Appeal No. 2003-0111 Page 4
Application No. 09/602,532
rotatably connecting the pedal 12 with the bracket 14. The connecting mechanism 16
in the illustrated embodiment has been integrated with the pedal 12 into a pedal
assembly 18.
Carr's bracket 14 is fixed to the vehicle and has a pair of axially aligned
apertures 20 in opposed flanges 22 defining an axis of rotation 24. The bracket
flanges 22 each have a facing lead-in channel 26 approximately equal in width to a
diameter of the apertures 20 with the distance between bottoms 28 of the channels 26
tapering from a maximum at the edges 30 of the bracket 14 to a minimum at the
apertures 20.
Carr's connecting mechanism 16 includes a steel sleeve acting as a hub 40
axially centered on and rigidly fixed to the pedal 12 and defining a pivot axis 34. The
connecting mechanism 16 also includes a pair of identical piston-like bearings 42
disposed within the hub 40. The bearings each have a spring pocket 44 in their facing
surfaces 46. A helically coiled compression spring 48 is disposed between the bearings
42 within the spring pockets 44 and forces the bearings 42 apart. The bearings 42 are
cylindrical and are made as long as practicable to help maintain them coaxial with the
hub 40. The diameter of the bearings 42 varies stepwise along their length from a first
full diameter portion 52, to a first reduced diameter portion 54, to a second full diameter
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Last modified: November 3, 2007