Position and Force Sensor Assembly for Vehicle Brake Pedal

Abstract

A vehicle pedal sensor assembly for use in a vehicle brake pedal including a base and a pedal arm pivotally mounted to the pedal base. A sensor housing includes a non-contacting pedal position sensor and a contacting pedal force sensor. The sensor housing is mounted to the base of the vehicle brake pedal. A magnet is mounted to the pedal arm. The pedal position sensor senses a change in the magnitude and/or direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet in response to a change in the position of the pedal arm for determining the position of the pedal arm. A pedal force application member exerts a force against the pedal force sensor in response to the change in the position of the pedal arm for determining the position of the pedal arm. The force sensor may be a piezoelectric element, a load cell, or a strain gauge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle pedal sensor for use in connection with a vehicle pedal and comprising:
 a vehicle pedal force sensor;   a vehicle pedal position sensor for sensing a change in the position of the vehicle pedal; and   a pedal force application member adapted to exert a force against the vehicle pedal force sensor in response to the change in the position of the vehicle pedal.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle pedal sensor of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle pedal position sensor comprises a Hall-Effect integrated circuit and a magnet for sensing a change in the magnetic field generated by the magnet in response to the change in the position of the vehicle pedal. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle pedal sensor of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle pedal force sensor includes a piezoelectric element, a load cell, or a strain gauge. 
     
     
         4 . A vehicle pedal sensor for use in connection with a vehicle brake pedal and comprising:
 a sensor housing coupled to the vehicle brake pedal, the sensor housing including a vehicle brake pedal position sensor and a non-contacting vehicle brake pedal force sensor;   an electrical connector unitary with the sensor housing and operably associated with the vehicle brake pedal position sensor and the non-contacting vehicle brake pedal force sensor; and   a pedal force application member operably coupled to the vehicle brake pedal and adapted to exert a force against the vehicle brake pedal force sensor in response to the change in the position of the vehicle brake pedal.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle pedal sensor of  claim 4  wherein the vehicle brake pedal force sensor includes a piezoelectric element, a load cell, or a strain gauge located in the base of the sensor housing. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle pedal sensor of  claim 4  wherein the non-contacting vehicle brake pedal position sensor includes a Hall-Effect integrated circuit associated with the vehicle brake pedal or the sensor housing for sensing the change in the magnetic field generated by a magnet associated with the other of the vehicle brake pedal or the sensor housing I in response to the change in the position of the vehicle brake pedal.