly; a rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) extending from said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) to a distal end, a pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) having a longitudinal axis (A) extending between an upper end and a lower end for operational movement from an operational position in response to a force, a mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) supporting said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) on said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) and being the control of movement of said operational position of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ), said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) being arcuate to establish an arcuate path for changing the angle of said longitudinal axis (A) of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) relative to said support ( 112 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) during movement of said mechanism ( 122 , 212 , 312 and 412 ) and said operational position of said lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) in said arcuate path along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ) independently of said operational movement, said mechanism ( 122 , 222 , 322 and 422 ) including a drive system for adjusting said operational position of said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 , 318 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 , 316 and 416 ), said drive system including a threaded screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a threaded nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) threadedly engaging said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) and a power unit ( 128 , 228 and 428 ) for rotating said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ) to move said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ), said nut ( 126 , 226 and 426 ) being connected to said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) for moving said pedal lever ( 118 , 218 and 418 ) along said rod ( 116 , 216 and 416 ) in response to rotation of said screw ( 124 , 224 and 424 ), and a pivotal connection ( 132 and 232 ) for pivotally connecting said support ( 112 and 212 ) so that said rod ( 116 and 216 ) pivots about said pivotal connection ( 132 and 232 ) during said operational movement in response to the force from an operator.